Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system of controlling rotation of a gantry to rotate at a rotational speed such that a desired relationship between center projection angles of neighboring partial scans is maintained.

Abstract: A method and system for an improved data acquisition system with an image detector array and an image processing system which finds a malfunctioning cell, interpolates a signal for the malfunctioning cell using neighboring channels of the cell, and corrects the interpolation with an error rate found in performing interpolations on neighboring rows with cells which are not malfunctioning. The image processing system may include a DAS and a reconstruction system. The step of finding a malfunctioning cell may be accomplished through a variety of methods, such as measuring discrepancies between a cell's and its neighboring cell's average readings over time and exposing the cells to x-rays which should produce similar readings in all the cells and comparing the cells' signals, looking for discrepancies. The step of interpolating and the step of correcting may take into consideration cells within the same projection view as the malfunctioning cell.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating images from a set of projection data acquired during a CT scan is provided. The system includes a computer programmed to utilize at least one of a cone angle dependent view weighting and an image plane dependent view weighting to generate an image.

Abstract: Methods and systems for filtering scan data are provided. The method includes generating scan data from a plurality of signals. The method further includes adjusting an initial filtering threshold, independent of an amplitude of the signals, to generate an adjusted threshold. Furthermore, the method includes filtering the scan data, based on the adjusted threshold.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method to detect tube spits and to reduce spit related artifacts in a computed tomography imaging system. A way of detecting tube spit is to monitor the generator kilovolt or milliamp waveforms. Changes in kV waveform follow closely with those in offset-corrected projection data. If a tube-spit event is not detected, processing proceeds without tube spit correction. If a tube-spit event is detected, a tube spit correction is performed. The objective of tube-spit correction is to remove image artifacts due to the occurrence of a tube-spit event.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling image reconstruction in an imaging system are provided. The method includes receiving scan data from an imaging system, and determining regularization parameters for a plurality of portions of an image for reconstructing the image based on the received scan data, wherein the regularization parameters vary for the plurality of portions of the image.

Abstract: Methods and systems for scanning a patient by using a medical imaging device are provided. The methods include determining a defective cell in a row n of a detector of the medical imaging device, determining a mode of operation of the medical imaging device, estimating the output of the defective cell using the determined mode of operation and at least one of a conjugate sample of the defective cell, an adjusted conjugate sample of the defective cell, and an estimate of the output of the defective cell using an output of a corresponding cell in an adjacent row and reconstructing an image of the patient using the estimated value of the defective cell.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tailoring the profile of an x-ray beam for radiographic imaging for a specific subject is disclosed. The invention includes a filter assembly having a pair of filters, each of which may be dynamically controlled by a motor assembly during data acquisition. The filters are positionable in the x-ray beam so as to shape the intensity profile of the x-ray beam. In one exemplary embodiment, the filters are dynamically positioned during CT data acquisition based on the shape of the subject. A method of determining the shape of the subject prior to CT data acquisition is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of automatically optimizing medical three-dimensional visualizations is providing, including isolating a plurality of anatomical structures within the medical three-dimensional visualization (40), calculating the number of ray intersects, that intersect more than one of the plurality of anatomical structures, for a plurality of casting angles (42), selecting an optimum casting angle that minimizes said ray intersects from one of said plurality casting angles (44), and displaying the optimized medical three-dimensional visualization from said optimized casting angle (48).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tailoring the profile of an x-ray beam for radiographic imaging for a specific subject is disclosed. The invention includes a filter assembly having a pair of filters, each of which may be dynamically controlled by a motor assembly during data acquisition. The filters are positionable in the x-ray beam so as to shape the intensity profile of the x-ray beam. In one exemplary embodiment, the filters are dynamically positioned during CT data acquisition based on the shape of the subject. A method of determining the shape of the subject prior to CT data acquisition is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for detecting an anomaly includes performing a computed tomography (CT) scout scan to obtain data, and supplying the obtained data to a radiographic computer aided detection (CAD) algorithm.

Abstract: An anode assembly having multiple target electrodes is disclosed. Each target electrode produces an x-ray fan beam for radiographic data acquisition. The target electrodes are designed to sequentially generate an x-ray fan beam and therefore operate at a proportional duty cycle per scan. Power output capabilities of the anode assembly is increased without an increase in the size or thermal overloading of the anode assembly.

Abstract: A methods and apparatus for reconstructing images are provided. The apparatus includes a CT imaging system configured to scan an anatomy to acquire path-length information, determine at least one threshold value using the acquired path length information, dynamically adjusting the threshold based on clinical applications and scan parameters, and perform a low signal correction on data obtained from scanning the anatomy using the determined threshold value.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method for producing an image of an object utilizing a computed tomography (CT) imaging system includes axially scanning an object utilizing the CT imaging system to obtain more than 180° of projection data of the object. The method also includes weighting the projection data according to projection location and pixel location of an image to be reconstructed and reconstructing the image of the object utilizing the weighted projection data.

Abstract: A method for transmitting data in a computed tomography (CT) system includes detecting an error in at least one of a transmitted data sample in the CT system and a data sample to be transmitted in the CT system. The method also includes replacing the erroneous data sample with an error with interpolated data from neighboring data samples.

Abstract: A method for improving images of an imaging system including a plurality of detector cells includes assigning a quality factor for each detector cell.

Abstract: A method for calculating an element of a projection includes calculating an element Ai,j of a projection matrix using at least two different rays through a voxel.

Abstract: A method of reconstructing an image includes substantially minimizing a cost function of the form x ^ = arg ? ? ? min x ? { ? m = 0 M ? ? ? D m ? ( y m , F m ? ( x ) ) + S ? ( x ) } , where {circumflex over (x)} is the value of x which achieves the minimum summation, ym is an integral projection, Fm(x) is an forward projection function, and S(x) is a stabilizing function, to obtain {circumflex over (x)}, and using the obtained {circumflex over (x)} to perform a multislice Computed Tomography (CT) reconstruction to generate an image.

Abstract: A method of reconstructing an image includes performing an iterative CT X-ray image reconstruction using a model including a point spread function (PSF) to reconstruct an image.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing tilted cone beam data acquired using a CT apparatus. The CT apparatus has a gantry and a table. The gantry has an x-ray source and a detector array with columns and rows. The gantry is tilted at a gantry tilt angle with respect to the table and a plurality of projection data is acquired using the CT apparatus. Fan-parallel rebinning is performed on a row by row basis to form a plurality of reconstructed pixels. The coordinate locations of the plurality of reconstructed pixels are adjusted based on the gantry tilt angle and used to form a reconstructed image.