Abstract: In the method according to at least one embodiment of the invention, an image data record having a structure to be segmented is first of all displayed by display equipment. Using an input apparatus, a segmentation algorithm to be used is selected from a group of different segmentation algorithms, including a contour-based segmentation algorithm, a region-based segmentation algorithm and manual segmentation, based on the local image contrast in a region to be segmented in the image data record. A region to be segmented in the image data record is marked, and the structure to be segmented in the marked region is segmented using the selected segmentation algorithm, and a segmentation result of the segmentation is displayed. This procedure (selecting a segmentation algorithm/marking a region/segmenting the region/displaying) is repeated until the structure to be segmented is completely segmented in the displayed image data record and a boundary line of the structure is produced as the final segmentation result.

Abstract: In the method according to at least one embodiment of the invention, a first segmentation of a structure in an image data record is firstly carried out, and a first final segmentation result is obtained therefrom. A region in the image data record is selected based on the first final segmentation result obtained. A first band is placed at a first, outwardly pointing distance from the selected region. This first band characterizes a background region. A second band is placed at a second, inwardly pointing distance from the projected first final segmentation result of the first segmentation. This second band characterizes a structure region. A further segmentation is carried out based on the characterized background region and the characterized structure region, and the final segmentation result of the further segmentation is saved and/or displayed. Furthermore, an image processing unit for carrying out the method is disclosed.

Abstract: In a method to control the acquisition and/or evaluation procedure of image data in medical examinations, in a previously acquired planning image data set entirely or partially covering a target volume, spatial information of the target volume is determined automatically using a statistical model of the target volume based on data about real anatomy. The acquisition and/or evaluation operation is controlled using the spatial information. A statistical model of at least one greyscale value distribution in the region of the surface of the target volume is used to calculate the location information.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for imaging a portion of an examination object in a magnetic resonance scanner. The portion is arranged at the edge of a field of view of the magnetic resonance scanner. During at least one embodiment of the method, a gradient field is produced such that a nonlinearity in the gradient field and a B0-field inhomogeneity cancel at a predetermined point at the edge of the field of view. Magnetic resonance data, which contains the predetermined point at the edge of the field of view, is acquired with the aid of the gradient field. An image of the portion of the examination object at the predetermined point is determined from the magnetic resonance data.

Abstract: A phantom, particularly for use in MR- or PET-based imaging methods, includes a hollow base body that delimits an interior volume, wherein the interior volume is subdivided into at least two volume portions by at least one separation element, and wherein the separation element or a section thereof consists of foam.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to the generation of MR images of a volume section within an examination object by way of a magnetic resonance scanner. In at least one embodiment, the following steps are performed: generating at least one of the MR images; automatically performing a number of quality inspections on the at least one MR image; and, should one of these quality inspections fail, an action is automatically performed in order to improve a quality when generating more of the MR images.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining radiation attenuation as a result of an object in a positron emission tomography scanner. In at least one embodiment, a phantom object is arranged in the positron emission tomography scanner during the method. First raw radiation data of the phantom object is acquired while the object is not arranged in the positron emission tomography scanner. A first image of the phantom object is calculated from the first raw radiation data. The object then is arranged in the positron emission tomography scanner (2) and preliminary radiation attenuation of the object is identified. Second raw radiation data of the phantom object is acquired while the object is arranged in the positron emission tomography scanner. A second image of the phantom object is calculated from the second raw radiation data taking into account the preliminary radiation attenuation. The radiation attenuation is determined on the basis of the first image and the second image.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining radiation attenuation by a local coil in a tomography scanner of a magnetic resonance-positron emission tomography system. In at least one embodiment of the method, arrangement-dependent radiation attenuation, which depends on a coil-arrangement parameter record, is set for the local coil. Raw radiation data of an examination object is acquired with the aid of the MR-PET system and a plurality of images of the examination object are determined from the raw radiation data. In the process, each image is determined with a different coil-arrangement parameter record, taking into account the arrangement-dependent radiation attenuation. Each image is assigned a cost value, which corresponds to a measure of artifacts in the image. The radiation attenuation by the local coil is determined from the arrangement-dependent radiation attenuation and the coil-arrangement parameter record, which is associated with the optimized cost value, by determining an optimized cost value.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining radiation attenuation by an examination object in a positron emission tomography scanner. In at least one embodiment of the method, an initial segmentation of the examination object is fixed, wherein an attenuation coefficient is assigned to each segment of the segmentation. Furthermore, raw radiation data about the examination object arranged in the positron emission tomography scanner is acquired, and a correction factor is automatically determined for each pixel with the aid of an optimization method, in which the probability of the acquired raw radiation data is maximized taking into account the segmentation and the attenuation coefficients assigned to the segments. A statistical parameter of the correction factors is then determined for each segment and the segmentation is corrected by subdividing a segment as a function of the statistical parameter determined for the segment.

