A method and apparatus for removing breathing motion artifacts in imaging CT scans is disclosed. The method acquires raw imaging data from a CT scanner, and processes the raw CT imaging data by removing motion-induced artifacts via a motion model. Processing the imaging data may be achieved by initially estimating a 3D image to provide an estimate of raw sinogram image data, comparing the estimate to an actual CT sinogram, determining a difference between the sinograms, and iteratively reconstructing the 3D image by using the difference to alter the 3D image until the sinograms agree, wherein the 3D image moves according to the motion model.

An x-ray imaging apparatus and associated methods are provided to receive measured projection data in a primary region and measured scatter data in asymmetrical shadow regions and determine an estimated scatter in the primary region based on the measured scatter data in the shadow region(s). The asymmetric shadow regions can be controlled by adjusting the position of the beam aperture center on the readout area of the detector. Penumbra data may also be used to estimate scatter in the primary region.

An X-ray imaging system using multiple pulsed X-ray sources to perform highly efficient and ultrafast 3D radiography is presented. There are multiple pulsed X-ray sources mounted on a structure in motion to form an array of sources. The multiple X-ray sources move simultaneously relative to an object on a pre-defined arc track at a constant speed as a group. Electron beam inside each individual X-ray tube is deflected by magnetic or electrical field to move focal spot a small distance. When focal spot of an X-ray tube beam has a speed that is equal to group speed but with opposite moving direction, the X-ray source and X-ray flat panel detector are activated through an external exposure control unit so that source tube stay momentarily standstill equivalently. 3D scan can cover much wider sweep angle in much shorter time and image analysis can also be done in real-time.

Described herein are technologies for facilitating reconstruction of flow data. In accordance with one aspect, the framework receives a four-dimensional projection image dataset and registers one or more pairs of temporally adjacent projection images in the image dataset. Two-dimensional flow maps may be determined based on the registered pairs. The framework may then sort the two-dimensional flow maps according to heart phases, and reconstruct a three-dimensional flow map based on the sorted two-dimensional flow maps.

A method for reconstructing at least a first and a second independently moving body from one 3D tomography scan includes performing a movement of the first body relative to the second body, obtaining the movement, obtaining a 3D tomography scan of the first body and the second body during the movement, and reconstructing a first 3D model of the first body and a second 3D model of the second body by applying the recorded movement to the 3D tomography scan. This has the effect that reconstruction of several 3D tomography scanned bodies is possible during motion of the scanned bodies.

A method for correcting inaccuracies in a three-dimensional (3D) rendered volume of an object due to deviations between an actual scanner translation speed and an expected scanner translation speed, the method comprising: placing a pre-measured reference adjacent to the object which is being scanned so that the pre-measured reference and the object are in the same scan field; scanning the object and the pre-measured reference so that the object and the pre-measured reference are both incorporated in a 3D rendered volume produced through scanning; comparing the 3D rendered volume of the pre-measured reference against the 3D volume of the true pre-measured reference and generating a correction map indicative of how the rendered 3D volume of the pre-measured reference should be adjusted so as to produce a more accurate 3D rendering of the pre-measured reference; and using the correction map to adjust the rendered 3D volume of the object.

A computer-implemented method for autonomous segmentation of contrast-filled coronary artery vessels includes receiving a CT scan volume representing a 3D volume of a region of anatomy that includes a pericardium; preprocessing the CT scan volume to output a preprocessed scan volume; converting the CT scan volume to three sets of two-dimensional slices; extracting a region of interest (ROI) by autonomous segmentation of the heart region as outlined by the pericardium, by means of three individually trained ROI extraction convolutional neural networks (CNN), each trained to process a particular one of the three sets of two-dimensional slices to output a mask denoting a heart region as delineated by the pericardium; combining the preprocessed scan volume with the mask to obtain a masked volume; converting the masked volume to three groups of sets of two-dimensional masked slices; and performing autonomous coronary vessel segmentation to output a mask denoting the coronary vessels.

A system and method for improved image acquisition of multiple pulsed X-ray source-in-motion tomosynthesis imaging apparatus by generating the electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform data using an ECG device. Once a representative cardiac cycle is determined, system will acquire images only at rest period of heart beat. Real time ECG waveform is used as ECG synchronization for image improvement. The imaging apparatus avoids ECG peak pulse for better chest, lung and breast imaging under influence of cardiac periodical motion. As a result, smoother data acquisition, much higher data quality can be achieved. The multiple pulsed X-ray source-in-motion tomosynthesis machine is with distributed multiple X-ray sources that is spanned at wide scan angle. At rest period of one heartbeat, multiple X-ray exposures are acquired from X-ray sources at different angles. The machine itself has capability to acquire as many as 60 actual projection images within about two seconds.

A system for imaging reconstruction is provided. The system may obtain a first set of image data of a subject acquired by a scanner and a second set of image data of the subject acquired by the scanner. The first set of image data may correspond to a first angle range of the scanner. The second set of image data may correspond to a second angle range of the scanner. The first angle range may be different from the second angle range. The system may also generate a first image based on the first set of image data and generate a second image based on the second set of image data. The system may further generate a target image based on the first image and the second image.

The invention provides, in some aspects, a system for implementing a rule derived basis to display volumetric image sets. In various embodiments of the invention, the selection of the images to be displayed, the generation of the 3-D volumetric image from measured 2-D images including the rendering parameters and styles, the choice of viewing directions and 2-D projection images based on the viewing directions, the layout of the projection images, and the formation of a video can be determined using a rule derived basis. In an embodiment of the present invention, the user is presented with sequential images making up a video displayed based on their preferences without having to first manually adjust parameters. The present invention allows for novel ways of viewing such images to detect microcalcifications and obstructions when reviewing Digital Breast Tomosynthesis and other volumetric mammography images.