Abstract: A medical x-ray acquisition system has an x-ray source and an x-ray detector, the x-ray source having at least one field emission radiator with at least one field emission cathode. The field emission cathode can be formed by a nanostructured material with carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: A method and system for automatic extraction of personalized left atrium models is disclosed. A left atrium chamber body is segmented from a 3D image volume. At least one pulmonary venous ostium is detected on the segmented left atrium chamber body. At least one pulmonary vein trunk connected to the left atrium chamber body is segmented based on the detected pulmonary venous ostia.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for synchronizing an image capture device with a first image data set. The image capture device is used for recording a second image data set of a periodically moving area or object. Each first image data set contains information as to the point in time, relative to the periodically moving area or object, when recording took place. The device additionally acquires periodically recurring, current information of the area as well as information concerning the recording instant of the first image data set. From the periodically recurring information and the recording instant of the first image data set, a triggering instant is derived which controls at least one recording of the second image data set by the image capture device in such a way that the second image data set contains image data synchronized to the first image data set.

Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus has at least one X-ray image system rotatable about an examination volume. The X-ray image system is controlled such that during a continuous rotation of the system, at least one 2D projection image is recorded. An image generation facility generates the 2D projection image from the measured data. The X-ray source includes an X-ray focus which can be changed in terms of position, which, during the recording of the 2D projection image, moves counter to the direction of rotation of the X-ray image system such that its spatial position in a fixed coordinate system does not change. The X-ray detector records several 2D partial images, from which the 2D projection image is calculated with the rotational movement of the X-ray detector being at least approximately compensated. The 2D projection images have significantly reduced image blur.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for automatic replacement of instruments during minimally invasive procedures, comprising a housing, an outlet element for an instrument, a selection unit and a guide element.

Abstract: The left ventricle epicardium is estimated in medical diagnostic imaging. C-arm x-ray data is used to detect an endocardium at different phases. The detected endocardium at the different phases is compared to sample endocardiums at different phases. The sample endocardiums have corresponding sample epicadriums. The transformation between the most similar sample endocardium or endocardiums over time and the detected endocardium over time is applied to the corresponding sample epicardium or epicardiums. The transformed sample epicardium over time is the estimated epicardium over time for the C-arm x-ray data.

Abstract: Background information is subtracted from projection data in medical diagnostic imaging. The background is removed using data acquired in a single rotational sweep of a C-arm. The removal may be by masking out a target, leaving the background, in the data as constructed into a volume. For subtraction, the masked background information is projected to a plane and subtracted from the data representing the plane.

Abstract: A system acquires images in the presence of a contrast agent of relatively long persistence using a synchronization processor, image acquisition device and imaging controller. The synchronization processor provides an image acquisition trigger signal for acquiring images at a particular point within both a cardiac and a respiratory cycle in response to signals representing cardiac and respiratory cycles. The image acquisition device includes an assembly comprising a radiation emitter and detector rotatable about a patient for acquiring images of a portion of patient anatomy at different angles. The imaging controller initiates acquisition of data representing multiple images in the presence of a contrast agent of relatively long persistence by repetitively, initiating rotation of the assembly to an angle, acquiring an image at the angle in response to the trigger signal and incrementally increasing the angle.

Abstract: A method and system for registering ultrasound images and physiological models to x-ray fluoroscopy images is disclosed. A fluoroscopic image and an ultrasound image, such as a Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) image, are received. A 2D location of an ultrasound probe is detected in the fluoroscopic image. A 3D pose of the ultrasound probe is estimated based on the detected 2D location of the ultrasound probe in the fluoroscopic image. The ultrasound image is mapped to a 3D coordinate system of a fluoroscopic image acquisition device used to acquire the fluoroscopic image based on the estimated 3D pose of the ultrasound probe. The ultrasound image can then be projected into the fluoroscopic image using a projection matrix associated with the fluoroscopic image. A patient specific physiological model can be detected in the ultrasound image and projected into the fluoroscopic image.

Abstract: A method for assisting a person performing a minimally invasive intervention with a catheter involving a puncture of a septum, in particular of a heart, is proposed. A three-dimensional image data record is recorded showing an anatomical structure in the region of the septum. An item of septum information showing the position of the septum is determined in the image data record and additional information is derived from the position of the anatomical structure influencing or showing the selection of a puncture site. During the intervention, the fluoroscopic images of the region are continuously recorded and a current fluoroscopic image is displayed and superimposed with the septum information and/or the additional information based on a registration of the image data record with the fluoroscopic images.

Abstract: A method and a device for obtaining a volume data set of a mobile tissue or organ of a patient by a C-arm X-ray device are provided. An electromagnetic sensor of a position detection system is arranged indirectly on the tissue or organ. The X-ray device obtains a plurality of X-ray projections from the tissue or organ from various projection directions. A first method consists of reconstructing a volume data set from the X-ray projections, in which the electromagnetic sensor adopts a position characterizing a displacement phase of the tissue or organ. A second method consists of reconstructing a volume data set from the X-ray projections captured when the electromagnetic sensor was located in a position characterizing a displacement phase of the tissue or organ. A third method does not capture an X-ray projection for the reconstruction if the electromagnetic sensor is located in a position characterizing a displacement phase.

