Abstract: A method is proposed for simple and quick setting of an injection pump for image recording. In at least one embodiment of the method, patient-specific and appliance-specific input parameters are entered and a contrast agent protocol is created from the patient-specific and appliance-specific input parameters, by computer, by way of a functional relationship, and the contrast agent protocol is output to the injection pump. Furthermore, a computer unit is provided in at least one embodiment, with the aid of which the method is carried out.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for stimulating the trigeminal nerve of a patient in order to reduce the heart rate of the patient for recording image information from the heart of the patient. In at least one embodiment, the device includes at least one device for mechanical, electrical, magnetic, thermal, optical and/or chemical stimulation of the trigeminal nerve. Furthermore, at least one embodiment relates to an apparatus including at least one such device and a unit for registering the heart rate of the patient, which unit interacts with the device. Furthermore, at least one embodiment moreover relates to a method for reducing the heart rate of a patient in order to record image information from the heart of the patient, in which method the trigeminal nerve of the patient is stimulated by at least one such device in order to lower the heart rate of the patient.

Abstract: To improve patient comfort and reduce claustrophobia experienced by patients in a medical diagnosis or therapy apparatus, in particular a CT apparatus or an MR apparatus, with an examination region demarcated by said inner wall, in which examination region a patient can be positioned, a display is arranged in a region forming at least a portion of the inner wall.

Abstract: An arrangement and a method are disclosed for projective and/or tomographic phase-contrast imaging using X-ray radiation. In at least one embodiment, one or more phase grids is/are arranged in the beam path such that during a rotation of the at least one X-ray source, the examination object is scanned with different spatial orientations of the grid lines relative to the examination object such that the complete refraction angle, and hence the complete phase shift gradient, can be determined for each X-ray beam from the two scans with differently oriented phase grids in order to be able to show the phase shift of an examination object in terms of projections or in a tomographic image.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for marking and visualizing an implant by use of an x-ray phase-contrast tomography examination. Further, an implant is also disclosed. In at least one embodiment, implants are used with specific characteristics which are as unambiguous as possible with regard to the phase shift generated by the implants in a phase-contrast tomography examination. In at least one embodiment, these specific characteristics can include the typical self-generated specific phase shift, typical differences in the specific phase-shift values, or typical spatial structures of materials with well-defined phase-shift values.

Abstract: A grating with a large aspect ratio is disclosed, in particular to be used as an X-ray optical grating in a CT system and in particular produced by a lithography method. In at least one embodiment, the grating includes a multiplicity of recurring alternating grating webs and grating gaps with a height, and a multiplicity of filler beams, respectively arranged in the grating gaps with a spacing from one another in the direction of the gaps, which beams connect respectively adjacent grating webs over their height. In at least one embodiment, the grating webs and the grating gaps run from a first to a second side of the grating, and a filler beam has a width in the direction of the gaps and this width is at most 10% of the spacing between two adjacent filler beams. In at least one embodiment, the spacings between respective adjacent filler beams in a grating gap do not vary by more than 10% in the entire grating.

Abstract: In a method for the production of x-ray-optical gratings composed of a first material forming of periodically arranged grating webs and grating openings, a second material is applied by electroplating to fill the grid openings. The electroplating is continued until a cohesive layer of the second material with uniform height is created over the grating webs with this layer having a large absorption coefficient, the absorption properties of the grating structure of the grating are homogenized, so an improvement of the measurement signals that are generated with this grating is improved. Moreover, the mechanical stability of gratings produced in such a manner is improved.

Abstract: A CT system is disclosed for phase-contrast and absorption imaging with a plurality of emitter-detector systems. In at least one embodiment, there are at least two emitter-detector systems and the at least two emitter-detector systems have a different distance between radiation focus and detector and there is a computational element for calculating phase-contrast images on the basis of the solution to the intensity transport equation. Moreover, at least one embodiment of the invention relates to a method for phase-contrast and absorption imaging using such a CT system by comparing attenuation images recorded at different distances of a detector from a multiplicity of projection angles by solving the intensity transport equation and reconstruction or comparison of two tomographic and three-dimensional image data records, reconstructed from projections, which were recorded at different distances.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for stimulating the trigeminal nerve of a patient in order to reduce the heart rate of the patient for recording image information from the heart of the patient. In at least one embodiment, the device includes at least one device for mechanical, electrical, magnetic, thermal, optical and/or chemical stimulation of the trigeminal nerve. Furthermore, at least one embodiment relates to an apparatus including at least one such device and a unit for registering the heart rate of the patient, which unit interacts with the device. Furthermore, at least one embodiment moreover relates to a method for reducing the heart rate of a patient in order to record image information from the heart of the patient, in which method the trigeminal nerve of the patient is stimulated by at least one such device in order to lower the heart rate of the patient.

Abstract: An x-ray CT system that generates tomographic phase contrast or dark field exposures, has at least one grating interferometer with three grating structures arranged in series in the radiation direction, with a modular design of the second and third grating structures. The distance between the first grating structure of the x-ray source and the second grating structure (fashioned as a phase grating) of the respective grating/detector modules is adapted, depending on the fan angle, corresponding to a period of the grating structure of the x-ray source projected onto the grating detector module at a respective fan angle (?i).

