IP Library Granted Patent US 10,360,724
Granted Patent B2
US 10,360,724 · App. 15/618,425 · Granted Jul 23, 2019

Methods and systems for emission computed tomography image reconstruction

Inventors: Tao Feng (Houston, TX); Jizhe Wang (Houston, TX); Hongdi Li (Houston, TX)
Assignee: UIH AMERICA, INC.
G06T17/20A61B6/00A61B6/037A61B6/5264G06T2210/41
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,360,724
App. No.
15/618,425
Granted
Jul 23, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and system for reconstructing an Emission Computed Tomography (ECT) image based on locally adaptive gating. ECT projection data relating to a subject may be obtained. The ECT projection data may correspond to a plurality of voxels in a reconstructed image domain. The ECT projection data may be divided into a plurality of frames. A plurality of intermediate images may be reconstructed according to the plurality of frames. A plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels may be obtained based on the plurality of intermediate images. A plurality of gate numbers may be determined for the plurality of voxels based on the plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels. A plurality of ECT images may be reconstructed based on the ECT projection data and the plurality of gate numbers.

Claims (52)

1. A method for reconstructing an Emission Computed Tomography (ECT) image implemented on at least one machine each of which has at least one processor and storage, the method comprising:

obtaining ECT projection data relating to a subject, the ECT projection data corresponding to a plurality of voxels in a reconstructed image domain;

dividing the ECT projection data into a plurality of frames;

reconstructing a plurality of intermediate images according to the plurality of frames;

obtaining a plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels based on the plurality of intermediate images; and

determining, based on the plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels, a plurality of gate numbers for the plurality of voxels; and

reconstructing a plurality of ECT images based on the ECT projection data and the plurality of gate numbers.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining ECT projection data comprises:

acquiring the ECT projection data using a single-bed whole-body PET scanner.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ECT projection data are acquired in a whole field of view (FOV).

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the whole field of view comprises a plurality of local VOIs, the gate numbers corresponding to at least two of the local VOIs are different.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

determining a gating area in the whole field of view based on the plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of intermediate images comprise a first image frame and a second image frame, the method further comprising:

determining the plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels based on the first image frame and the second image frame.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the determining the plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels based on the first image frame and the second image frame comprises:

registering the first image frame and the second image frame to obtain a plurality of 3D motion vectors; and

determining the plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels based on the plurality of motion vectors.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the registering the first image frame and the second image frame to obtain a plurality of 3D motion vectors includes:

performing 2D image registration of the first image frame and the second image frame;

determining, for each spatial point, a 2D motion vector in a coronal plane and a 2D motion vector in a sagittal plane based on the registration; and

determining the plurality of 3D motion vectors based on the 2D motion vectors in a coronal plane and the 2D motion vectors in a sagittal plane.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the registering the first image frame and the second image frame includes performing 3D image registration, the method further comprising:

estimating the plurality of 3D motion vectors based on the 3D image registration.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein

the first image frame corresponds to a first involuntary motion phase of the subject,

the second image frame corresponds to a second involuntary motion phase of the subject, and

the first involuntary motion phase and the second involuntary motion phase correspond to an end-inspiration and an end-expiration of the subject, respectively, or the first involuntary motion phase and the second involuntary motion phase correspond to an end-diastolic phase and an end-systolic phase of the subject, respectively.

11. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

storage for storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, causing the system to perform a method including

obtaining ECT projection data relating to a subject, the ECT projection data corresponding to a plurality of voxels in a reconstructed image domain;

dividing the ECT projection data into a plurality of frames;

reconstructing a plurality of intermediate images according to the plurality of frames;

obtaining a plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels based on the plurality of intermediate images; and

determining, based on the plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels, a plurality of gate numbers for the plurality of voxels; and

reconstructing a plurality of ECT images based on the ECT projection data and the plurality of gate numbers.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a total-body PET scanner.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a display device configured to receive an input regarding a gating area of the subject.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the ECT projection data are acquired in a whole field of view (FOV).

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the whole field of view comprises a plurality of local VOIs, the gate numbers corresponding to at least two of the local VOIs are different.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the system is caused to perform the method further including:

determining a gating area in the whole field of view based on the plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of intermediate images comprise a first image frame and a second image frame, and the system is caused to perform the method further including:

determining the plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels based on the first image frame and the second image frame.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the determining the plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels based on the first image frame and the second image frame includes:

registering the first image frame and the second image frame to obtain a plurality of 3D motion vectors; and

determining the plurality of motion amplitudes of the plurality of voxels based on the plurality of motion vectors.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein

the first image frame corresponds to a first involuntary motion phase of the subject,

the second image frame corresponds to a second involuntary motion phase of the subject, and

the first involuntary motion phase and the second involuntary motion phase correspond to an end-inspiration and an end-expiration of the subject, respectively, or the first involuntary motion phase and the second involuntary motion phase correspond to an end-diastolic phase and an end-systolic phase of the subject, respectively.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2022
From: UIH AMERICA, INC.
To: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062152/0658 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2019
From: FENG, TAO; WANG, JIZHE; LI, HONGDI
To: UIH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 049205/0035 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 15386048 · Dec 21, 2016
Related Publication 20180174360A1 · Jun 21, 2018