Imaging system and control method and device therefor, storage medium

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of life science and medical photography imaging technology, and specifically discloses an imaging system, a control method and device thereof, and a storage medium, the imaging system comprising a laser measuring device and a CT imaging device, the CT imaging device comprising an X-ray ball tube and a detector, a target to be measured being located between the X-ray ball tube and the detector, the control method comprising: acquiring a first respiratory signal of the target to be measured collected by the laser measuring device and a second respiratory signal of the target to be measured collected by the X-ray ball tube; determining a first time domain and a second time domain according to the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal; collecting a current respiratory signal of the target to be measured by the laser measuring device, and performing imaging processing on the target to be measured when the current respiratory signal is in the second time domain, so that the external monitoring signal can replace the internal monitoring signal, the real-time state of the region of interest of the detected living animal can be observed conveniently, the precision is high, and the influence of X-ray radiation on the living animal can be reduced, and the use safety is improved.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202311738159.9, filed on December 18, 2023, entitled “A Respiratory Gated Computed Tomography Imaging Method and System”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to the fields of life sciences and medical imaging technology, and in particular to an imaging system, its control method and apparatus, and a storage medium. Background Technology

[0004] Computed tomography (CT) systems are specifically used for imaging and analyzing the biological information of targets. The use of X-rays in imaging is a mature technology, especially in the medical and scientific fields. Its basic principle is that X-rays generated by an X-ray source are partially attenuated by the object being measured. X-rays with sufficient energy to penetrate the object are detected by a two-dimensional (2D) X-ray detector (camera), generating a two-dimensional (2D) image, also known as a projection image. Different types of X-ray sources are used in combination with different cameras, but the basic principle remains the same.

[0005] To generate a three-dimensional (3D) image of an object, projected images must be acquired from different angles. This can be done by rotating the object or by rotating an X-ray source and camera around the object. In both cases, a dataset of 2D projected images is generated. These projected images are then used to generate a new dataset of the object's interior through a process called backprojection, from which 3D information can be obtained. This method is called computed tomography (CT).

[0006] During imaging of regions of interest (ROIs) in live animals, the ROI changes due to the animal's continuous respiration. Related techniques typically employ an X-ray tube and detector within the imaging system to acquire multiple imaging images of the target. However, this method usually requires real-time monitoring using a respiratory gating device, placing high demands on the equipment and necessitating multiple adjustments to achieve effective operation, which can easily lead to positioning errors in the ROI.

[0007] At the same time, imaging live animals with X-rays always produces a certain radiation dose. An important consideration when scanning live animals is to reduce the radiation dose in order to minimize or even avoid any biological effects. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This invention aims to at least partially address one of the problems in related technologies. Therefore, the first objective of this invention is to propose a control method for an imaging system that can replace internal monitoring signals with external monitoring signals, facilitating the observation of the real-time state of the region of interest in a live animal under inspection, achieving high accuracy, reducing the impact of X-ray radiation on the live animal, and improving safety.

[0009] A second objective of this invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium.

[0010] The third objective of this invention is to provide a control device for an imaging system.

[0011] The fourth objective of this invention is to provide an imaging system.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of the present invention provides a control method for an imaging system, the imaging system including a laser measurement device and a CT imaging device, the CT imaging device including an X-ray tube and a detector, with a target to be measured located between the X-ray tube and the detector, the control method including: acquiring a first respiratory signal of the target to be measured acquired by the laser measurement device and a second respiratory signal of the target to be measured acquired by the X-ray tube; determining a first time domain and a second time domain based on the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal; acquiring the current respiratory signal of the target to be measured by the laser measurement device, and performing imaging processing on the target to be measured when the current respiratory signal is in the second time domain.

