Systems and methods for improving soft tissue contrast, characterizing tissue, classifying phenotype, stratifying risk, and performing multi-scale modeling aided by multiple energy or contrast excitation and evaluation are provided. The systems and methods can include single and multi-phase acquisitions and broad and local spectrum imaging to assess atherosclerotic plaque tissues in the vessel wall and perivascular space.

A method and system is disclosed for acquiring image data of a subject. The image data can be collected with an imaging system with at least two different power characteristics. The image data can be reconstructed using dynamic or enhanced reconstruction techniques.

Method and related system (IPS) for visualizing in particular a volume of a substance during its deposition at a region of interest (ROI). A difference image is formed from a projection image and a mask image. The difference image is then analyzed to derive more accurate motion information about a motion or shape of the substance. The method or system (IPS) is capable of operating in an iterative manner. The proposed system and method can be used for processing fluoroscopic X-ray frame acquired by an imaging arrangement (100) during an embolization procedure.

A system is for contrast agent-based medical imaging. In an embodiment, the system includes a gantry of a medical imaging device; a contrast agent injection device; and a support arm including a frame element, a first connecting element and a second connecting element. In an embodiment, the frame element is connected to a stationary support frame of the gantry via the first connecting element such that at least part of the frame element is mounted to be movable relative to the stationary support frame of the gantry, and the contrast agent injection device is connected to at least part of the frame element via the second connecting element such that the contrast agent injection device is mounted to be movable relative to at least part of the frame element.

A computer-implemented method for determining a flow rate for a given vessel includes obtaining, via a processor, dynamic three-dimensional (3D) images of a subject utilizing nuclear medicine imaging. The method also includes obtaining, via the processor, injection parameters for a radiotracer bolus injected into the subject via an automated injector. The method further includes generating, via the processor, time activity curves (TACs) for the radiotracer bolus from the 3D images. The method even further includes estimating, via the processor, the flow rate for the given vessel based on a morphology of the one or more TACs and the injection parameters.

Devices and methods for vascular navigation, assessment and/or diagnosis are disclosed where a location detection system generally includes an elongate body defining a lumen at least partially along a length of the elongate body. One or more sensors are positioned near or at a distal tip of the elongate body and one or more openings are defined along the elongate body in proximity to the one or more sensors. The one or more openings are configured to control a boundary distance between the one or more sensors and a fluid with a parameter of a known initial value when emitted from the one or more openings. A controller is in communication with the one or more sensors and is configured to track a change in the parameter relating to concentration over the one or more sensors and determine a position of the one or more sensors within a body.

An inverse visualization of a time-resolved angiographic image data set of a vascular system of a patient that was recorded by a medical imager during the flow of a contrast medium through the vascular system is provided. The time-resolved angiographic image data set of the vascular system has a temporal sequence of frames of the vascular system corresponding to the contrast medium filling process. A data set from bolus arrival times for each pixel or voxel is determined. The bolus arrival time corresponds to the time in the temporal sequence at which a predetermined contrast enhancement due to the contrast medium filling first occurs. A data set of temporally inverted bolus arrival times with respect to the contrast medium filling is determined for each pixel or voxel, resulting in a temporally inverted sequence of frames with respect to the contrast medium filling. The time-resolved angiographic image data set in the temporally inverted sequence is visualized.

Embodiments of the present invention relates to an X-ray contrast agent. The X-ray contrast agent has an X-ray absorption the change of which between at least two different X-ray photon energy levels differs from the change in X-ray absorption of calcium between the at least two different X-ray photon energy level. Embodiments of the present invention also relates to an X-ray imaging method. Embodiments of the present invention additionally relates to an image reconstruction device. Embodiments of the present invention further relates to an X-ray imaging system.

The disclosure herein relates to systems, methods, and devices for medical image analysis, diagnosis, risk stratification, decision making and/or disease tracking. In some embodiments, the systems, devices, and methods described herein are configured to analyze non-invasive medical images of a subject to automatically and/or dynamically identify one or more features, such as plaque and vessels, and/or derive one or more quantified plaque parameters, such as radiodensity, radiodensity composition, volume, radiodensity heterogeneity, geometry, location, perform computational fluid dynamics analysis, facilitate assessment of risk of heart disease and coronary artery disease, enhance drug development, determine a CAD risk factor goal, provide atherosclerosis and vascular morphology characterization, and determine indication of myocardial risk, and/or the like. In some embodiments, the systems, devices, and methods described herein are further configured to generate one or more assessments of plaque-based diseases from raw medical images using one or more of the identified features and/or quantified parameters.

A contrast-enhanced digital tomosynthesis system with a source configured to emit penetrating particles toward an object, a detector configured to acquire a series of projection images of the object in response to the penetrating particles from the source, a positioning apparatus configured to position the source relative to the object and the detector, and an imaging system coupled to the source, the detector, and the positioning apparatus. The imaging system is configured to control the positioning apparatus to position the source and detector relative to the object, control the source and the detector to acquire the series of projection images, and construct a tomographic volume capable of exhibiting super-resolution morphology and contrast-enhancement arising from injection of an exogenous contrast agent from data representing the acquired series of projection images or a subset thereof.