Abstract: A filter method for tomographic 3D displays is disclosed, in which a volume model is used for display, which reproduces the volume of the examination object in the form of a large number of three-dimensional image voxels, and the image value of each voxel reproduces one object-specific characteristic of the examination object in this volume. According to the method, the original image voxels are processed using a 2D filter which is the same over the entire image area, and two different linear filters with selected directions which are obtained from the extremes of the previously calculated variances thus resulting in three data records with differently filtered image voxels, and in which, furthermore, the original image voxels and the filtered image voxels are mixed using local weights to form a result image.

Abstract: In the course of an imaging method that is particularly suitable for creating an image data record of the heart and/or the blood vessels of a patient, a series of recording pulses, tuned to the cardiac rhythm, are derived from an ECG signal of the cardiac rhythm of the patient. The imaging is driven in a pulsed fashion from the series of recording pulses. In this case, an initial instant and a final instant of a future recording pulse are determined by taking account of at least one variability parameter characterizing the irregularity of the cardiac rhythm.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for production of computer-tomographic scans via a CT system of a patient during an intervention with an instrument. An X-ray tube is moved on a rotation plane around the patient in order to produce a beam cone, and a detector with a plurality of detector elements measuring the radiation intensity after passing through the patient. Computer-tomographic scans are reconstructed from the measured values in a computation unit. The central direction of the beams of the scanning beam cone is set at an angle to the intervention axis, and at least one slice plane which differs from the rotation plane of the beam cone is displayed on a display.

Abstract: In method and module for calculation of an orthogonal x-ray attenuation of a subject using a measured reference x-ray attenuation in computed tomography, the reference x-ray attenuation and the orthogonal attenuation are provided as input quantities for an automatic dose control of the computed tomography apparatus. The positioning of the subject with regard to the rotation axis of the computed tomography apparatus is taken into account in the calculation of the orthogonal x-ray attenuation detection of the table height of the subject table.

Abstract: in a diaphragm device for an x-ray apparatus for scanning a subject with a radiation beam and a scanning method using such a diaphragm device, the diaphragm device has at least two diaphragms. For at least one segment of the scan, the radiation beam that has been adjusted with the first diaphragm can be at least partially dynamically masked by the second diaphragm. High adjustment precisions for precise exposure of a measurement field of detector and high adjustment speed for masking of a radiation beam that is not needed for reconstruction of an image, or for reduction of a radiation exposure of the subject can be implemented to equal degree with the two diaphragms that are separate from one another.

Abstract: A method and a computed tomography system are disclosed for producing computed tomograms of an object. A set of detector output data that represent beams over a specific angular range and a scan of a specific subregion of the object, are divided into m?2 complete partial detector output data records that respectively cover the same complete angular range, but are reduced with their sampling density by 1/m and have mutually independent data records. Intermediate image data records (m records) that represent the identical object region are reconstructed from the m complete partial detector output data records. A correlation analysis is carried out between the m intermediate image data records. Finally, an image data record is produced that consists only of correlated data and includes no uncorrelated data.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for an x-ray device and a computer tomograph for suppressing beam hardening artifacts in a generated image of an object, for example in a tomogram of a patient. In the method, N measured values are acquired relating to N different energy ranges of the x-radiation. Further, one pseudomonochromatic measured value is calculated in each case from the N measured values such that there is generated from different projection directions on the basis of the calculated psuedomonochromatic measured values, an image in which beam hardening artifacts are substantially suppressed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining at least one scaling factor for measured values obtained with the aid of a computed tomography unit. The computed tomography unit includes at least two recording systems that can rotate about a common rotation axis. Each of the systems includes an X-ray source and a detector having detector elements for detecting X-radiation emanating from the X-ray source. To reduce artifacts when use is made of measured values of the two recording systems in the reconstruction of an image, a scaling factor is determined for the measured values of the first or of the second recording system on the basis of measured values that originate from projections recorded from an object with the aid of the two recording systems. Each of the two recording systems is used to record at least one projection at at least substantially the same projection angle, whose measured values are compared with one another.

Abstract: A detector and a computed tomography unit are disclosed. The detector includes a first detector region for acquiring projections of a first projection direction, and additionally includes at least a second and a third detector region for acquiring projections of a second and a third projection direction. Given appropriate operation of the detector, it is possible to carry out flexible scanning of an examination area in an optional fashion with a high time resolution, a high volume coverage or with a large coverage of a cross section of the examination area, doing so perpendicular to the system axis of the computed tomography unit.

Abstract: A method and a device are disclosed for improving visual recognition in medical images with a large brightness range. This can be done, for example, by electronic manipulation of the represented brightness values, wherein the image has regions with essentially two different brightness intervals. By application of nonlinear scaling, followed by contrast enhancement and subsequent resealing of the image values, structures are represented with a richer contrast without having to tolerate quality losses in the region of originally strong contrasts.

Abstract: A method is for filtering tomographic 3D images of an examination object. The examination object is imaged by using a volume model that divides the volume of the examination object into a multiplicity of three-dimensional image voxels with individual image values, wherein the image value of each voxel reproduces an object-specific property of the examination object in this volume. After the reconstruction of the total volume for each voxel, variances are calculated in a prescribed region or radius R in order to determine contrast jumps and their spatial orientation with their tangential planes T. The image values in the tangential plane T are filtered with a two-dimensional convolution, and subsequently the original voxel data are mixed in weighted fashion with the filtered voxel data.

