Abstract: A method including detecting components of plaque using a multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system is provided.

Abstract: A technique is provided for minimizing or eliminating motion-related artifacts present in CT images due to the dynamic nature of the imaged tissue or the time-varying concentration of a contrast agent used for imaging. The technique allows for the selection of a region of interest that may encompass a structure of diagnostic interest. For projections acquired by the various rows of detectors in a multi-slice CT imaging system, the portions of the projections attributable to the projection of the region of interest within the detector are averaged for each view angle. The projections containing these averaged values are then combined with the projections which do not encompass the region of interest and the combined projection set may be reconstructed to form a CT image of the dynamic tissue. In addition, a smoothing step may be performed to interpolate projection values around the region of interest to smooth the visual transition to the unaveraged portions of the image.

Abstract: A method for obtaining data includes scanning at least one of a head of a patient and a neck of the patient with a Multi-Energy Computed Tomography (MECT) system to acquire data.

Abstract: A method for managing clinical study (CS) information for a clinical research entity using a server system coupled to a centralized database and at least one client system is provided. The centralized database has a plurality of templates stored therein. The method includes receiving at the server system CS information relating to at least one patient involved in a clinical study wherein the CS information is entered through a user selected template displayed on the client system, storing CS information received at the server system in the centralized database, tracking CS information stored in the centralized database, updating the centralized database periodically with newly received CS information to maintain CS information, and providing CS information in response to an inquiry.

Abstract: A technique is provided for positioning a reconstruction window in a CT cardiac image data set. The technique uses ECG data, either concurrently acquired or derived from statistical data sets in conjunction with the patient's heart rate, to allow the placement of reconstruction windows at a desired cardiac phase of interest as selected by an operator. The technique can be used in combination with information about the motion or position of a cardiac feature to optimally image the cardiac feature, such as the right coronary artery. In addition, the technique allows unacceptable data from a cardiac cycle to be discarded to improve the final image quality. By using the ECG data to position the reconstruction window, phase misregistration artifacts may be minimized.

Abstract: A technique is provided for improving consistency between slabs in a reconstructed CT image. Candidate sectors associated with an image slab are determined. If the sectors contain sufficient information to reconstruct the image slab, the sector which minimizes inconsistency with projection data for adjacent image slabs is selected for reconstruction. If the sectors do not contain sufficient information to reconstruct the slab, sectors are merged together until a merge group contains sufficient information. The merge group which minimizes inconsistency with projection data for adjacent image slabs is selected for image reconstruction. The selected sectors or merge groups are then reconstructed with the resulting image slabs comprising a reconstructed image with improved consistency between image slabs.

Abstract: A method for volumetric reconstruction of a cyclically moving object using a computed tomography (CT) system includes scanning a cyclically moving object with a CT imaging system including at least one of an area detector and a linear detector to encompass the desired field of view and a rotating gantry to measure projection data during a plurality of cycles of the cyclically moving object. The method also includes dividing a period of the cyclically moving object into a discrete number of phases, identifying an initial set of projection data at a desired phase of a first cycle at a first angle, identifying at least one subsequent set of projection data at the same desired phase of a subsequent cycle at an angle that is different from the first angle, and combining the initial set of projection data with each subsequent set of identified projection data and using a reconstruction algorithm to generate a three-dimensional image.