Patents by Inventor Jiang Hsieh

Jiang Hsieh 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).

  • Methods and apparatus for generating thick images in cone beam volumetric CT
    Publication number: 20070172019
    Abstract: A method includes performing a Cone Beam reconstruction of a thick image using a plurality of virtual planes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Inventors: Xiangyang Tang, Jiang Hsieh
  • Methods and systems for dynamic pitch helical scanning
    Patent number: 7242749
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling x-ray exposure during a dynamic pitch helical scan using a translatable table are provided. The system includes a collimator positioned between an x-ray source and an object to be scanned configured to shutter an x-ray fan beam generated by the x-ray source to at least one of translate the x-ray fan beam along a z-axis of the scan and vary the width of the x-ray beam along the z-axis, and a collimator controller configured to dynamically position the collimator using at least one of predetermined trajectory of the translatable table and a current position of the translatable table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Alexander Katsevich, Samit Kumar Basu
  • Method and apparatus for reducing cone beam artifacts using spatially varying weighting functions
    Publication number: 20070140535
    Abstract: A method for combining images acquired using helical half-scan imaging comprises identifying an image plane within an overlap region comprising data from first and second view streams representative of first and second cycles of acquired image data. The image plane comprises the same anatomical structure. First and second weighting functions are calculated for first and second images based on first and second tube positions of an x-ray tube. The first and second images correspond to the image plane and are from the first and second view streams, respectively. The first and second tube positions also correspond to the image plane. A weighted image is then formed based on the first and second weighting functions and the first and second images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Jianying Li, Jiang Hsieh, Melissa Vass, Xiangyang Tang, John Londt, Darin Okerlund
  • Method and apparatus for improving inner auditory canal images
    Publication number: 20070133853
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for locally enhancing image data represented as pixels having CT numbers is provided. The image data includes bony structures, and the method comprises segmenting pixels within the image data into areas based on the pixel's CT number. A first area represents a combination of soft tissue and lower density bones and a second area represents higher density bones. A subset of pixels is identified within the first area representative of the lower density bones. An enhancement is applied to the subset of pixels within the first area and to the second area to create an enhanced dataset, and a locally enhanced image is generated based on the image data and the enhanced dataset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Inventors: Jianying Li, Jiang Hsieh, Fang Dong, Thomas Myers, George Seidenschnur
  • Methods and systems to facilitate reducing banding artifacts in images
    Publication number: 20070127797
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating computed tomographic (CT) images from image data acquired during different biological cycles are provided. A computer is programmed to receive a plurality of scan data acquired during a gated acquisition window of each of a plurality of biological cycles, blend the scan data acquired during a first of the plurality of biological cycles with the scan data acquired during a second of the plurality of biological cycles, and construct a final image from the blended data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Inventors: Elisabeth Angelos, Sandeep Dutta, Jianying Li, John Londt, Melissa Vass, Xiangyang Tang, Darin Okerlund, Jiang Hsieh
  • Method and apparatus for field-of-view expansion of volumetric CT imaging
    Publication number: 20070116344
    Abstract: A method for expanding a field-of-view of a volumetric computed tomography scan comprises identifying truncated views having projection truncation and non-truncated views without projection truncation based on an average value of one or more edge channels. An estimated missing projection is calculated for each of the truncated views based on at least one neighboring non-truncated view. A projection profile is calculated for each of the truncated views based on the estimated missing projection, and the projection profile provides at least one of attenuation data and projection data for an area outside a field-of-view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Albert Henry Lonn, Mark Nyka
  • Method and system for performing CT image reconstruction with motion artifact correction
    Publication number: 20070116172
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided for performing computed tomography (CT) imaging. The method includes obtaining EKG gating information from an object and obtaining attenuation measurements from the object utilizing a detector that is rotated in a scan plane around the object. The method further includes performing a first reconstruction based on a first portion of the attenuation measurements that are collected by a first region of the detector, where the first reconstruction is performed independent of the EKG gating information to obtain a first reconstruction data set. A second reconstruction is performed based on a second port of the attenuation measurements that are collected by a second region of the detector, where the second reconstruction is performed based on the EKG gating information to obtain a second reconstruction data set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Darin Okerlund, Mark Woodford
  • Methods and systems for improving quality of an image
    Publication number: 20070116343
    Abstract: A method for improving quality of an image is described. The method includes reconstructing a first image of a sample volume, segmenting the first image to generate a first region and a second region, reconstructing a second image of the sample volume, and generating a final image from a combination of the segmentation, the first image, and the second image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Ken Sauer, Charles Bouman, Jiang Hsieh, Jean-Baptiste Thibault
  • Method and system for performing CT image reconstruction with motion artifact correction
    Publication number: 20070116171
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided for performing computed tomography (CT) imaging. The method includes obtaining EKG gating information from an object and obtaining attenuation measurements from the object utilizing a detector that is rotated in a scan plane around the object. The method further includes performing a first reconstruction based on a first portion of the attenuation measurements that are collected by a first region of the detector, where the first reconstruction is performed independent of the EKG gating information to obtain a first reconstruction data set. A second reconstruction is performed based on a second port of the attenuation measurements that are collected by a second region of the detector, where the second reconstruction is performed based on the EKG gating information to obtain a second reconstruction data set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Darin Okerlund, Mark Woodford
  • Methods and systems for dynamic pitch helical scanning
