Patents by Inventor Brian Edward Nett

Brian Edward Nett has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9931095
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, system and methods are provided comprising determining one or more image locations at which motion occurred within an image volume of an object containing movable anatomical features prior to segmenting the movable anatomical features; estimating motion at each of the one or more image locations; correcting one or more motion artifacts in the image volume at each of the one or more image locations, where motion was estimated resulting in the generation of a final motion compensated image; and segmenting one or more features of interest in the final motion compensated image. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jed Douglas Pack, Brian Edward Nett, Sathish Ramani
  • Publication number: 20180049714
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for automatic exposure control in a computed tomography imaging system. In one embodiment, a method comprises estimating attenuation properties of a subject along a direction, and varying, based on the attenuation properties, a helical pitch along the direction during a scan of the subject. In this way, a desired image quality can be maintained while reducing radiation dose, without modulating tube current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventor: Brian Edward Nett
  • Patent number: 9858688
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for motion compensation in computed tomography imaging. In one embodiment, a method comprises reconstructing at least two images from projection data, calculating a motion metric based on the at least two images, selecting a view-weighting function based on the motion metric, and generating a display from the projection data based on the selected view-weighting function. In this way, an image can be reconstructed with the selected view-weighting function which down-weights slices in the image containing motion artifacts. As a result, the image quality of the reconstructed image may be improved with computational efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Edward Nett, Caroline Elise Seng
  • Patent number: 9836862
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for boosting the contrast levels in an image reconstructed from projection data acquired at a single energy. In one embodiment, a method comprises modifying projection data corresponding to a material based on an absorption behavior of the material at a selected energy, wherein the projection data is acquired at an energy higher than the selected energy. In this way, contrast levels may be enhanced in an image reconstructed from projection data acquired at a typical single energy as though the image were reconstructed from projection data acquired at a lower energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Edward Nett, Hewei Gao, Paavana Sainath
  • Publication number: 20170281112
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, system and methods are provided comprising determining one or more image locations at which motion occurred within an image volume of an object containing movable anatomical features prior to segmenting the movable anatomical features; estimating motion at each of the one or more image locations; correcting one or more motion artifacts in the image volume at each of the one or more image locations, where motion was estimated resulting in the generation of a final motion compensated image; and segmenting one or more features of interest in the final motion compensated image. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Jed Douglas PACK, Brian Edward NETT, Sathish RAMANI
  • Patent number: 9683948
    Abstract: Systems and methods for iterative multi-material correction are provided. A system includes an imager that acquires projection data of an object. A reconstructor reconstructs the acquired projection data into a reconstructed image, utilizes the reconstructed image to perform a multi-material correction on the acquired projection data to generate a multi-material corrected reconstructed image, and utilizes the multi-material corrected reconstructed image to perform one or more iterations of the multi-material correction on the projection data to generate an iteratively corrected multi-material corrected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Hewei Gao, Girijesh K. Yadava, Adam Israel Cohen, Brian Edward Nett
  • Patent number: 9629587
    Abstract: A method is provided including determining at least one range of phases of a cardiac cycle from which to select a selected phase based on at least one of patient demographic information, patient physiological information, or a general physiological model. The method also includes generating corresponding intermediate images for each of the phases of the at least one range of phases. Further, the method includes selecting the selected phase based on at least one image quality (IQ) metric of the intermediate images. Also, the method includes generating an image for diagnostic use using imaging information from the selected phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Darin Robert Okerlund, Sandeep Dutta, Brian Edward Nett, David Pazzani, Daniel Stassi, Tal Gilat Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9619889
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for correcting contrast banding artifacts across multiple acquisitions in reconstructed images. In one embodiment, a method for computed tomography imaging comprises generating an original image comprising multiple subvolumes, segmenting the original image into different structures for each subvolume, selectively applying a mask-based correction through each area of subvolume that includes continuous structures to generate an updated image, and performing streak correction between the original image and the updated image to generate a final image. In this way, image quality may be improved without adjusting anatomical structures in an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Edward Nett, Chuang Miao
  • Publication number: 20170004636
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for motion compensation in computed tomography imaging. In one embodiment, a method comprises reconstructing at least two images from projection data, calculating a motion metric based on the at least two images, selecting a view-weighting function based on the motion metric, and generating a display from the projection data based on the selected view-weighting function. In this way, an image can be reconstructed with the selected view-weighting function which down-weights slices in the image containing motion artifacts. As a result, the image quality of the reconstructed image may be improved with computational efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Brian Edward Nett, Caroline Elise Seng
  • Patent number: 9483851
    Abstract: A method is provided including acquiring imaging data of an object to be imaged from a computed tomography (CT) detector. The method also includes reconstructing the acquired imaging data into an initial reconstruction image, and performing material characterization of an image volume of the initial reconstruction image to provide a re-mapped image volume. Further, the method includes performing forward projection on the re-mapped image volume to provide forward projection data, and providing an error projection based on the forward projection data. Also, the method includes filtering at least one of the initial reconstruction image, the re-mapped image volume, the forward projection data, or the error projection. The method also includes using the error projection to update the initial reconstruction image to provide an updated reconstruction image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hewei Gao, Adam Cohen, Brian Edward Nett, Paavana Sainath, Yasuhiro Imai
  • Publication number: 20160189402