[0013] The imaging system of this invention includes a laser measuring device and a CT imaging device. The CT imaging device includes an X-ray tube and a detector. The target to be measured can be placed between the X-ray tube and the detector, so that the X-ray tube can cooperate with the detector to detect the target. The control method of the imaging system of this invention includes: acquiring a first respiratory signal of the target to be measured collected by the laser measuring device and a second respiratory signal of the target to be measured collected by the X-ray tube; then using the first and second respiratory signals to determine a first time domain and a second time domain; then acquiring the current respiratory signal of the target to be measured through the laser measuring device; and then judging the time domain of the current respiratory signal. If the current respiratory signal is in the second time domain, imaging processing of the target to be measured can be performed. Of course, if the current respiratory signal is in the first time domain, the process is waited until the current respiratory signal is in the second time domain before imaging processing is performed. Therefore, this invention can replace internal monitoring signals with external monitoring signals, which is convenient for observing the real-time status of the region of interest of the live animal being tested, with high accuracy, and can reduce the impact of X-ray radiation on the live animal, thus improving the safety of use.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, determining a first time domain and a second time domain based on the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal includes: acquiring the amplitude of the first respiratory signal and the amplitude of the second respiratory signal; determining a first fluctuation value based on the amplitude of the first respiratory signal, and determining a second fluctuation value based on the amplitude of the second respiratory signal; defining the time period corresponding to when both the first fluctuation value and the second fluctuation value are less than a first threshold, and the difference between the amplitude of the first respiratory signal and the amplitude of the second respiratory signal is less than a preset difference, as the second time domain; when the amplitude of the first respiratory signal is in a decreasing process, taking the time point corresponding to when the amplitude of the first respiratory signal is equal to the second threshold as the starting time point of the first time domain, and defining the time period corresponding to the starting time point of the first time domain and the starting time point of the second time domain as the first time domain.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the method further includes: acquiring at least one respiratory signal prior to the first respiratory signal; determining the amplitude peak value of each respiratory signal among the at least one respiratory signal; and determining a second threshold value based on the minimum value among the amplitude peak values ​​of each respiratory signal, wherein the second threshold value is less than or equal to the minimum value among the amplitude peak values ​​of each respiratory signal.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, determining the second threshold based on the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of the various respiratory signals includes: multiplying the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of the various respiratory signals by a preset value as the second threshold, wherein the preset value is a positive number less than 1.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, imaging processing of the target under test includes: acquiring images of the target under test at different angles using the laser measurement device; and reconstructing the images to complete the imaging processing of the target under test.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present invention, the method further includes: comparing the current respiratory signal with the first respiratory signal; and updating the first time domain and the second time domain when the phase difference between the current respiratory signal and the first respiratory signal is greater than a preset phase difference.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first respiratory signal is the surface motion signal of the target under test, the second respiratory signal is the internal motion signal of the target under test, the first time domain is the image acquisition delay time domain of the laser measuring device, and the second time domain is the image acquisition time domain of the laser measuring device.

[0020] To achieve the above objectives, a second aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for an imaging system thereon, wherein when the control program is executed by a processor, it implements the control method for the imaging system described in any of the above embodiments.

[0021] The computer-readable storage medium of this invention executes the control program of the imaging system stored thereon through a processor, which can replace the internal monitoring signal with the external monitoring signal, making it easier to observe the real-time status of the region of interest of the live animal being detected. It has high accuracy and can reduce the impact of X-ray radiation on the live animal, thus improving the safety of use.

[0022] To achieve the above objectives, a third aspect of the present invention provides a control device for an imaging system. The imaging system includes a laser measurement device and a CT imaging device. The CT imaging device includes an X-ray tube and a detector, with a target to be measured located between the X-ray tube and the detector. The control device includes: an acquisition module for acquiring a first respiratory signal of the target to be measured acquired by the laser measurement device and a second respiratory signal of the target to be measured acquired by the X-ray tube; a determination module for determining a first time domain and a second time domain based on the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal; and a control module for acquiring the current respiratory signal of the target to be measured through the laser measurement device, and performing imaging processing on the target to be measured when the current respiratory signal is in the second time domain.