    Publication number: 20070110211
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling x-ray exposure during a dynamic pitch helical scan using a translatable table are provided. The system includes a collimator positioned between an x-ray source and an object to be scanned configured to shutter an x-ray fan beam generated by the x-ray source to at least one of translate the x-ray fan beam along a z-axis of the scan and vary the width of the x-ray beam along the z-axis, and a collimator controller configured to dynamically position the collimator using at least one of predetermined trajectory of the translatable table and a current position of the translatable table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Alexander Katsevich, Samit Basu
  • Method and system for three-dimensional reconstruction of images
    Patent number: 7215734
    Abstract: A method and system for three-dimensional reconstruction of images are provided. The method includes receiving projection data from an imaging device scanning an object, identifying projection data corresponding to a conjugate pair of projection rays, and interpolating the projection data corresponding to the conjugate pair of projection rays to reconstruct an image of the object being scanned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Xiangyang Tang
  • Method for Increasing the Resolution of a CT Image During Image Reconstruction
    Publication number: 20070098133
    Abstract: The resolution of an image produced by a CT imaging system is increased by employing an image reconstruction method that takes advantage of the redundant attenuation measurements made during a typical scan. An initial image is reconstructed with a filtered backprojection technique using the projection views acquired during the scan. Further images of higher resolution are produced by an iterative process in which the reconstructed image is reprojected, combined with originally acquired projection data, and backprojected again at the higher resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Inventors: Guang-Hong Chen, Jiang Hsieh
  • Methods and apparatus for reconstructing thick image slices
    Publication number: 20070071159
    Abstract: A method for obtaining data includes scanning an object using a CT imaging system having at least two detector rows to acquire projection data, wherein the projection data includes at least some data obtained from at least two rows of the detector array, and reconstructing data representative an image of the object utilizing the projection data wherein the reconstruction includes pipelining the acquired projection data through a pipeline of operations including column-filtering, tomographic filtering, and backprojection. Thick reconstructed images using 3D backprojection can be obtained with significantly lessened artifacts relative to conventional 3D backprojection image reconstructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Publication date: March 29, 2007
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Xiangyang Tang
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMPENSATING NON-UNIFORM DETECTOR COLLIMATOR PLATES
    Publication number: 20070064866
    Abstract: A method for obtaining data includes scanning an object with radiation to collect projection data using an imaging system having a detector array with detector cells and a post-patient collimator, wherein the post-patient collimator has plates having non-uniform thicknesses. The method further includes applying a correction to the projection data to shift an effective center of at least some of the detector cells to compensate for the non-uniform thicknesses of the collimator plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Erdogan Gurmen, Aziz Ikhlef, Bing Shen, Gregory Zeman, Matthew Halsmer, Tyler Sprenger
  • Systems and methods for filtering data in a medical imaging system
    Publication number: 20070058771
    Abstract: A method for filtering a measurement of density of an object is described. The method includes filtering the measurement of the density and preserving a local average of the measurement and additional measurements when performing the filtering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Inventors: Ken Sauer, Charles Bouman, Jiang Hsieh, Jean-Baptiste Thibault
  • Method and apparatus for compensating non-uniform detector collimator plates
    Patent number: 7187750
    Abstract: A method for obtaining data includes scanning an object with radiation to collect projection data using an imaging system having a detector array with detector cells and a post-patient collimator, wherein the post-patient collimator has plates having non-uniform thicknesses. The method further includes applying a correction to the projection data to shift an effective center of at least some of the detector cells to compensate for the non-uniform thicknesses of the collimator plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Erdogan O. Gurmen, Aziz Ikhlef, Bing Shen, Gregory Scott Zeman, Matthew Aaron Halsmer, Tyler Justin Sprenger
  • Methods and apparatus for 3D reconstruction in helical cone beam volumetric CT
    Patent number: 7173996
    Abstract: A method for reconstructing an image of an object utilizing a cone-beam volumetric computed tomographic imaging apparatus includes helically scanning the object with a radiation source utilizing the cone-beam volumetric computed tomographic imaging apparatus; selecting radiation beams emitted by the radiation source passing through a pixel P having a smallest cone angle in comparison with that of the conjugate rays of the radiation beam; and reconstructing an image of the object utilizing projection data obtained from the selected radiation beams while avoiding the use of redundant projection data from unselected conjugate rays of the selected radiation beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiangyang Tang, Jiang Hsieh, Roy Arnulf Helge Nilsen
  • Methods, apparatus, and software for reconstructing an image
    Publication number: 20070019777
    Abstract: A method of reconstructing an image includes combining a two-dimensional forward projection function and a three-dimensional stabilizing function to generate an iterative reconstruction algorithm, and using the obtained iterative reconstruction algorithm to perform a multislice Computed Tomography (CT) reconstruction to generate an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Ken Sauer, Charles Bouman, Jiang Hsieh, Jean-Baptiste Thibault
  • Systems and methods for compensating for table sag
    Publication number: 20070003020
    Abstract: A method for compensating for table sag is described. The method includes receiving a first dimension of a table, scanning a patient placed on the table to obtain a first data set, generating an image of the table by performing the scanning with the patient on the table, and determining a difference between the first dimension and a second dimension of the table in the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Richard DeLoach
  • Step-and-shoot cardiac CT imaging
    Publication number: 20060280283
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system of blending data acquired from neighboring partial-scans. Data is acquired from an imaging volume in a series of fractional or partial-scans. Each partial-scan samples a fraction of the imaging volume. During reconstruction, data from the partial-scans are combined to compensate for the unsampled portion of the imaging volume that is experienced in any partial-scan alone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Jianying Li, Xiangyang Tang