Abstract: A method is for producing CT images of at least one second organ cyclically excited to move by a first organ moving on its own, or examination area with rest phases and activity phases of a patient. The second organ or the examination area is scanned, preferably spirally. A three-dimensional image of the absorption coefficient is determined with the aid of a multiplicity of cutting planes on the basis of the data obtained by scanning in the rest phase of the second organ or examination area, and the movement information required to determine the rest phase is collected from the first organ.

Abstract: In a method to support the diagnosis and/or therapy of a pathological change of a blood vessel of a patient, in particular in the context of coronary heart disease at a first point in time of a pixel-based or voxel-based first image is acquired with the blood vessel of interest by an imaging method, a determination is made from the first image of a quantity of existing non-calcified plaque and a quantity of existing calcium-rich plaque, a determination of a first indicator value is made from the quantities of the different plaque types that represents a measurement of the quantity and the composition of plaque present in the blood vessel at the first point in time, a comparison of the first indicator value is made with at least one limit value stored in a storage of a data processing device, and dependent on the comparison, a presentation is made on an output unit associated with the electronic data processing device of either a proposal for a measure to be undertaken on the patient, or a proposal for no meas

Abstract: In a method and device for, generating computed tomography images of a periodically moving organ of an organism, the organ having regions with rest phases and movement phases and the rest phases of different regions ensuing at different points in time, an x-ray source is moved around the body of the organism to be examined to generate projections serving for the image generation during at least one rotation of the x-ray source around the subject to be examined and during a duration that is at least equal to a period of the motion. The projection data are analyzed as to whether the data were acquired during a rest phase or movement phase of a respective region of interest of the organ, and an image of the organ is reconstructed using only data acquired during a rest phase of a respective region of interest of the organ.

Abstract: A method is for examining a body region of an examination object, which body region performs a periodic movement in the form of a sequence of movement cycles including phases of the periodic movement. The method preferably uses a CT apparatus with a radiation source for generating a radiation that penetrates through the examination object at different projection angles, and a detector system for the radiation emerging from the radiation source. An image, at least of the body region that performs the periodic movement, is determined by way of an electronic computing device from the output data of the detector system, which correspond to the detected radiation and are used as measurement data. In this case, it is provided that, from a number n?1 of preferably successive movement cycles, data intervals are taken with respect to the same phase of the periodic movement. The overall length of these intervals produces at least one reconstruction interval that suffices for determining an image.

Abstract: A contrast agent for medical imaging has a component in the form of a chemical compound of gadolinium that is effective for x-ray computed tomography, that has at least one additive that prevents use of the contrast agent in magnetic resonance tomography.

Abstract: A method is for producing CT images of at least one second organ cyclically excited to move by a first organ moving on its own, or examination area with rest phases and activity phases of a patient. The second organ or the examination area is scanned, preferably spirally. A three-dimensional image of the absorption coefficient is determined with the aid of a multiplicity of cutting planes on the basis of the data obtained by scanning in the rest phase of the second organ or examination area, and the movement information required to determine the rest phase is collected from the first organ.

Abstract: A method is for examining a body region of an examination object, which body region performs a periodic movement in the form of a sequence of movement cycles including phases of the periodic movement. The method preferably uses a CT apparatus with a radiation source for generating a radiation that penetrates through the examination object at different projection angles, and a detector system for the radiation emerging from the radiation source. An image, at least of the body region that performs the periodic movement, is determined by way of an electronic computing device from the output data of the detector system, which correspond to the detected radiation and are used as measurement data. In this case, it is provided that, from a number n?1 of preferably successive movement cycles, data intervals are taken with respect to the same phase of the periodic movement. The overall length of these intervals produces at least one reconstruction interval that suffices for determining an image.

Abstract: A computed tomography apparatus has a radiation source from which a beam is emitted which has a fan angle and can be moved about a system axis within a measuring field defined by the fan angle in order to scan an object under examination, and a detector system for detecting the radiation from the radiation source and which supplies output signals corresponding to the received radiation, which are fed to a computer. From these output signals, the computer reconstructs images of the object under examination with reference to a reconstruction field which is larger than the measuring field.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for performing computer tomography, and to a computed tomography (CT) apparatus, in which a) for scanning an object by a cone-shaped beam exiting from a focal point and by a matrix-like detector array for detecting the beam, the focal point is moved in relation to the object on a spiral path, whose center axis corresponds to a system axis, and the detector array provides output data corresponding to the received radiation; and b) for imaging an object region that executes a periodic motion, a signal that reproduces the course over time of the periodic motion is obtained during the scanning; c) from output data furnished during the motion of the focal point on a spiral segment, images with an inclined image plane are reconstructed, the image planes being inclined relative to the system axis both about a first axis, which perpendicularly intersects the system axis, by an angle of inclination &ggr; and about a second axis, which perpendicularly intersects both the first axis and

Abstract: In a CT device with a multi-line detector system, different columns of the detector system can be connected to different numbers of electronic elements in order to read the signals generated in the detector elements. Thus, by using the detector systems, regions of the object to be examined can be scanned with a high resolution, and other regions can be scanned with a lower resolution. A high resolution in regions can therefore be achieved with a simplified and less expensive detector system, which generates a comparatively low data rate and amount of data.