Abstract: A method is provided for supplying a 3D X-ray image data record for a moving object. The said object contains highly X-ray radiation-absorbent material. A correction is made in respect of the highly absorbent material in 2D forward projections obtained from a 3D-X-ray image data record. The forward projections are calculated using 3D motion fields, which are derived from original 2D X-ray image data records.

Abstract: A method for recording an x-ray image with an x-ray imaging system having an x-ray source and an x-ray detector is provided. The x-ray source has a plurality of x-ray emitters arranged alongside one another. Each x-ray emitter is assigned to a part area of the x-ray detector. The x-ray beam generated by the x-ray emitter is collimated onto the assigned part area. A first x-ray emitter is activated for emitting a first x-ray beam onto a first part area and image data of the first part area is read out. Subsequently a further x-ray emitter for emitting a further x-ray beam onto a further part area of is activated and image data of the further part area is read out. The steps are repeated until image data for all part areas of the x-ray detector is read out. The read out image data is combined into an x-ray image.

Abstract: A method for centering a left atrium and pulmonary veins at an isocenter of an imaging device is provided. The method includes positioning an injection catheter at a bifurcation of a pulmonary artery; obtaining an anterior or posterior flouroscopic image of area including and/or surrounding the left atrium and pulmonary veins; and moving the imaging device, patient support, or the combination thereof, such that the injection catheter and a spine of a patient are displayed in the fluoroscopic image.

Abstract: A method and system for adaptive discriminant learning and measurement fusion for image based catheter tracking is disclosed. An adaptive discriminant model is trained online based on a tracked object, such as a pigtail catheter tip, in at least one previous frame of a fluoroscopic image sequence. The object is tracked in the current frame of the fluoroscopic image sequence based at least on the adaptive discriminant model trained online. The object may be tracked in the current frame based on a fusion of three types of measurement models including the adaptive discriminant model trained online, an object detection model trained offline, and an online appearance model.

Abstract: A method and system for fusion of multi-modal volumetric images is disclosed. A first image acquired using a first imaging modality is received. A second image acquired using a second imaging modality is received. A model and of a target anatomical structure and a transformation are jointly estimated from the first and second images. The model represents a model of the target anatomical structure in the first image and the transformation projects a model of the target anatomical structure in the second image to the model in the first image. The first and second images can be fused based on estimated transformation.

Abstract: A method and system for multi-part left atrium (LA) segmentation in a C-arm CT volume is disclosed. Multiple LA part models, including an LA chamber body mesh, an appendage mesh, a left inferior pulmonary vein (PV) mesh, a left superior PV mesh, a right inferior PV mesh, and a right superior PV mesh, are segmented in a 3D volume. The LA chamber body mesh and the appendage mesh may be segmented as a combined object and the PV meshes may be segmented subject to a statistical shape constraint. A consolidated LA mesh is generated from the segmented LA part models.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the registration and superimposition of image data when taking serial radiographs in medical imaging, wherein a plurality of image data sets for a region of a patient (17) that is being investigated are constructed at time intervals using an imaging system (1) and are referenced with a first image data set for the region that is being investigated that was constructed previously using said imaging system (1). In the above method, a location system (2) is used during the production of serial radiographs constantly, or at least at a respective proximity in time to the construction of individual data sets, to determine a current spatial position of the region being investigated in a reference system that is firmly connected to the imaging system (1), whereby in the construction of the first image data set, a first spatial position of the region that is being investigated is recorded.

Abstract: A method and system for estimating 3D cardiac motion from a single C-arm angiography scan is disclosed. An initial 3D volume is reconstructed from a plurality of 2D projection images acquired in a single C-arm scan. A static mesh is extracted by segmenting an object in the initial 3D volume. The static mesh is projected to each of the 2D projection images. A cardiac phase is determined for each of the 2D projection images. A deformed mesh is generated for each of a plurality of cardiac phases based on a 2D contour of the object and the projected mesh in each of the 2D projection images of that cardiac phase.

Abstract: A method for producing a 3D image dataset of an object with an imaging system having an x-ray source and an x-ray detector is provided. A series of two-dimensional arrays of cone beam data from the detector is acquired while the source moves along a substantially planar trajectory around the object. The trajectory is described by a series of source points serially numbered by a counter parameter. The cone beam data is differentiated with respect to the counter parameter at a fixed ray direction to produce a derivative of the cone beam data. The derivative is filtered with a Hilbert-like filter to produce filtered cone beam data. The acquired or the filtered cone beam data is multiplied with a redundancy weighting function. The cone beam data is back-projected to reconstruct a 3D image dataset.