Abstract: An imaging system selects a medical imaging protocol using a repository of information associating multiple ranges of contrast agent peak time with corresponding different imaging protocols. An imaging protocol comprises a method for acquiring images using an imaging system and using data identifying at least one of (a) an imaging rate within an imaging scan cycle and (b) an interval between imaging scans. A contrast agent peak time comprises a time a contrast agent concentration substantially reaches a peak value in an anatomical region of interest of a patient relative to a time of start of contrast agent injection. A contrast agent peak time detector detects a contrast agent peak time. An imaging processor adaptively selects an imaging protocol from the imaging protocols in response to a comparison of a detected contrast agent peak time with at least one of the plurality of ranges.

Abstract: A method is for imaging an examination region of an object to be examined, the examination region including a first contrast medium and a second contrast medium different from the first contrast medium. In an embodiment, the method includes acquisition and generation. In the acquisition, first projection scan data is acquired in an examination region with a first energy range and second projection scan data, different from the first projection scan data, is acquired with a second energy range different from the first energy range. In the generation, a first image is generated based upon the first projection scan data and the second projection scan data and the first image has furthermore only isolated first information of the first contrast medium, only isolated second information of the second contrast medium, or isolated first information of the first contrast medium together with isolated second information of the second contrast medium.

Abstract: A tomographic device includes a recording unit with a central system axis, a patient couch movable along the system axis and also a radiation source and a radiation detector interacting with the radiation source. The inventors have recognized that a rapid, precise and reliable positioning of a first recording area can be achieved by the positioning being based on a trained model, wherein the model has been trained with training positions. The tomographic device therefore includes a computing unit, which is designed for calibration of a first position of the first recording area relative to the recording unit based on the trained model. Furthermore the tomographic device includes a control unit for positioning the first recording area in the first position by moving the patient couch relative to the recording unit. The tomographic device is designed for a first tomographic recording of the first recording area in the first position.

Abstract: A method is for classifying an examination object by way of recordings. In an embodiment, the method includes capturing at least one optical recording of the examination object; determining and quantifying a number of defined characteristics of the examination object based upon an analysis of the optical recordings with the aid of a machine learning method; and affecting the classification of the examination object in respect of a classification criterion, based upon the quantified characteristics with the aid of a machine learning method. Also described are a classification entity and a medical imaging modality.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an image data set of an examination volume including a tumor. A tumor region is segmented in the image data set. Furthermore, a texture distribution of the tumor region is determined, the texture distribution in each case assigning a texture parameter to image points in the tumor region, and each of the texture parameters being based on a spatial distribution of first intensity values of the image data set. Furthermore, a biopsy position within the tumor region is determined by applying an optimized position-determining algorithm to the texture distribution, the optimized position-determining algorithm being based on training texture distributions and first training positions, and one of the first training positions being assigned to each of the training texture distributions. In embodiments, the use of an optimized position-determining algorithm enables all relevant influencing variables for the determination of the biopsy position to be taken into account.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a heat press, especially knee lever-transfer press with at least one socket, with at least one base plate and with at least one heatable counter plate pivotable towards the base plate, wherein the knee lever-transfer press further has a control unit, by which the knee lever-transfer press is controllable in an open-loop manner and/or closed-loop manner and wherein the control unit constitutes a first modular unit of the knee lever-transfer press and wherein the socket constitutes at least one second modular unit, and the base plate and the counter plate constitute at least one third modular unit and wherein at least the first modular unit and the second modular unit and/or the third modular unit are separable from each other and/or are formed to be replaceable for functional comparable modular units.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an image data set of an examination volume including a tumor. A tumor region is segmented in the image data set. Furthermore, a texture distribution of the tumor region is determined, the texture distribution in each case assigning a texture parameter to image points in the tumor region, and each of the texture parameters being based on a spatial distribution of first intensity values of the image data set. Furthermore, a biopsy position within the tumor region is determined by applying an optimized position-determining algorithm to the texture distribution, the optimized position-determining algorithm being based on training texture distributions and first training positions, and one of the first training positions being assigned to each of the training texture distributions. In embodiments, the use of an optimized position-determining algorithm enables all relevant influencing variables for the determination of the biopsy position to be taken into account.