Abstract: An x-ray CT system for x-ray phase contrast and/or x-ray dark field imaging has a grating interferometer that has a first grating structure that has a number of band-shaped x-ray emission maxima and minima arranged in parallel, the maxima and minima exhibiting a first grating period, a second band-shaped grating structure that produces, as a phase grating, a partial phase offset of x-ray radiation passing therethrough and that exhibits a second grating period, a third band-shaped grating structure with a third grating period with which relative phase shifts of adjacent x-rays and/or their scatter components are detected, and a device for value-based determination of the phase between adjacent x-rays and/or for value-based determination of the spatial intensity curve per detector element perpendicular to the bands of the grating structures. The third grating structure has a grating period that is larger by a factor of 2 to 5 than the grating period of the first grating structure.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for producing projective and tomographic images using X-rays, allowing structures of similar composition to be imaged particularly well by combined evaluation of the behaviour of the test object with respect to the phase displacement during passage of the X-rays and its absorption. At least one embodiment of the invention also relates to an X-ray system and a CT system with respective source grids, phase grids, and analytical grids for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method and a device are disclosed for displaying computed-tomography examination data from an examination object. In at least one embodiment, there firstly is of the examination object at least one first CT image data record with pixel or voxel values, which were reconstructed on the basis of quantitatively measured absorption data of X-ray beams passing through the examination object; and there secondly is at least one second CT image data record with pixel or voxel values, which were reconstructed on the basis of quantitatively determined phase shifts of X-ray beams passing through the examination object. In at least one embodiment, the at least one first CT image data record and the at least one second CT image data record are combined together pixel-by-pixel or voxel-by-voxel using a nonlinear function, and the combined values resulting therefrom are displayed visually as CT results image data record.

Abstract: A grating with a large aspect ratio is disclosed, in particular to be used as an X-ray optical grating in a CT system and in particular produced by a lithography method. In at least one embodiment, the grating includes a multiplicity of recurring alternating grating webs and grating gaps with a height, and a multiplicity of filler beams, respectively arranged in the grating gaps with a spacing from one another in the direction of the gaps, which beams connect respectively adjacent grating webs over their height. In at least one embodiment, the grating webs and the grating gaps run from a first to a second side of the grating, and a filler beam has a width in the direction of the gaps and this width is at most 10% of the spacing between two adjacent filler beams. In at least one embodiment, the spacings between respective adjacent filler beams in a grating gap do not vary by more than 10% in the entire grating.

Abstract: A CT system is disclosed for phase-contrast and absorption imaging with a plurality of emitter-detector systems. In at least one embodiment, there are at least two emitter-detector systems and the at least two emitter-detector systems have a different distance between radiation focus and detector and there is a computational element for calculating phase-contrast images on the basis of the solution to the intensity transport equation. Moreover, at least one embodiment of the invention relates to a method for phase-contrast and absorption imaging using such a CT system by comparing attenuation images recorded at different distances of a detector from a multiplicity of projection angles by solving the intensity transport equation and reconstruction or comparison of two tomographic and three-dimensional image data records, reconstructed from projections, which were recorded at different distances.

Abstract: In a focus detector arrangement and method for an x-ray apparatus for generating projection or tomographic phase-contrast images of an examination subject, a beam of coherent x-rays is generated by an anode that has areas of different radiation emission characteristics arranged in bands thereon, that proceed parallel to grid lines of a phase grid that is used to generate the phase-contrast images.

Abstract: In a method for the production of x-ray-optical gratings composed of a first material forming of periodically arranged grating webs and grating openings, a second material is applied by electroplating to fill the grid openings. The electroplating is continued until a cohesive layer of the second material with uniform height is created over the grating webs with this layer having a large absorption coefficient, the absorption properties of the grating structure of the grating are homogenized, so an improvement of the measurement signals that are generated with this grating is improved. Moreover, the mechanical stability of gratings produced in such a manner is improved.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for producing projective and tomographic images using X-rays, allowing structures of similar composition to be imaged particularly well by combined evaluation of the behaviour of the test object with respect to the phase displacement during passage of the X-rays and its absorption. At least one embodiment of the invention also relates to an X-ray system and a CT system with respective source grids, phase grids, and analytical grids for carrying out the method.

Abstract: An x-ray absorption grid produced by a lithography method for use in a phase-contrast CT system has at least two individual grids arranged atop one another in the radiation direction. Each individual grid has a grid area with a grid structure including grid webs and grid gaps in alternation. Each individual grid has a region outside of the grid area (outer region). The outer region of the at least two individual grids has toothed structures corresponding to one another at least two points. The toothed structures are generated as well in the production of the grid structure. The toothed structures have a position that is defined relative to the grid structure, such that a defined alignment of the individual grids occurs given a combination of the individual grids by engagement of the toothed structures of individual grids lying atop one another.

Abstract: An arrangement and a method are disclosed for projective and/or tomographic phase-contrast imaging using X-ray radiation. In at least one embodiment, one or more phase grids is/are arranged in the beam path such that during a rotation of the at least one X-ray source, the examination object is scanned with different spatial orientations of the grid lines relative to the examination object such that the complete refraction angle, and hence the complete phase shift gradient, can be determined for each X-ray beam from the two scans with differently oriented phase grids in order to be able to show the phase shift of an examination object in terms of projections or in a tomographic image.