Abstract: An apparatus for performing a non-local means (NLM) filter is described. The pixel of the NLM-filtered image are weighted averages of pixels from a noisy image, where the weights are a measure of the similarity between patches of the noisy image. The similarity weights can be calculated using a Kullback-Leibler or a Euclidean distance measure. The similarity weights can be based on filtered patches of the noisy image. The similarity weights can be based on a similarity measure between patches of an anatomical image corresponding to the noisy image. The similarity weights can be calculated using a time series of noisy images to increase the statistical sample size of the patches. The similarity weights can be calculated using a weighted sum of channel similarity weights calculated between patches of noisy image that have been band-pass filtered. The NLM-filtered image can also be blended with a non-NLM-filtered image.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for penalized-likelihood reconstruction of a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) image includes generating a regularization function in which a smoothing parameter is modulated by one or more data-independent spatially variable modulation factors to compensate for sensitivity variations in a PET voxel dataset, and reconstructing the PET image from the PET emission dataset using the regularization function.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for partial volume correction in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) image reconstruction includes receiving emission data related to an activity distribution, reconstructing the activity distribution from the emission data by maximizing a penalized-likelihood objective function to produce a reconstructed PET image, quantifying an activity concentration in a region of interest of the reconstructed PET image to produce an uncorrected quantitation, and correcting the uncorrected quantitation based on a pre-calculated contrast recovery coefficient value to account for a partial volume error in the uncorrected quantitation.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, systems and non-transitory computer readable media for tomographic imaging are presented. 3D TOF projection data is processed to generate corresponding data in a designated format that allows for computationally cheaper image reconstruction than the 3D TOF projection data. Further, one or more preliminary images are reconstructed from the processed data using a particular image reconstruction technique for one or more iterations. To that end, one or more imaging parameters are iteratively varied every one or more iterations. The imaging parameters, for example, include the designated format, the image reconstruction technique and one or more image quality characteristics. One or more intermediate images are reconstructed from the one or more preliminary images using the iteratively varying imaging parameters.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for partial volume correction in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) image reconstruction includes receiving emission data related to an activity distribution, reconstructing the activity distribution from the emission data by maximizing a penalized-likelihood objective function to produce a reconstructed PET image, quantifying an activity concentration in a region of interest of the reconstructed PET image to produce an uncorrected quantitation, and correcting the uncorrected quantitation based on a pre-calculated contrast recovery coefficient value to account for a partial volume error in the uncorrected quantitation.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for penalized-likelihood reconstruction of a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) image includes generating a regularization function in which a smoothing parameter is modulated by one or more data-independent spatially variable modulation factors to compensate for sensitivity variations in a PET voxel dataset, and reconstructing the PET image from the PET emission dataset using the regularization function.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, systems and non-transitory computer readable media for tomographic imaging are presented. 3D TOF projection data is processed to generate corresponding data in a designated format that allows for computationally cheaper image reconstruction than the 3D TOF projection data. Further, one or more preliminary images are reconstructed from the processed data using a particular image reconstruction technique for one or more iterations. To that end, one or more imaging parameters are iteratively varied every one or more iterations. The imaging parameters, for example, include the designated format, the image reconstruction technique and one or more image quality characteristics. One or more intermediate images are reconstructed from the one or more preliminary images using the iteratively varying imaging parameters.

Abstract: A Nuclear Medicine (NM) imaging system and method using multiple types of imaging detectors are provided. One NM imaging system includes a gantry, at least a first imaging detector coupled to the gantry, wherein the first imaging detector is a non-moving detector, and at least a second imaging detector coupled to the gantry, wherein the second imaging detector is a moving detector. The first imaging detector is larger than the second imaging detector and the first and second imaging detectors have different detector configurations. The NM imaging system further includes a controller configured to control the operation of the first and second imaging detectors during an imaging scan of an object to acquire Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) image information such that at least the first imaging detector remains stationary with respect to the gantry during image acquisition.

Abstract: Nuclear imaging systems, non-transitory computer readable media and methods for adaptive imaging are presented. Particularly, the present method includes acquiring preliminary projection data by scanning each of one or more views of a subject for a determined preliminary scan interval. Further, a region of interest of the subject is identified. The preliminary projection data is then used to perform a constrained optimization of a rapidly computable image quality metric for determining an acquisition protocol that improves the image quality metric at the identified region of interest. Particularly, the determined acquisition protocol is used to acquire target projection data corresponding to at least the identified region of interest. Further, an image of at least the identified region of interest is reconstructed using the target projection data, the preliminary projection data, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An imaging method comprises reconstructing gated emission tomography images for a region of interest, adjusting a mismatch between the gated emission tomography images and a computed tomography image of the region of interest, registering the gated emission tomography images, and combining the registered gated emission tomography images to generate motion corrected images.