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for boosting the contrast levels in an image reconstructed from projection data acquired at a single energy. In one embodiment, a method comprises modifying projection data corresponding to a material based on an absorption behavior of the material at a selected energy, wherein the projection data is acquired at an energy higher than the selected energy. In this way, contrast levels may be enhanced in an image reconstructed from projection data acquired at a typical single energy as though the image were reconstructed from projection data acquired at a lower energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Brian Edward Nett, Hewei Gao, Paavana Sainath
  • Publication number: 20160171724
    Abstract: Various methods and systems for generating a computed tomography image in real-time are provided. In one embodiment, a method for imaging comprises acquiring x-ray projection data; calibrating the x-ray projection data; generating at least two basis image volumes by reconstructing the calibrated x-ray projection data, each of the at least two basis image volumes including different centerviews and a temporal width corresponding to an x-ray source rotation between 180 degrees and 360 degrees; and generating a final image volume by Fourier blending the at least two basis image volumes based on a selected temporal window width. In this way, a user may scroll between Fourier-blended images of varying durations of temporal window in real-time to select an optimal image for review without a reconstruction of calibrated x-ray projection data for each image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Brian Edward Nett, Jed Douglas Pack, Michael Richard Jones
  • Publication number: 20160110892
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for correcting contrast banding artifacts across multiple acquisitions in reconstructed images. In one embodiment, a method for computed tomography imaging comprises generating an original image comprising multiple subvolumes, segmenting the original image into different structures for each subvolume, selectively applying a mask-based correction through each area of subvolume that includes continuous structures to generate an updated image, and performing streak correction between the original image and the updated image to generate a final image. In this way, image quality may be improved without adjusting anatomical structures in an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Brian Edward Nett, Chuang Miao
  • Publication number: 20160012615
    Abstract: A method is provided including acquiring imaging data of an object to be imaged from a computed tomography (CT) detector. The method also includes reconstructing the acquired imaging data into an initial reconstruction image, and performing material characterization of an image volume of the initial reconstruction image to provide a re-mapped image volume. Further, the method includes performing forward projection on the re-mapped image volume to provide forward projection data, and providing an error projection based on the forward projection data. Also, the method includes filtering at least one of the initial reconstruction image, the re-mapped image volume, the forward projection data, or the error projection. The method also includes using the error projection to update the initial reconstruction image to provide an updated reconstruction image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Hewei Gao, Adam Cohen, Brian Edward Nett, Paavana Sainath, Yasuhiro Imai
  • Publication number: 20160012613
    Abstract: A method is provided including determining at least one range of phases of a cardiac cycle from which to select a selected phase based on at least one of patient demographic information, patient physiological information, or a general physiological model. The method also includes generating corresponding intermediate images for each of the phases of the at least one range of phases. Further, the method includes selecting the selected phase based on at least one image quality (IQ) metric of the intermediate images. Also, the method includes generating an image for diagnostic use using imaging information from the selected phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Darin Robert Okerlund, Sandeep Dutta, Brian Edward Nett, David Pazzani, Daniel Stassi, Tal Gilat Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9196061
    Abstract: A method for performing truncation artifact correction includes acquiring a projection dataset of a patient, the projection dataset including measured data and truncated data, generating an initial estimate of a boundary between the measured data and the truncated data, using the measured data to revise the initial estimate of the boundary, estimating the truncated data using the revised estimate of the boundary, and using the measured data and the estimated truncated data to generate an image of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Hsieh, Norbert J. Pelc, Brian Edward Nett
  • Patent number: 9074986
    Abstract: An imaging system includes a rotatable gantry for receiving an object to be scanned, a generator configured to energize an x-ray source to generate x-rays, a detector positioned to receive the x-rays that pass through the object, and a computer. The computer is programmed to obtain knowledge of a metal within the object, scan the object using system scanning parameters, reconstruct an image of the object using a reconstruction algorithm, and automatically select at least one of the system scanning parameters and the reconstruction algorithm based on the obtained knowledge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Debashish Pal, Jiang Hsieh, Paavana Sainath, Girijesh Yadava, Brian Edward Nett
  • Patent number: 9036886
    Abstract: A method is provided. The method includes acquiring a first dataset at a first energy spectrum and a second dataset at a second energy spectrum. The method also includes extracting a metal artifact correction signal using the first dataset and the second dataset or using a first reconstructed image and a second reconstructed image generated respectively from the first and the second datasets. The method further includes performing metal artifact correction on the first reconstructed image using the metal artifact correction signal to generate a first corrected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Brian Edward Nett, Pavaana Sainath, Debashish Pal
  • Publication number: 20150125055
    Abstract: Systems and methods for iterative multi-material correction are provided. A system includes an imager that acquires projection data of an object. A reconstructor reconstructs the acquired projection data into a reconstructed image, utilizes the reconstructed image to perform a multi-material correction on the acquired projection data to generate a multi-material corrected reconstructed image, and utilizes the multi-material corrected reconstructed image to perform one or more iterations of the multi-material correction on the projection data to generate an iteratively corrected multi-material corrected image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hewei Gao, Girijesh K. Yadava, Adam Israel Cohen, Brian Edward Nett
  • Patent number: 9020230
    Abstract: A method for reconstructing an image of an object that includes a plurality of image elements. The method includes accessing image data associated with a plurality of image elements, and reconstructing an image of the object by optimizing an objective function, where the objective function is optimized by iteratively solving a nested sequence of approximate optimization problems. The algorithm is composed of nested iterative loops, in which an inner loop iteratively optimizes an objective function approximating the outer loop objective function, and an outer loop that utilizes the solution of the inner loop to optimize the original objective function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignees: General Electric Company, The University of Notre Dame Du Lac, Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Zhou Yu, Evgeny Drapkin, Bruno Kristiaan Bernard De Man, Jean-Baptiste Thibault, Kai Zeng, Jiang Hsieh, Brian Edward Nett, Debashish Pal, Lin Fu, Guangzhi Cao, Charles A. Bouman, Jr., Ken David Sauer