Abstract: An embodiment relates to a method for generating a virtual X-ray projection of at least one body region of a patient to be imaged with an X-ray imaging device, a machine-readable data carrier and/or an X-ray imaging device. The method includes acquiring at least one projection data set representing the at least one body region of the patient to be imaged; reconstructing an image data set from the at least one projection data set, the image data set representing local X-ray attenuation values in the at least one body region; replacing at least one local X-ray attenuation value by a modified X-ray attenuation value; forward projecting the modified image data set onto a virtual X-ray radiation detector; calculating intensity values for a plurality of detector elements from the modified projection data set; transforming the calculated intensity values into scan values; and assigning the scan values to an image matrix.

Abstract: A method is for processing a first image data set including a first image value tuple associated with a volume element of a region of an object to be imaged. In an embodiment, a second image data set is generated based upon the first image data set, including a second image value tuple associated with the volume element, a base material decomposition being capable of being carried based upon the second image data set and based upon a base material set; a starting area and a target area are selected as a function of the base material set, the first image value tuple being located in the starting area; the second image value tuple is ascertained based upon the first image value tuple, the second image value tuple being associated with the first image value tuple via image value tuple imaging and being located in the target area.

Abstract: A method for determining a tube current profile for the recording of at least one X-ray image of body region of a patient with an X-ray image recording device, a corresponding computer program, a machine-readable data carrier and an X-ray image recording device are disclosed. The method includes acquisition of an image recorded via an optical sensor wherein the image has a field of view including at least the body region of the patient to be depicted by way of an X-ray image; determination of at least one piece of patient-specific, body-related information for the patient from the image; determination of an X-ray attenuation distribution of the patient at least for the body region to be depicted by way of an X-ray image with reference to the at least one piece of patient-specific, body-related information; and determination of the tube current profile with reference to the X-ray attenuation distribution determined.

Abstract: A method is for the characterization of plaque in a region of interest inside an examination subject by way of a plurality of image data sets. The image data sets have been reconstructed from a plurality of projection data sets, which have been acquired via a CT device using different X-ray energy spectra. The method includes: acquiring the image data sets, which include a plurality of pixels. Spectral parameter values are acquired on a pixel by pixel basis using at least two image data sets. Character parameter values are then acquired on a pixel by pixel basis to characterize plaques on the basis of the spectral parameter values. An analysis unit and a computed tomography system are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method includes acquiring contrast medium-enhanced projection measurement data from the examination region, including at least two spectral projection measurement data sets. Further, image data is reconstructed based upon the acquired projection measurement data, the image data including at least two spectral image data sets. Subsequently, texture parameters are determined based upon the reconstructed image data and a parameter analysis is carried out based upon the parameter database. In addition, an image analysis apparatus and a computed tomography system are described.

Abstract: A method for creating a resultant image for a specifiable, virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution includes capturing a first image dataset of the patient, capturing at least one second image dataset of the patient, and specifying a virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution. The method also includes establishing a spatial density distribution of the patient for at least two materials based on the first image dataset and the at least one second image dataset. The method includes creating a third image dataset of the patient based on the specified virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution and the established spatial material density distributions. The third image dataset represents an x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient corresponding to the specified virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution. The method also includes creating the virtual image from the third image dataset.

Abstract: An example embodiment relates to a method for automatically stipulating a spectral distribution of the X-ray radiation of a number of X-ray sources of a computed tomography system. This involves firstly stipulating start control parameters of an X-ray source, which determine the dose and spectral distribution of X-ray radiation. On the basis of an expected attenuation of the X-ray radiation by an examination object, an examination-object-specific basic control parameter is then ascertained proceeding from the start control parameters. Afterwards, on the basis of the expected attenuation of the X-ray radiation by the examination object and the basic control parameter, first target control parameters and second target control parameters are ascertained for setting the spectral distribution of the X-ray radiation in a subsequent multi-energy measurement on the examination object. Moreover, a method, a control device suitable, and a computed tomography system comprising such a control device are described.