Abstract: In a method to support the diagnosis and/or therapy of a pathological change of a blood vessel of a patient, in particular in the context of coronary heart disease at a first point in time of a pixel-based or voxel-based first image is acquired with the blood vessel of interest by an imaging method, a determination is made from the first image of a quantity of existing non-calcified plaque and a quantity of existing calcium-rich plaque, a determination of a first indicator value is made from the quantities of the different plaque types that represents a measurement of the quantity and the composition of plaque present in the blood vessel at the first point in time, a comparison of the first indicator value is made with at least one limit value stored in a storage of a data processing device, and dependent on the comparison, a presentation is made on an output unit associated with the electronic data processing device of either a proposal for a measure to be undertaken on the patient, or a proposal for no meas

Abstract: In a method and device for, generating computed tomography images of a periodically moving organ of an organism, the organ having regions with rest phases and movement phases and the rest phases of different regions ensuing at different points in time, an x-ray source is moved around the body of the organism to be examined to generate projections serving for the image generation during at least one rotation of the x-ray source around the subject to be examined and during a duration that is at least equal to a period of the motion. The projection data are analyzed as to whether the data were acquired during a rest phase or movement phase of a respective region of interest of the organ, and an image of the organ is reconstructed using only data acquired during a rest phase of a respective region of interest of the organ.

Abstract: An X-ray computed tomography apparatus has a beam filter arrangement with regions of different filter material or/and different thickness profile of the filter material. This beam filter arrangement is disposed in the beam path preceding an examination subject. For multi-spectra beam hardening correction with estimation of the base material lengths, the computed tomography apparatus is fashioned for implementing projections of the examination subject with different effective material thickness or/and different effective material of the beam filter arrangement.

Abstract: In a spiral scan cone beam computed tomography method and apparatus, the output data are divided into sub-segments being shorter than the length required for the reconstruction of a CT image. Segment images having inclined image plane relative to the system axis are reconstructed for the sub-segments. A signal reproducing the time curve of the periodic motion is acquired during the scanning. A z-position on the system axis and a time position with respect to the periodic motion are allocated to the segment images. Segment images belonging to a desired range of z-positions and a desired range of time positions are selected such that the corresponding sub-segments have an overall length adequate for the reconstruction of a CT image. The selected segment images are at least indirectly combined into a resulting CT image with respect to a target image plane.

Abstract: In a method for examining a body region executing a periodic motion in an examination subject with a diagnostic apparatus having a radiation source for generating radiation penetrating the examination subject and a detector system for the radiation emanating from the radiation source, the intensity of the radiation emanating from the radiation source is modulated between a reference value and a reduced value compared to the reference value, substantially synchronously with the movement, so that the reference value is present during a phase of the periodic motion to be imaged with the diagnostic apparatus, and substantially only the data that were output by the detector system during the presence of the reference value of the radiation are utilized for the determination of the image.

Abstract: In an image reconstruction method for imaging a periodically moving object with a computed tomography apparatus employing a multi-line detector unit, suitable selection of the rotational speed of the carrier of the computed tomography apparatus and employment of a three-dimensional back-projection algorithm, allow qualitatively high-great images of the object to be produced in every motion phase.

Abstract: In a computed tomography method and apparatus, having a subject with a conical ray beam emanating from a focus and with a matrix-like detector array for detecting the ray beam, while the focus is moved on a spiral path around a system axis relative to the subject, and the detector array supplies output data corresponding to the received radiation. The output data respectively supplied during the motion of the focus on a spiral segment and having a length adequate for the reconstruction of a CT image are divided into output data with respect to sub-segments, with the length of each sub-segments being shorter than the length required for the reconstruction of a CT image. Segment images having an inclined image plane relative to the system axis are reconstructed for the sub-segments. A signal reproducing the time curve of the periodic motion is acquired during the scanning. A z-position on the system axis and a time position with respect to the periodic motion are allocated to the segment images.

Abstract: An X-ray computer tomography apparatus is disclosed wherein a beam filter arrangement (26) that comprises regions (28, 30) of different filter material or/and different thickness profile of the filter material is arranged in the beam path preceding an examination subject. For multi-spectra beam hardening correction with estimation of the base material lengths, the computer tomography apparatus is fashioned for implementing projections of the examination subject given different effective material thickness or/and different effective material of the beam filter arrangement (26).

Abstract: In a method for examining a body region of an examination subject executing a periodic motion with a CT apparatus having a multi-line detector system in spiral mode, the X-ray source is activated and deactivated for the emission of X-rays substantially synchronously with the periodic motion so that the X-ray source is activated only during a phase of the periodic motion to be imaged with the CT apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer tomograph having a radiation source from which there issues a beam which has a fan angle and can be moved about a system axis within a measuring field defined by the fan angle in order to scan an object under examination, and having a detector system, which is provided for detecting the radiation issuing from the radiation source and which supplies output signals corresponding to the received radiation, which are fed to an electronic computer. The latter reconstructs on the basis of the output signals images of the object under examination with reference to a reconstruction field which is larger than the measuring field.