[0023] The imaging system of this invention includes a laser measurement device and a CT imaging device. The CT imaging device includes an X-ray tube and a detector. The target to be measured can be placed between the X-ray tube and the detector, so that the X-ray tube can cooperate with the detector to detect the target. The control device of the imaging system of this invention includes an acquisition module, a determination module, and a control module. First, the acquisition module acquires the first respiratory signal of the target to be measured collected by the laser measurement device and the second respiratory signal of the target to be measured collected by the X-ray tube. Then, the determination module determines a first time domain and a second time domain based on the first and second respiratory signals. Next, the control module acquires the current respiratory signal of the target to be measured through the laser measurement device. Then, the time domain of the current respiratory signal is judged. If the current respiratory signal is in the second time domain, imaging processing of the target to be measured can be performed. Of course, if the current respiratory signal is in the first time domain, the process waits until the current respiratory signal is in the second time domain before imaging processing is performed. Therefore, this invention can replace internal monitoring signals with external monitoring signals, which is convenient for observing the real-time status of the region of interest of the live animal being tested. It has high accuracy and can reduce the impact of X-ray radiation on the live animal, thus improving the safety of use.

[0024] To achieve the above objectives, a fourth aspect of the present invention provides an imaging system that includes a control device for the imaging system described in the above embodiments.

[0025] The imaging system of this invention, through the control device of the imaging system in the above embodiments, can replace the internal monitoring signal with an external monitoring signal, which facilitates the observation of the real-time status of the region of interest of the live animal being detected. It has high accuracy and can reduce the impact of X-ray radiation on the live animal, thereby improving the safety of use.

[0026] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the imaging system in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of an imaging system in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the shutter structure in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a control method for an imaging system in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the control method of the imaging system in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a comparison diagram of the first and second respiratory signals in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a time-domain schematic diagram of the first respiratory signal in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of a method for determining the second threshold in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of the imaging processing of the target under test in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 10 This is a flowchart of the control method of the imaging system in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of the control method of the imaging system in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 12This is a comparison diagram of the slope values ​​of reconstructed CT images of one embodiment of the present invention and a comparative example;

[0039] Figure 13 This is a comparison chart of the signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio of reconstructed CT images from one embodiment of the present invention and a comparative example.

[0040] Figure 14 This is a block diagram of the control device of the imaging system in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 15 This is a structural block diagram of the imaging system in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0042] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0043] The imaging system, control method and apparatus, and storage medium of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the imaging system in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the imaging system of the present invention includes a CT imaging device and a laser measurement device. The laser measurement system can be fixed outside the CT imaging device to acquire the first respiratory signal of the target under test. The CT imaging device includes an X-ray tube and a detector. The detector is specifically represented as a flat panel detector in the figure. The target under test is placed between the X-ray tube and the detector. The X-ray tube can emit X-rays to pass through the target under test and reach the detector. Then, the central software module can acquire the image from the detector, i.e., the second respiratory signal.

[0046] More specifically, such as Figure 2 The CT imaging equipment includes an X-ray tube 1, a rotating stage 4, and a flat panel detector 5. The X-ray tube 1 and the flat panel detector 5 are vertically opposite each other, and the X-rays emitted by the X-ray tube 1 can be detected by the flat panel detector 5. The rotation axis of the rotating stage 4 is fixed on the line connecting the X-ray tube 1 and the flat panel detector 5. The height of the rotating stage 4 is approximately equal to that of the X-ray tube 1 and the flat panel detector 5, allowing the X-rays to penetrate the target on the rotating stage 4 and reach the flat panel detector 5. A shutter 2 is located at the light outlet of the X-ray tube 1. Reference numeral 3 in the figure indicates the laser measurement system.

