Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining at least one nuclear medical image data set in nuclear medical imaging using an imaging device includes acquiring nuclear medical raw data sets of a region of interest of a patient in respective acquisition steps during a progression of a tracer in the region of interest; reconstructing at least one nuclear medical image data set from the nuclear medical raw data sets for each acquisition step; determining motion data describing a motion of the patient between acquisition steps from source data describing the motion in the region of interest; and applying motion correction to at least one of the nuclear medical raw data sets or the at least one nuclear medical image data set based on the motion data.

Abstract: A method of conducting a multi-pass dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) scans using continuous bed motion (CBM) mode is disclosed where the method involves acquiring PET sinogram data using CBM mode as the patient bed is moving in a first direction; acquiring PET sonogram data using CBM mode as the patient bed is moving in a second direction that is opposite from the first direction; and reconstructing 3-D PET image from the acquired PET sonogram data.

Abstract: A method for performing a multi-bed scan includes receiving scanner-specific information including scanner sensitivity and receiving patient-specific information including attenuation. An attenuation-weighted sensitivity profile is calculated based on the scanner sensitivity and the attenuation. Individual bed scan times for each bed in a multi-bed study is calculated based on the attenuation-weighted sensitivity profile and the multi-bed scan is performed using the calculated individual bed scan times.

Abstract: A method of processing and reconstructing dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) sinogram data comprises: acquiring PET sinogram data using continuous bed motion having a varying velocity; recording a plurality of position-time coordinate pairs while acquiring the PET sinogram data; determining respective acquisition times of each of a plurality of slices of the image, based on the plurality of position-time coordinates; and reconstructing respective parametric images for each respective slice in the plurality of slices.

Abstract: A method of processing and reconstructing dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) sinogram data comprises: acquiring PET sinogram data using continuous bed motion having a varying velocity; recording a plurality of position-time coordinate pairs while acquiring the PET sinogram data; determining respective acquisition times of each of a plurality of slices of the image, based on the plurality of position-time coordinates; and reconstructing respective parametric images for each respective slice in the plurality of slices.

Abstract: A method of conducting a multi-pass dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) scans using continuous bed motion (CBM) mode is disclosed where the method involves acquiring PET sinogram data using CBM mode as the patient bed is moving in a first direction; acquiring PET sonogram data using CBM mode as the patient bed is moving in a second direction that is opposite from the first direction; and reconstructing 3-D PET image from the acquired PET sonogram data.

Abstract: In a methods and apparatus for generating an image for display from medical image data of a subject, image data is processed to reconstruct a pre-image data set, and a filter applied to the pre-image data set to produce a filtered image for display, while a value of a variable is obtained from the pre-image data set, for display with the filtered image. The value obtained from the pre-image data can be used for quantification of a feature of the medical image data.

Abstract: A method for improving clinical data quality in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The method provides for the processing of PET data to accurately and efficiently determine a data signal-to-noise (SNR) corresponding to each individual clinical patient scan, as a function of a singles rate in a PET scanner. The method relates an injected dose to the singles rate to determine SNR(Dinj), and provides an accurate estimate of quantity proportional to SNR, similar in function to SNR(Dinj). Knowledge of SNR(Dinj) permits determination of peak SNR, optimal dose, SNR deficit, dose deficit, and differential dose benefit. The patient dose is fractionated, with a small calibration dose given initially. After a short uptake, the patient is pre-scanned to determine T, S, and R. An optimal dose is then determined and the remainder is injected.

Abstract: A method for improving clinical data quality in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The method provides for the processing of PET data to accurately and efficiently determine a data signal-to-noise (SNR) corresponding to each individual clinical patient scan, as a function of a singles rate in a PET scanner. The method relates an injected dose to the singles rate to determine SNR(Dinj), and provides an accurate estimate of quantity proportional to SNR, similar in function to SNR(Dinj). Knowledge of SNR(Dinj) permits determination of peak SNR, optimal dose, SNR deficit, dose deficit, and differential dose benefit. The patient dose is fractionated, with a small calibration dose given initially. After a short uptake, the patient is pre-scanned to determine T, S, and R. An optimal dose is then determined and the remainder is injected.

Abstract: A method for improving clinical data quality in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The method provides for the processing of PET data to accurately and efficiently determine a data single-to-noise ratio (SNR) corresponding to each individual clinical patient scan, as a function of a singles rate in a PET scanner. The method relates an injected dose to the singles rate to determine SNR(Dinj),and provides an accurate estimate of a quantity proportional to SNR, similar in function to the SNR(Dinj). Knowledge of SNR(Dinj) permits determination of peak SNR, optimal dose, SNR deficit, dose deficit, and differential dose benefit. The patient dose is fractionated, with a small calibration dose given initially. After a short uptake, the patient is pre-scanned to determine T, S, and R. An optimal does is then determined and the remainder injected.

Abstract: In a methods and apparatus for generating an image for display from medical image data of a subject, image data is processed to reconstruct a pre-image data set, and a filter applied to the pre-image data set to produce a filtered image for display, while a value of a variable is obtained from the pre-image data set, for display with the filtered image. The value obtained from the pre-image data can be used for quantification of a feature of the medical image data.