Abstract: Nuclear imaging systems, non-transitory computer readable media and methods for adaptive imaging are presented. Particularly, the present method includes acquiring preliminary projection data by scanning each of one or more views of a subject for a determined preliminary scan interval. Further, a region of interest of the subject is identified. The preliminary projection data is then used to perform a constrained optimization of a rapidly computable image quality metric for determining an acquisition protocol that improves the image quality metric at the identified region of interest. Particularly, the determined acquisition protocol is used to acquire target projection data corresponding to at least the identified region of interest. Further, an image of at least the identified region of interest is reconstructed using the target projection data, the preliminary projection data, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing motion related imaging artifacts. The method includes determining an internal motion for of two regions of the object, each region having a different level of motion, scanning the first region using a first scan protocol based on the motion, scanning a second region using a second different scan protocol based on the motion, and generating an image of the object based on the first and second regions.

Abstract: A Nuclear Medicine (NM) imaging system and method using multiple types of imaging detectors are provided. One NM imaging system includes a gantry, at least a first imaging detector coupled to the gantry, wherein the first imaging detector is a non-moving detector, and at least a second imaging detector coupled to the gantry, wherein the second imaging detector is a moving detector. The first imaging detector is larger than the second imaging detector and the first and second imaging detectors have different detector configurations. The NM imaging system further includes a controller configured to control the operation of the first and second imaging detectors during an imaging scan of an object to acquire Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) image information such that at least the first imaging detector remains stationary with respect to the gantry during image acquisition.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for evaluating the operation of pixelated detectors are provided. The method includes obtaining data values for each of a plurality of pixels of a pixelated detector and determining a data consistency metric for each of the plurality of detector pixels. The method further includes identifying, using the determined data consistency metric, any detector pixels that exceed an acceptance criterion as noisy pixels.

Abstract: A method for determining the effectiveness of an image transformation process includes acquiring a four-dimensional (4D) image data set, sorting the 4D image data set into separate field-of-view bins using a temporal gating system generating a plurality of deformation vectors using the sorted 4D image data set, and using the plurality of deformation vectors to generate a transformation effectiveness value that is representative of the effectiveness of the image transformation process. The method further includes acquiring a respiratory signal, calculating a power spectrum of the respiratory signal, calculating a power spectrum for each of the plurality of deformation vectors, and comparing the power spectrum of the respiratory signal to the power spectrum of the plurality of deformation vectors to generate the transformation effectiveness value.

Abstract: A system and method for image-based correction including a receiver to acquire an image from one or more data storage systems, one or more processors to determine an attenuation mismatch estimate and calculate a correction for the image based on the attenuation mismatch estimate and the image, and an output to generate an attenuation mismatch corrected image based on the correction.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a platform having mounted thereon an imaging device. The imaging device includes a first detector and a second detector. The imaging system includes a mask having a first pattern of apertures therein, the mask positioned on a first side of the first detector, an anti-mask having a second pattern of apertures therein, wherein the second pattern is derived from the first pattern, the anti-mask positioned on a first side of the second detector, and a computer configured to acquire a plurality of mask datasets and anti-mask datasets of a gamma source, add one of the mask datasets and subtract its respective anti-mask dataset to create a far-field dataset, adjust the far-field image dataset, reconstruct a near-field image of the source using the far-field dataset, and apply an expectation maximization (EM) algorithm to one of the far-field image dataset and the near-field image to enhance contrast.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing motion related imaging artifacts. The method includes determining an internal motion for of two regions of the object, each region having a different level of motion, scanning the first region using a first scan protocol based on the motion, scanning a second region using a second different scan protocol based on the motion, and generating an image of the object based on the first and second regions.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for evaluating the operation of pixelated detectors are provided. The method includes obtaining data values for each of a plurality of pixels of a pixelated detector and determining a data consistency metric for each of the plurality of detector pixels. The method further includes identifying, using the determined data consistency metric, any detector pixels that exceed an acceptance criterion as noisy pixels.

Abstract: An imaging method comprises reconstructing gated emission tomography images for a region of interest, adjusting a mismatch between the gated emission tomography images and a computed tomography image of the region of interest, registering the gated emission tomography images, and combining the registered gated emission tomography images to generate motion corrected images.