[0047] X-ray tube 1 is a continuous X-ray tube, and shutter 2 is a rotary shutter used to control the light emission time in conjunction with the continuous X-ray tube 1. The structure of the rotary shutter is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, shutter 2 consists of a motor 30 and a baffle 40 connected to it. The motor 30 can drive the baffle 40 to rotate to block the X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube exit port 20. The baffle 40 is located in front of the X-ray tube exit port 20 and is a solid fan-shaped part at a certain angle. It is made of tungsten steel plate with sufficient thickness (3mm). The reference numeral 10 in the figure represents the X-ray tube.

[0048] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the control method of the imaging system in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Based on the imaging system of this embodiment, the control method of the imaging system of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0050] S10: Acquire the first respiratory signal of the target under test collected by the laser measurement equipment and the second respiratory signal of the target under test collected by the X-ray tube.

[0051] Specifically, this embodiment can be applied to the central software module of the above embodiment. First, the laser measuring device and the X-ray tube can respectively acquire respiratory signals from the target. The laser measuring device acquires the first respiratory signal from the target, and the X-ray tube acquires the second respiratory signal. The central software module can acquire the second respiratory signal from the detector and the first respiratory signal from the laser measuring system. It is understood that although both the first and second respiratory signals are respiratory signals of the target, they are acquired by different devices. The acquisition devices may have errors or interference during the acquisition process, so the first and second respiratory signals are two different signals. The first respiratory signal is the surface movement signal of the target, and the second respiratory signal is the internal movement signal of the target.

[0052] S20, determine the first time domain and the second time domain based on the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal.

[0053] Specifically, after acquiring the first and second respiratory signals, they can be compared to determine the first and second time domains. The first time domain is the image acquisition delay time domain of the laser measurement device, and the second time domain is the image acquisition time domain of the laser measurement device.

[0054] S30 acquires the current respiratory signal of the target under test through a laser measurement device, and performs imaging processing on the target under test when the current respiratory signal is in the second time domain.

[0055] Specifically, after determining the first and second time domains, the X-ray tube can be shut off, while only the laser measurement device is activated. The target is then detected solely through the laser measurement device to acquire its current respiratory signal. When the respiratory signal falls within the second time domain, imaging processing is performed on the target, thus constructing an image. Using only the laser measurement device for non-contact respiratory signal acquisition reduces X-ray radiation to the live animal, ensuring the comfort of the target during the detection process and broadening the applicability. Furthermore, it avoids inaccurate imaging results caused by beam attenuation or interference during X-ray tube imaging.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 5 As shown, determining the first time domain and the second time domain based on the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal includes:

[0057] S501, acquire the amplitude of the first respiratory signal and the amplitude of the second respiratory signal.

[0058] S502, determine a first fluctuation value based on the amplitude of the first respiratory signal, and determine a second fluctuation value based on the amplitude of the second respiratory signal.

[0059] S503, the time period corresponding to when both the first fluctuation value and the second fluctuation value are less than the first threshold and the difference between the amplitude of the first respiratory signal and the amplitude of the second respiratory signal is less than a preset difference is determined as the second time domain.

[0060] S504, when the amplitude of the first respiratory signal is decreasing, the time point corresponding to when the amplitude of the first respiratory signal equals the second threshold is taken as the starting time point of the first time domain, and the time period corresponding to the starting time point of the first time domain and the starting time point of the second time domain is determined as the first time domain.

[0061] Specifically, in this embodiment, the first time domain and the second time domain are determined by comparing the amplitudes of the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal. See [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 6As can be seen, curve 1 represents the first respiratory signal, curve 2 represents the second respiratory signal, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the amplitude of the first and second respiratory signals after normalization. Clearly, the amplitude fluctuation trends of the first and second respiratory signals are similar, but their phases differ. It can be understood that the smaller the amplitude fluctuation of the respiratory signal required for imaging the target, the higher the clarity of the image. Therefore, this embodiment can further judge the fluctuation values ​​of the two respiratory signals. Since the second respiratory signal is the internal motion signal of the target, and this invention specifically uses the first respiratory signal (i.e., the surface motion signal of the target) to complete image construction, in order to improve imaging clarity, this embodiment also limits the second time domain not only to the case of small respiratory signal fluctuation, but also to the case of a small difference between the amplitudes of the first and second respiratory signals. Only in this way can a clearer image be constructed in the second time domain.

