Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to X-ray imaging systems, and more specifically, to multi-energy computed tomography (CT) X-ray imaging systems. In an embodiment, a multi-energy computed tomography (CT) imaging system includes an X-ray source that emits X-rays upon the application of a low stable bias, a high stable bias, and transitional biases between the low stable bias and the high stable bias. The imaging system also includes an X-ray detector configured to produce an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the X-rays emitted by the X-ray source that reach the X-ray detector. The imaging system also includes data processing circuitry configured to acquire a first set of data corresponding to the electrical signal produced by the X-ray detector only when the low stable bias or the high stable bias is applied to the X-ray source. The imaging system also includes a processor configured to process the first set of acquired data and construct one or more multi-energy CT images.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus includes a computed tomography (CT) system having a rotatable gantry, an x-ray source, a generator, a detector having pixels and positioned to receive x-rays, and a computer. The computer is programmed to acquire CT data representative of an object, determine a first subset of the CT data, determine a second subset of the CT data, and determine a difference between the first and second subsets of the CT data to identify a motion region in the object. The computer is also programmed to update image data reconstructed from a first portion of the first subset of the CT data and corresponding to the region and reconstruct an image based on the updated image data and non-updated image data. The non-updated image data is reconstructed from a second portion the first subset of the CT data.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an x-ray source that emits a beam of x-rays toward an object to be imaged, a detector that receives the x-rays attenuated by the object, a spectral notch filter positioned between the x-ray source and the object, a data acquisition system (DAS) operably connected to the detector, and a computer operably connected to the DAS and programmed to acquire a first image dataset at a first kVp, acquire a second image dataset at a second kVp that is greater than the first kVp, and generate an image of the object using the first image dataset and the second image dataset.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus includes a computed tomography (CT) system having a rotatable gantry, an x-ray source, a generator, a detector having pixels and positioned to receive x-rays, and a computer. The computer is programmed to acquire CT data representative of an object, determine a first subset of the CT data, determine a second subset of the CT data, and determine a difference between the first and second subsets of the CT data to identify a motion region in the object. The computer is also programmed to update image data reconstructed from a first portion of the first subset of the CT data and corresponding to the region and reconstruct an image based on the updated image data and non-updated image data. The non-updated image data is reconstructed from a second portion the first subset of the CT data.

Abstract: A method of improving a resolution of an image using image reconstruction is provided. The method includes acquiring scan data of an object and forward projecting a current image estimate of the scan data to generate calculated projection data. The method also includes applying a data-fit term and a regularization term to the scan data and the calculated projection data and modifying at least one of the data fit term and the regularization term to accommodate spatio-temporal information to form a reconstructed image from the scan data and the calculated projection data.

Abstract: A tomographic imaging apparatus is provided for generating images. The tomographic apparatus includes a computer programmed to access a data sinogram representative of the image, reconstruct the image, divide the image into a plurality of sub-regions, define a region of interest including at least one sub-region, reprojecting a region of interest or a complement of the region of interest to generate a region of interest sinogram or a sinogram representative of the complement of the region of interest and reconstructing a resultant sinogram using iterative methods to generate an image.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing an image of an object, the image comprising a plurality of image elements, is disclosed. The method includes accessing image data associated with the plurality of image elements, applying a first algorithm to the plurality of image elements, selecting a spatially non-homogenous set of the plurality of image elements, and applying an iterative algorithm to the set of image elements to reduce an amount of time necessary for reconstructing the image, or to improve an image quality at a fixed computation time, or both.

Abstract: A system and method for material decomposition optimization in the image domain include a non-transitory computer readable medium has stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to access a reconstructed basis material image. For a first voxel of the reconstructed basis material image, the instructions also cause the computer to optimize a concentration of a pair of materials (a,b) in the first voxel exclusively in the image domain and based on a first probability based on random perturbations and a second probability based on random perturbations. The optimization is further based on a third probability based on known materials and a fourth probability based on concentrations of the pair of materials in a pair of voxels neighboring the first voxel.

Abstract: A technique for acquiring desired image data in an imaging system comprising at least one radiation source and a detector is described. Initially, preliminary image data corresponding to an object may be acquired. Further, at least one parameter associated with the radiation source and corresponding to a particular view angle of the radiation source may be determined based on the preliminary image data and a priori information. Similarly, at least one parameter associated with the detector and corresponding to the particular view angle may be determined based on a priori information and the preliminary image data. Efficient operating modes of the radiation source and the detector corresponding to the particular view angle may be selected based on the determined parameters to achieve a desired system performance. Subsequently, the final image data may be acquired using the selected operating modes of the radiation source and the detector.