Abstract: Dixon methods in magnetic resonance imaging generate MRI images that may contain at least two tissue components such as fat and water. Dixon methods generate images containing both tissue components and predominantly one tissue component. A first segmentation of a first tissue component is generated in a T1 weighted image. The segmentation is correlated with at least a first and a second Dixon image. The image with the highest correlation is assigned the first tissue component.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining a location of a subarea of an area under examination in a magnetic resonance system. The subarea is arranged at the edge of a field-of-view of the magnetic resonance system. In at least one embodiment of the method, at least one slice position is determined for an MR image in which the B0 field at the edge of the MR image satisfies a homogeneity value. For the slice position determined an MR image is acquired which contains the subarea at the edge of the field-of-view and the location of the subarea of the object under examination is determined through the location of the subarea in the MR image.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for correction of truncations of an image of an object under examination in the reconstruction of image data from raw data which has been recorded with a magnetic resonance system from a field of view of the magnetic resonance system, with an object under examination which is located in the field of view of the magnetic resonance system being imaged in the raw data, and with the image recorded by the raw data of the object under examination being truncated at the edge of the field of view if at least one part of the object under examination is located outside the field of view.

Abstract: In a method for controlling the acquisition and/or evaluation operation of image data in medical examinations, using a statistical model of the target volume based on data about real anatomy, spatial information (in particular position, orientation and shape) of the target volume are automatically determined in a previously-acquired planning image data set wholly or partially showing a target volume, and the acquisition and/or evaluation operation is controlled using the spatial information.

Abstract: Example embodiments are directed to a method of correcting attenuation in a magnetic resonance (MR) scanner and a positron emission tomography (PET) unit. The method includes acquiring PET sinogram data of an object within a field of view of the PET unit. The method further includes producing an attenuation map based on a maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM) of a parameterized model instance and the PET sinogram data.

Abstract: Dixon methods in magnetic resonance imaging generate MRI images that may contain at least two tissue components such as fat and water. Dixon methods generate images containing both tissue components and predominantly one tissue component. A first segmentation of a first tissue component is generated in a T1 weighted image. The segmentation is correlated with at least a first and a second Dixon image. The image with the highest correlation is assigned the first tissue component.

Abstract: In a medical image acquisition device, and a method for operating such a device, before acquiring a current planning image data set from a subject, a statistical atlas is generated that is a statistical compilation concerning at least one part of the human body, the statistical compilation including an average image data set electronically associated, in the statistical atlas, with association information that identifies anatomy of the human body represented by the statistical compilation. The statistical atlas is compiled from multiple planning image data sets acquired using a specific measurement protocol. After the current planning image data set is acquired, the stored average image data set is transformed into the current planning image data set, so that the association information associated with the average image data set are accurately also associated with the current planning image data set.

Abstract: In a method to control the acquisition and/or evaluation procedure of image data in medical examinations, in a previously acquired planning image data set entirely or partially covering a target volume, spatial information of the target volume is determined automatically using a statistical model of the target volume based on data about real anatomy. The acquisition and/or evaluation operation is controlled using the spatial information. A statistical model of at least one greyscale value distribution in the region of the surface of the target volume is used to calculate the location information.

Abstract: In the method according to at least one embodiment of the invention, a first segmentation of a structure in an image data record is firstly carried out, and a first final segmentation result is obtained therefrom. A region in the image data record is selected based on the first final segmentation result obtained. A first band is placed at a first, outwardly pointing distance from the selected region. This first band characterizes a background region. A second band is placed at a second, inwardly pointing distance from the projected first final segmentation result of the first segmentation. This second band characterizes a structure region. A further segmentation is carried out based on the characterized background region and the characterized structure region, and the final segmentation result of the further segmentation is saved and/or displayed. Furthermore, an image processing unit for carrying out the method is disclosed.

Abstract: In the method according to at least one embodiment of the invention, an image data record having a structure to be segmented is first of all displayed by display equipment. Using an input apparatus, a segmentation algorithm to be used is selected from a group of different segmentation algorithms, including a contour-based segmentation algorithm, a region-based segmentation algorithm and manual segmentation, based on the local image contrast in a region to be segmented in the image data record. A region to be segmented in the image data record is marked, and the structure to be segmented in the marked region is segmented using the selected segmentation algorithm, and a segmentation result of the segmentation is displayed. This procedure (selecting a segmentation algorithm/marking a region/segmenting the region/displaying) is repeated until the structure to be segmented is completely segmented in the displayed image data record and a boundary line of the structure is produced as the final segmentation result.

Abstract: In a method for controlling the acquisition and/or evaluation operation of image data in medical examinations, using a statistical model of the target volume based on data about real anatomy, spatial information (in particular position, orientation and shape) of the target volume are automatically determined in a previously-acquired planning image data set wholly or partially showing a target volume, and the acquisition and/or evaluation operation is controlled using the spatial information.