[0062] More specifically, this embodiment further defines a first threshold, which can be determined according to the actual application scenario. The second time domain is defined as the time period corresponding to when both the first fluctuation value and the second fluctuation value are less than the first threshold, and the difference between the amplitudes of the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal is less than a preset difference. For details, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 7 The gating time t2 is shown in the figure, which is the second time domain t2 described in this embodiment. The delay time t1 after the falling edge trigger (i.e., the first time domain t1 described in this embodiment) is defined as the time period from when the amplitude of the first respiratory signal is decreasing and equal to the second threshold until the start time of the second time domain, denoted as the first time domain t1. Figure 7 As shown. It should be noted that the first time domain t1 and the second time domain t2 are consecutive time domains.

[0063] In the above embodiments, the second threshold can also be determined and selected according to the actual application. It is understood that when the second threshold is set larger, the interval of the first time domain t1 is larger, and when the second threshold is smaller, the interval of the first time domain t1 is smaller. However, the second threshold is greater than the first threshold, which can be several times or even tens of times the first threshold.

[0064] In some specific embodiments, the method for determining the second threshold can also be limited, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the method for determining the second threshold includes the following steps:

[0065] S801, acquire at least one respiratory signal prior to the first respiratory signal.

[0066] S802, determine the peak amplitude of each respiratory signal in at least one respiratory signal.

[0067] S803, determine the second threshold based on the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of each respiratory signal, wherein the second threshold is less than or equal to the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of each respiratory signal.

[0068] Specifically, in this embodiment, at least one respiratory signal preceding the first respiratory signal can be defined as a preview signal, such as... Figure 7 As shown, it can be understood that there can be one or more preview signals, and these can be acquired in real time to improve the accuracy of time-domain calculations. After acquiring the preview signal, the peak amplitude of each respiratory signal in the preview signal can be further determined. Then, a second threshold can be determined based on the minimum value among the determined peak amplitudes. For example, the second threshold can be directly set to the minimum value among the peak amplitudes. Of course, it is only necessary to ensure that the corresponding second threshold can be determined on the first respiratory signal. Therefore, this embodiment can also limit the second threshold to be less than the minimum value among the peak amplitudes. It can be understood that if the second threshold is limited to be greater than the minimum value among the peak amplitudes, then the peak value of the first respiratory signal may also be less than the second threshold, thus making it impossible to correctly determine the first time domain t1. Therefore, this embodiment limits the second threshold to be less than or equal to the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of each respiratory signal, which can greatly improve the success rate of determining the first time domain t1.

[0069] Further, in this embodiment, determining the second threshold based on the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of each respiratory signal includes: multiplying the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of each respiratory signal by a preset value as the second threshold, wherein the preset value is a positive number less than 1.

[0070] Specifically, in order to further determine that the peak value of the first respiratory signal is greater than the second threshold, this embodiment also sets a preset value less than 1. This preset value is multiplied by the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of all respiratory signals, and the product is used as the second threshold. More specifically, as... Figure 7 As shown, the preset value in this example can be 0.8. When determining the minimum value of the amplitude peak in the preview signal as M, the minimum value M is multiplied by 0.8 to obtain the second threshold N, which is the dashed line shown in the figure as 80% of the minimum peak value.

[0071] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 9 As shown, the imaging processing of the target to be measured includes:

[0072] S901 uses laser measurement equipment to acquire images of the target at different angles.

[0073] S902 reconstructs the image to complete the imaging process of the target under test.