Abstract: A computed tomography (CT) detector array includes a central region substantially symmetric about a central axis thereof and includes a first plurality of x-ray detector cells configured to acquire CT data from a first number of detector rows during a scan, wherein the central axis is in a channel direction of the CT detector array and transverse to a slice direction of the CT detector array. A first wing is coupled to a first side of the central region, and a second wing is coupled to a second side of the central region opposite the first side. The first and second wings include respective second and third pluralities of x-ray detector cells and are each configured to acquire CT data from a number of detector rows that is less than the first number of detector rows. The CT detector array is asymmetric about the central axis of the central region.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an x-ray source that emits a beam of x-rays toward an object to be imaged, a detector that receives the x-rays attenuated by the object, a spectral notch filter positioned between the x-ray source and the object, a data acquisition system (DAS) operably connected to the detector, and a computer operably connected to the DAS and programmed to acquire a first image dataset at a first kVp, acquire a second image dataset at a second kVp that is greater than the first kVp, and generate an image of the object using the first image dataset and the second image dataset.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an x-ray source that emits a beam of x-rays toward an object to be imaged, a detector that receives the x-rays attenuated by the object, a spectral notch filter positioned between the x-ray source and the object, a data acquisition system (DAS) operably connected to the detector, and a computer operably connected to the DAS and programmed to acquire a first image dataset at a first kVp, acquire a second image dataset at a second kVp that is greater than the first kVp, and generate an image of the object using the first image dataset and the second image dataset.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an x-ray source, a detector, a data acquisition system (DAS) operably connected to the detector, and a computer operably connected to the DAS. The computer is programmed to obtain CT scan data with two or more incident energy spectra, decompose the obtained CT scan data into projection CT data of a first basis material and a second basis material, generate a first basis material image and a second basis material image using the decomposed projection CT data, generate a first monochromatic image from the first basis material image and the second basis material image at a first energy that is selected based on an amount of correlated noise at the first energy, noise-reduce the first monochromatic image to generate a noise-reduced first monochromatic image, and generate a final monochromatic image based at least on the noise-reduced first monochromatic image.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for generating variance data and a variance map from measured projection data acquired from a tomography system. The method comprises accessing the measured projection data from the tomography system. The method further comprises generating the variance map from the measured projection data and displaying, analyzing or processing the variance map. The variance data is determined based upon a statistical model from measured image data, and may be used for image analysis, data acquisition, in computer aided diagnosis routines, and so forth.

Abstract: A computed tomography (CT) detector array includes a central region substantially symmetric about a central axis thereof and includes a first plurality of x-ray detector cells configured to acquire CT data from a first number of detector rows during a scan, wherein the central axis is in a channel direction of the CT detector array and transverse to a slice direction of the CT detector array. A first wing is coupled to a first side of the central region, and a second wing is coupled to a second side of the central region opposite the first side. The first and second wings include respective second and third pluralities of x-ray detector cells and are each configured to acquire CT data from a number of detector rows that is less than the first number of detector rows. The CT detector array is asymmetric about the central axis of the central region.

Abstract: A technique for acquiring desired image data in an imaging system comprising at least one radiation source and a detector is described. Initially, preliminary image data corresponding to an object may be acquired. Further, at least one parameter associated with the radiation source and corresponding to a particular view angle of the radiation source may be determined based on the preliminary image data and a priori information. Similarly, at least one parameter associated with the detector and corresponding to the particular view angle may be determined based on a priori information and the preliminary image data. Efficient operating modes of the radiation source and the detector corresponding to the particular view angle may be selected based on the determined parameters to achieve a desired system performance. Subsequently, the final image data may be acquired using the selected operating modes of the radiation source and the detector.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus includes a computed tomography (CT) detector array having a central region with a plurality of central region detecting cells configured to acquire CT data of a first number of slices during a scan, a first wing along a first side of the central region, and a second wing along a second side of the central region opposite the first side. The first wing includes a plurality of first wing detecting cells configured to acquire CT data of a second number of slices during the scan. The second wing includes a plurality of second wing detecting cells configured to acquire CT data of a third number of slices during the scan. The second and third number of slices are less than the first number of slices. The first wing detecting cells are of a different type than the central region detecting cells.

Abstract: A system and method include acquisition of a set of image data corresponding to a time period of data acquisition, the set of image data corresponding to a plurality of voxels, wherein each of the plurality of voxels corresponds to a distinct acquisition time within the time period of data acquisition. The system and method further include the modeling of the plurality of voxels as a function of time based on a plurality of kinetic parameters associated therewith and reconstruction of an image from the set of image data based on the modeled plurality of voxels.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus includes a computed tomography (CT) system having a rotatable gantry, an x-ray source, a generator, a detector having pixels and positioned to receive x-rays, and a computer. The computer is programmed to acquire CT data representative of an object, determine a first subset of the CT data, determine a second subset of the CT data, and determine a difference between the first and second subsets of the CT data to identify a motion region in the object. The computer is also programmed to update image data reconstructed from a first portion of the first subset of the CT data and corresponding to the region and reconstruct an image based on the updated image data and non-updated image data. The non-updated image data is reconstructed from a second portion the first subset of the CT data.

Abstract: An improved iterative reconstruction method to reconstruct a first image includes generating an imaging beam, receiving said imaging beam on a detector array, generating projection data based on said imaging beams received by said detector array, providing said projection data to an image reconstructor, enlarging one of a plurality of voxels and a plurality of detectors of the provided projection data, reconstructing portions of the first image with the plurality of enlarged voxels or detectors, and iteratively reconstructing the portions of the first image to create a reconstructed image.