Abstract: For operating a plant having at least one open- and/or closed-loop heating control device for heating elements, values for an energy consumption and/or an instantaneous power draw of the heating elements are determined, without using measured values for electric currents, on the basis of characteristic parameters of the heating elements and on the basis of values of open- and/or closed-loop control variables for the open- and/or closed-loop control of a heat output of the heating elements. This enables the network load to be determined, reported and optimized by the open- and/or closed-loop heating control devices even without complex and therefore expensive measuring devices in the open- and/or closed-loop heating control device.

Abstract: A method is described for generating contrast medium-aided CT image data from an examination region of a patient. At least two sets of projection measurement data assigned to different X-ray energy spectra are acquired from the examination region. At least two different contrast media are present simultaneously during the acquisition in the examination region. Furthermore, at least two separate image datasets are reconstructed based upon the at least two sets of projection measurement data with the aid of a multi-material decomposition. Each of the at least two separate image datasets is assigned to one of the at least two contrast media and the materials according to which decomposition takes place are the respective contrast media. Additionally a method for analyzing morphological and/or functional parameters assigned to different contrast media in an examination region of a patient is described. Furthermore an image reconstruction device and a computed tomography system is described.

Abstract: In a method and computer for determining an imaging parameter for an imaging procedure, a patient-specific imaging value for imaging an image data set is provided to a computer. An imaging parameter is determined in the computer by applying a trained imaging rule to the patient-specific imaging value. The trained imaging rule is based on a number of training data sets, wherein the training data sets each includes at least one patient-specific training imaging value and at least one training imaging parameter and at least one training quality evaluation. The complex influences of the patient-specific imaging values and the imaging parameters on the result of imaging can be quantified thereby. Allocation of the training quality evaluation by individual operators or specific groups of operators makes it possible to adjust the image recording parameters flexibly and individually. The imaging parameter can be determined such that the result of imaging is individually adjusted to an operator.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed for patient-dependent optimization and reduction of the contrast medium amount. An embodiment includes provisioning patient-specific data, containing information about a patient cross-section relevant for the imaging measurement; establishing CT values and/or CNR values of a contrast medium to be expected for at least one region of interest of the patient for different candidate settings of x-ray source arrangement and/or of an image reconstruction device; determining a relevant candidate contrast medium amount for the different candidate settings, which would lead to a CT value or CNR value of the contrast medium which corresponds to the CT value or CNR value of the contrast medium at the reference setting of the x-ray source arrangement and/or image reconstruction device; and displaying an optimum relative candidate contrast medium amount and of the associated candidate setting.

Abstract: A filter arrangement is described. The filter arrangement includes an inner filter region, covering a cross-sectional area of a fan beam of a first X-ray source, and an outer filter region covering, together with the inner filter region, a larger cross-sectional area of a larger fan beam of a second X-ray source. The inner filter region has a first spectral filter function. The outer filter region is divided into a first subregion having a second spectral filter function and a second subregion having a third different spectral filter function. A computed tomography system is described. A method for producing a filter arrangement for a spectral filtering of X-ray radiation of a CT system having a first X-ray source and a second X-ray source is also presented. A method for reconstructing image data on the basis of projection measurement data is also described.

Abstract: A method and an imaging system are disclosed. The method, for determining at least one value of at least one recording parameter for a recording of an X-ray image of a patient positioned on an examination table, uses contactless scanning of at least part of the surface of the patient via at least one electromagnetic sensor, to calculate the three-dimensional contour of the scanned surface without additional exposure to radiation. At least one anatomic landmark of the patient can be identified using the three-dimensional contour, and the position of the anatomic landmark is determinable in the coordinate system of the table. The value of the recording parameter is determinable using the position of the anatomic landmark. The value of the recording parameter is determinable quickly and easily since contactless scanning of surfaces can be achieved quickly and easily in terms of technology.