[0074] Specifically, when the laser measurement equipment acquires the current respiratory signal of the target, it needs to acquire the respiratory signal in the second time domain. If it is currently in the first time domain, it needs to wait until it is in the second time domain before acquisition. Furthermore, after acquiring the current angle, the angle of the target is changed, and acquisition continues in the second time domain in the next cycle until images corresponding to each angle of the target are acquired. Specifically, after acquiring images corresponding to all 360 degrees of the target, the acquired images can be further reconstructed to complete the imaging processing of the target, thereby obtaining the target image. In some examples, the image reconstruction algorithm may include filtered back-projection algorithms, iterative reconstruction algorithms, etc. There are several methods to adjust the target to different angles. For example, during image acquisition, the laser measurement equipment and the carrier mechanism used to fix the target can be kept stationary, and the X-ray tube and detector can be rotated around the carrier mechanism to adjust the acquisition angle; alternatively, the X-ray tube and detector can be fixed, while the carrier mechanism is controlled to rotate, causing the target to rotate, thereby adjusting the acquisition angle. CT systems can be configured with either a fixed stage and a rotating gantry, or a rotating stage and a fixed gantry.

[0075] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 10 As shown, the control method for the imaging system also includes:

[0076] S1001, compare the current respiratory signal with the first respiratory signal.

[0077] S1002, when the phase difference between the current respiratory signal and the first respiratory signal is greater than the preset phase difference, the first time domain and the second time domain are updated.

[0078] Specifically, during the imaging process of acquiring the current respiratory signal using the laser measurement device, it is also necessary to compare the acquired current respiratory signal with the first respiratory signal to prevent changes in the second time domain from causing in-time updates. If the second time domain changes and is not updated in time, the acquired image will not be in the second time domain, and if these images are processed, the image clarity will be severely affected. Therefore, in this embodiment, after comparing and finding that the phase difference between the current respiratory signal and the first respiratory signal is greater than a preset phase difference, the first and second time domains can be updated. The specific update method can be found in the determination of the first and second time domains in the above embodiment, that is, restarting the X-ray tube to acquire a new second respiratory signal and acquiring a new first respiratory signal using the laser measurement device, and then using the first and second respiratory signals to redetermine the first and second time domains. To avoid redundancy, the determination method of the first and second time domains will not be described in detail here. Optionally, the preset phase difference in this embodiment can be 10%, that is, if the phase difference between the current respiratory signal and the first respiratory signal reaches 10% of the current respiratory signal, the first and second time domains need to be updated.

[0079] In one specific embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 11 As shown, the first time domain and the second time domain are first determined based on the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal. Then, the laser measurement device is used to acquire an image of the target from a certain angle, and it is determined whether the current time domain is in the second time domain. If it is, the target is further adjusted to different angles and the image of the target continues to be acquired. If not, it waits and re-determines the current time domain. After adjusting the angle of the target and continuing to acquire the image of the target, it is further determined whether the acquisition has been completed. If yes, imaging processing is performed. If not, the target is further adjusted to different angles and the image is acquired.