Abstract: A method is for recording and evaluating image data with the aid of a tomography machine. At least two recordings with different spectral distribution are made of an examination area of an object. Further, measured data obtained from the two recordings are evaluated such that additional information relating to the examination area and/or a specific representation of the image of the examination area are/is obtained from the different spectral distributions. The tomography machine includes at least two separate recording systems. Further, it is operated such that the two recording systems operate with a different spectral distribution. As such, the additional information and the specific representation of an image can be obtained in conjunction with a reduced scanning time.

Abstract: A method is for window-controlled filtering of CT images. A CT raw data record is acquired, for example, with the aid of a CT unit or of a C-arc unit. A primary data record is then reconstructed from the CT raw data record by way of, for example, a sharp convolution core and, for example, a narrow slice sensitivity profile. A transfer function is then provided as functional relationship between window width and image sharpness. The image sharpness of the CT image of a selected slice is then automatically calculated, situated in the primary data record, as a function of a selected window width for the selected slice by way of an image processing procedure on the basis of the transfer function.

Abstract: A method is for organ-specific image optimization in computed tomography. In this case, the HU values of a layer of the body previously recorded with a CT device are calculated and, on this basis, a first CT image is created. For this first CT image, a histogram is also created, in which the frequency distribution of the HU values is reproduced. In a histogram, at least one organ-specific HU region is defined and the latter is allocated an HU-dependent transfer function. Furthermore, a second CT image is created on the basis of the previously calculated HU values for the layer of the body which has been recorded. The first and second CT image are filtered with the HU-dependent transfer function and, finally, the filtered first CT image is mixed with the filtered second CT image.

Abstract: An algorithmic method is used for suppressing artifacts in computed tomography raw data, on the basis of the determination and subsequent subtraction of a correction sinogram from a measured starting sinogram. The method includes high-pass filtering of a starting sinogram in the channel direction, and low-pass filtering in the projection direction in order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Thereafter, the magnitude of a weighted gradient of each data point in the low-pass-filtered sinogram is formed, both in the projection direction and symmetrically about the corresponding channel axis. The data point is eliminated if the change amplitude thereof exceeds a first defined threshold value. Residual data points are removed in the low-pass-filtered sinogram if their amplitude exceeds a second defined threshold value, and low-pass filtering of the resulting sinogram occurs in the form of averaging in the projection direction.

Abstract: A method is for window-controlled filtering of CT images. A CT raw data record is acquired, for example, with the aid of a CT unit or of a C-arc unit. A primary data record is then reconstructed from the CT raw data record by way of, for example, a sharp convolution core and, for example, a narrow slice sensitivity profile. A transfer function is then provided as functional relationship between window width and image sharpness. The image sharpness of the CT image of a selected slice is then automatically calculated, situated in the primary data record, as a function of a selected window width for the selected slice by way of an image processing procedure on the basis of the transfer function.

Abstract: A method is for organ-specific image optimization in computed tomography. In this case, the HU values of a layer of the body previously recorded with a CT device are calculated and, on this basis, a first CT image is created. For this first CT image, a histogram is also created, in which the frequency distribution of the HU values is reproduced. In a histogram, at least one organ-specific HU region is defined and the latter is allocated an HU-dependent transfer function. Furthermore, a second CT image is created on the basis of the previously calculated HU values for the layer of the body which has been recorded. The first and second CT image are filtered with the HU-dependent transfer function and, finally, the filtered first CT image is mixed with the filtered second CT image.

Abstract: A method for correcting for beam hardening in an initial CT image, which is composed of pixels arranged in a matrix, correction data are determined from the initial image by re-projection of the pixels from the initial image at a large number of projection angles, the pixels from the initial image being compared with a threshold value for each of the projection angles during the re-projection, and the re-projection being carried out for only those pixels from the initial image which have a pixel value above the threshold value. The correction data are used to determine a corrected image from the initial image.

Abstract: An algorithmic method is used for suppressing artifacts in computed tomography raw data, on the basis of the determination and subsequent subtraction of a correction sinogram from a measured starting sinogram. The method includes high-pass filtering of a starting sinogram in the channel direction, and low-pass filtering in the projection direction in order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Thereafter, the magnitude of a weighted gradient of each data point in the low-pass-filtered sinogram is formed, both in the projection direction and symmetrically about the corresponding channel axis. The data point is eliminated if the change amplitude thereof exceeds a first defined threshold value. Residual data points are removed in the low-pass-filtered sinogram if their amplitude exceeds a second defined threshold value, and low-pass filtering of the resulting sinogram occurs in the form of averaging in the projection direction.

Abstract: A method for correcting for beam hardening in an initial CT image, which is composed of pixels arranged in a matrix, correction data are determined from the initial image by re-projection of the pixels from the initial image at a large number of projection angles, the pixels from the initial image being compared with a threshold value for each of the projection angles during the re-projection, and the re-projection being carried out for only those pixels from the initial image which have a pixel value above the threshold value. The correction data are used to determine a corrected image from the initial image.