IP Library Granted Patent US 12,336,855
Granted Patent B2
US 12,336,855 · App. 18/167,817 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Imaging systems and methods

Inventors: Biao Sun (Shanghai, CN); Junchao Sun (Shanghai, CN); Xunsan Tao (Shanghai, CN); Weiran Zhuang (Shanghai, CN); Qianqian Yu (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
A61B6/547
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,336,855
App. No.
18/167,817
Granted
Jun 24, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for automated scan preparation and real-time monitoring/adjustment in medical imaging. The automated scan preparation may include positioning a target subject to be scanned by a medical imaging device, determining a rotation scheme of the medical imaging device, targeting a scan region of the target subject with an imaging isocenter of the medical imaging device, determining target position(s) of component(s) of the medical imaging device, performing a virtual scan, generating a reference subject model representing an internal structure of the target subject, or the like. The real-time monitoring/adjustment operations may include achieving automatic brightness stabilization, monitoring a posture of the target subject, adjusting the position of component(s) of the medical imaging device, estimating a dose distribution, monitoring a treatment of the target subject, performing a motion correction, or the like.

Claims (64)

1. A method for medical imaging implemented on a computing device having one or more processors and one or more storage devices, the method comprising:

acquiring a plurality of medical images of a target subject by performing a scan on the target subject using a medical imaging device;

obtaining image data of the target subject, wherein the image data includes a plurality of sets of image data of the target subject captured by an image capturing device during the scan at a series of time points, each of the plurality of sets of image data corresponds to one of the series of time points;

detecting, based on the plurality of sets of image data, a motion of the target subject; and

generating, based on the plurality of medical images, a target image of the target subject, wherein motion correction is performed based on the detected motion of the target subject during the generation of the target image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of medical images comprise a first medical image acquired before a contrast agent is injected into the target subject and a second medical image acquired after the contrast agent is injected into the target subject.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the generating, based on the plurality of medical images, a target image of the target subject comprises:

generating a corrected first medical image by correcting the first medical image based on the motion of the target subject; and

generating, based on the corrected first medical image and the second medical image, the target image representing blood vessels of the target subject.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of medical images comprise a third medical image captured before an invasive device is inserted into the target subject and a fourth medical image acquired after the invasive device is inserted into the target subject.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the generating, based on the plurality of medical images, a target image of the target subject comprises:

generating a corrected third medical image by correcting the third medical image based on the motion of the target subject; and

generating, based on the corrected third medical image and the fourth medical image, the target image representing the invasive device within the target subject.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

obtaining a reference image representing blood vessels of the target subject; and

generating a composite image representing the invasive device within the blood vessels of the target subject based on the reference image and the target image.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the generating a composite image representing the invasive device within the blood vessels of the target subject based on the reference image and the target image comprises:

generating a target reference image by transforming the reference image; and

generating the composite image by combining the target reference image and the target image.

8. A method for monitoring a target subject during a scan of the target subject, implemented on a computing device having at least one processor and at least one storage device, the method comprising:

obtaining a plurality of sets of image data of the target subject, the target subject being scanned by a medical imaging device, the plurality of sets of image data being captured by an image capturing device during the scan of the target subject at a series of time points, each of the plurality of sets of image data corresponding to one of the series of time points;

determining, based on the plurality of sets of image data, whether the target subject moves over the series of time points; and

in response to determining that the target subject moves over the series of time points, generating control information for adjusting the scan of the target subject.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determining, based on the plurality of sets of image data, whether the target subject moves over the series of time points comprises:

for each of the plurality of sets of image data, identifying at least one feature point representing at least one body landmark of the target subject from the set of image data;

determining, based on the at least one feature point identified in each of the plurality of sets of image data, a motion of the at least one body landmark over the series of time points; and

determining, based on the motion of the at least one body landmark, whether the target subject moves over the series of time points.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein for each of the plurality of sets of image data, the identifying at least one feature point representing at least one body landmark of the target subject from the set of image data comprises:

generating a first subject model representing the target subject based on the set of image data; and

identifying, from the first subject model, the at least one feature point representing the at least one body landmark of the target subject.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determining, based on the plurality of sets of image data, whether the target subject moves over the series of time points comprises:

for each of the plurality of sets of image data, determining one or more parameter values of one or more posture parameters of the target subject based on the set of image data; and

determining, based on the one or more parameter values of the one or more posture parameters of the target subject corresponding to each of the set of image data, whether the target subject moves over the series of time points.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein for each of the plurality of sets of image data, the determining one or more parameter values of one or more posture parameters of the target subject based on the set of image data comprises:

generating a second subject model representing the target subject based on the set of image data; and

determining the one or more parameter values of the one or more posture parameters of the target subject based on the second subject model.

13. A method for positioning a target subject to be scanned by a medical imaging device, implemented on a computing device having one or more processors and one or more storage devices, the method comprising:

obtaining image data indicative of a position of the target subject relative to one or more components of the medical imaging device, the image data being captured by an image capturing device;

obtaining position information relating to the one or more components of the medical imaging device;

determining a plurality of regions of the target subject based on the image data and the position information, different regions of the plurality of regions corresponding to different positioning procedures of the target subject;

causing a terminal device to display a target image of the target subject with a plurality of annotations of the plurality of regions.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more components of the medical imaging device include a scanning table that supports the target subject, and the plurality of regions include at least two of:

a first region that can be imaged by the medical imaging device without moving the scanning table,

a second region that can be imaged by the medical imaging device by moving the scanning table;

a third region that cannot be imaged by the medical imaging device even if the target subject is moved via the scanning table.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more components of the medical imaging device include a scanning table that supports the target subject, the plurality of regions include a first region that can be imaged by the medical imaging device without moving the scanning table, and the method further comprises:

obtaining, via the terminal device, a first input associated with a first scan region of the target subject, wherein the first scan region is within the first region; and

causing the medical imaging device to scan the first scan region based on the first input.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more components of the medical imaging device include a scanning table that supports the target subject, the plurality of regions include a second region that can be imaged by the medical imaging device by moving the scanning table, and the method further comprises:

obtaining, via the terminal device, a second input associated with a second scan region of the target subject, wherein at least part of the second scan region is within the second region;

determining a target position of the target subject based on the second input, the image data, and the position information;

causing the scanning table to move the target subject to the target position; and

causing the medical imaging device to scan the target subject when the target subject is at the target position.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more components of the medical imaging device include a scanning table that supports the target subject, the plurality of regions include a third region that cannot be imaged by the medical imaging device even if the target subject is moved via the scanning table, and the method further comprises:

obtaining, via the terminal device, a third input associated with a third scan region of the target subject, wherein at least part of the third scan region is within the third region; and

generating a notification indicating that the third scan region cannot be imaged by the medical imaging device.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of annotations of the plurality of regions are displayed in the target image in different colors or different textures.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

obtaining an input associated with a scan region of the target subject from the terminal device;

generating a second target image representing an internal structure of the scan region of the target subject, and causing the terminal device to display the second target image.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the generating a second target image representing an internal structure of the scan region of the target subject comprises:

obtaining reference image data representing an internal structure of the target subject;

obtaining one or more parameter values of one or more scan parameters of the medical imaging device relating to a scan to be performed on the target subject; and

generating the second target image representing the internal structure of the scan region to be scanned by the medical imaging device under the one or more parameter values based on the image data, the reference image data, and the one or more parameter values.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2024
From: SUN, BIAO; SUN, JUNCHAO; TAO, XUNSAN; ZHUANG, WEIRAN; YU, QIANQIAN
To: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 068934/0120 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2020108275 · Aug 10, 2020
Related Publication 20230181144A1 · Jun 15, 2023
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