Multi-Modal Imaging Registration Calibration Device and Method

Abstract

A phantom and associated method for calibrating registration in a multi-modal medical diagnostic imaging system are presented. The phantom features a plurality of emission point sources arranged in multiple parallel planes along the length of the phantom, with enough planes to allow mode registration to be calibrated over the length of an entire full-body scan. According to the method, calibration scans are performed at each of several scan positions along the length of the phantom, with at least two planes of emission point sources covered by the scan at each position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]In general, the invention relates to multi-modal medical diagnostic imaging. More particularly, the invention relates to a device and method used to calibrate registration between the different imaging modes of a multi-modal imaging system.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Diagnostic imaging systems which use multiple imaging modalities are known in the art. For example, it is known to combine CT and PET sub-systems in a multi-modal imaging system to obtain synergistic advantages above and beyond the imaging advantages provided by each type of imagining modality individually. With such a multi-modal system, one imaging modality provides one type of information—for example, the CT modality can provide structural or anatomical patient data while the other imaging modality provides another type of information—for example, the PET modality provides functional (e.g., blood flow) patient data. Additionally, data from an initial or preliminary CT scan of a patien...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

While such an arrangement has worked well for calibrating a single-position scan, it has not worked so well for multiple-position scans, and errors of as much as 2.5 millimeters in image registration have been measured.

It is believed that such errors arise because the precise motion of the patient bed is not perfectly known or predictable over the entire scan range, which results in misalignment between the bed, PET, and CT positions for anything more than a one- or two-position scan.

Thus, such a two-rod phantom arrangement is not ideally suited for calibrating a multiple-position scan such as a whole-body scan, which may require as much as five to seven scan positions.

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