Abstract: A method for improving clinical data quality in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The method provides for the processing of PET data to accurately and efficiently determine a data single-to-noise ratio (SNR) corresponding to each individual clinical patient scan, as a function of a singles rate in a PET scanner. The method relates an injected dose to the singles rate to determine SNR(Dinj), and provides an accurate estimate of a quantity proportional to SNR, similar in function to the SNR(Dinj). Knowledge of SNR(Dinj) permits determination of peak SNR, optimal dose, SNR deficit, dose deficit, and differential dose benefit. The patient dose is fractionated, with a small calibration dose given initially. After a short uptake, the patient is pre-scanned to determine T, S, and R. An optimal does is then determined and the remainder injected.

Abstract: A method of TOF-PET image reconstruction using time-truncated TOF-PET projection data. The time-truncated TOF-PET data is obtained by narrowing the scanner time window to a smaller “time window field of view,” which reduces the field of view of a TOF-PET scanner. This results in a lower list mode stream transfer rate, which can be useful in high count rate data acquisitions, in particular 82Rb cardiac studies.

Abstract: According to a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a method for extracting internal organ motion from positron emission tomography (PET) coincidence data, the method comprising the following steps: generating a data stream of PET coincidence data using the list mode capability of a PET scanner; dividing the data stream into time frames of a given length; computing a histogram A(i, t) of an axial coincidence distribution for a set of time frames; computing the axial center of mass z(t) for each of the time frames in the set of time frames based on the histogram A(i, t); transforming z(t) into the frequency domain; determining either the frequency contribution caused by respiratory motion, given by fresp, or the frequency contribution caused by heart contractions, given by fcard and ?f, identified in the frequency spectrum |Z(f)|; and carrying out further processing of Z(f) leading to curves zresp(t) and zcard(t) with which a gating sequence is established.

Abstract: A method for improving clinical data quality in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The method provides for the processing of PET data to accurately and efficiently determine a data signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) corresponding to each individual clinical patient scan, as a function of a singles rate in a PET scanner. The method relates an injected dose to the singles rate to determine SNR(Dinj), and provides an accurate estimate of a quantity proportional to SNR, similar in function to the SNR(Dinj). Knowledge of SNR(Dinj) permits determination of peak SNR, optimal dose, SNR deficit, dose deficit, and differential dose benefit. The patient dose is fractionated, with a small calibration dose given initially. After a short uptake, the patient is pre-scanned to determine T, S, and R. An optimal dose is then determined and the remainder injected.

Abstract: A method of TOF-PET image reconstruction using time-truncated TOF-PET projection data. The time-truncated TOF-PET data is obtained by narrowing the scanner time window to a smaller “time window field of view,” which reduces the field of view of a TOF-PET scanner. This results in a lower list mode stream transfer rate, which can be useful in high count rate data acquisitions, in particular 82Rb cardiac studies.

Abstract: A method for improving clinical data quality in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The method provides for the processing of PET data to accurately and efficiently determine a data signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) corresponding to each individual clinical patient scan, as a function of a singles rate in a PET scanner. The method relates an injected dose to the singles rate to determine SNR(Dinj), and provides an accurate estimate of a quantity proportional to SNR, similar in function to the SNR(Dinj). Knowledge of SNR(Dinj) permits determination of peak SNR, optimal dose, SNR deficit, dose deficit, and differential dose benefit. The patient dose is fractionated, with a small calibration dose given initially. After a short uptake, the patient is pre-scanned to determine T, S, and R. An optimal dose is then determined and the remainder injected.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for on-line DOI rebinning for LSO PET/SPECT to improve spatial resolution, for use in a hybrid Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) system running in PET-mode. Data acquisition hardware is used to feed a detector pair coincidence event stream to an on-line rebinner. Gamma centroid location measurements are made by rastering assumed transaxial and radial head positions and the corresponding rebinning maps for optimal back-projected image resolution. Optimal positions are found by collecting a 64-bit list mode file, assuming a crystal position as the centroid for each of the heads, defining a sequence for varying the assumed positions, making the rebinning look-up tables, rebinning the list mode data, histogramming and reconstructing the image, assessing the image resolution, recording the best resolution number and the associated trial position variables, repeating these on the next trial variable set.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for on-line DOI rebinning for LSO PET/SPECT to improve spatial resolution, for use in a hybrid Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) system running in PET-mode. Data acquisition hardware is used to feed a detector pair coincidence event stream to an online rebinner. Gamma centroid location measurements are made by rastering assumed transaxial and radial head positions and the corresponding rebinning maps for optimal back-projected image resolution. Optimal positions are found by collecting a 64-bit list mode file, assuming a crystal position as the centroid for each of the heads, defining a sequence for varying the assumed positions, making the rebinning look-up tables, rebinning the list mode data, histogramming and reconstructing the image, assessing the image resolution, recording the best resolution number and the associated trial position variables, repeating these on the next trial variable set.