[0080] This invention can be illustrated with multiple embodiments to demonstrate its beneficial effects. In Embodiment 1, the target mouse can be a C57 mouse aged 6-12 weeks after gas anesthesia. Specifically, the respiratory rate of the gas-anesthetized C57 mouse is approximately 1 Hz. The first time domain is set to 350 ms, and the second time domain is set to 450 ms. In Embodiment 2, the target mouse can be a New Zealand white rabbit after gas anesthesia. Specifically, the respiratory rate of the gas-anesthetized New Zealand white rabbit is approximately 40 breaths / minute. Under the conditions of a first time domain set to 300 ms and a second time domain set to 500 ms, a clearer reconstructed CT image can be obtained. In Embodiment 3, the target mouse can be a beagle dog after gas anesthesia. The respiratory rate of the gas-anesthetized beagle dog is approximately 25 breaths / minute. Under the conditions of a first time domain set to 500 ms and a second time domain set to 1000 ms, a clearer reconstructed CT image can be obtained. To demonstrate that the above embodiments can obtain a clearer image by applying the first and second time domains, the present invention also sets up a comparison scale. This comparison scale uses only amplitude threshold-triggered gating, rather than a combination of the first and second time domains for gating. Figure 12 As shown, the slope value of the signal change along the dashed line in the comparative imaging image is smaller than the slope value of the signal change along the dashed line in the embodiment imaging image. It can be seen that the delayed-gated imaging image of the present invention acquires the end-expiratory phase image more clearly. Figure 13 As shown, the signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio within the dashed box in the scaled-up imaging image are also calculated to be lower than those in the embodiment imaging image, indicating that the delayed-gated imaging image of the present invention has a superior imaging effect. A comparison of the two sets of reconstructed CT images shows that the lung contours are clearer and the internal lung structural features are more clearly visible in the images obtained using the imaging method of the present invention, demonstrating better imaging performance.

[0081] In summary, the control method of the imaging system in this embodiment of the invention can replace the internal monitoring signal with an external monitoring signal, which facilitates the observation of the real-time status of the region of interest of the live animal being tested, has high accuracy, and can reduce the impact of X-ray radiation on the live animal, thereby improving the safety of use.

[0082] Furthermore, the present invention proposes a computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for an imaging system thereon. When the control program is executed by a processor, it implements the control method for the imaging system of any of the above embodiments.

[0083] The computer-readable storage medium of this invention executes the control program of the imaging system stored thereon through a processor, which can replace the internal monitoring signal with the external monitoring signal, making it easier to observe the real-time status of the region of interest of the live animal being detected. It has high accuracy and can reduce the impact of X-ray radiation on the live animal, thus improving the safety of use.

[0084] Figure 14 This is a block diagram of the control device of the imaging system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0085] Furthermore, such as Figure 14 As shown, the present invention proposes a control device 100 for an imaging system, wherein the imaging system includes a laser measurement device and a CT imaging device, the CT imaging device includes an X-ray tube and a detector, the target to be measured is located between the X-ray tube and the detector, and the control device 100 includes an acquisition module 101, a determination module 102 and a control module 103.

[0086] The acquisition module 101 is used to acquire the first respiratory signal of the target under test collected by the laser measurement device and the second respiratory signal of the target under test collected by the X-ray tube; the determination module 102 is used to determine the first time domain and the second time domain based on the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal; the control module 103 is used to acquire the current respiratory signal of the target under test through the laser measurement device, and to perform imaging processing on the target under test when the current respiratory signal is in the second time domain.

[0087] In some embodiments of the present invention, the determining module 102 is specifically used for: acquiring the amplitude of a first respiratory signal and the amplitude of a second respiratory signal; determining a first fluctuation value based on the amplitude of the first respiratory signal, and determining a second fluctuation value based on the amplitude of the second respiratory signal; determining the time period corresponding to when both the first fluctuation value and the second fluctuation value are less than a first threshold, and the difference between the amplitude of the first respiratory signal and the amplitude of the second respiratory signal is less than a preset difference, as a second time domain; when the amplitude of the first respiratory signal is in a decreasing process, taking the time point corresponding to when the amplitude of the first respiratory signal is equal to the second threshold as the starting time point of the first time domain, and determining the time period corresponding to the starting time point of the first time domain and the starting time point of the second time domain as the first time domain.

[0088] In some embodiments of the present invention, the acquisition module 101 is further configured to acquire at least one respiratory signal prior to the first respiratory signal; the determination module 102 is further configured to determine the amplitude peak value of each respiratory signal in the at least one respiratory signal, and determine a second threshold value based on the minimum value among the amplitude peak values ​​of each respiratory signal, wherein the second threshold value is less than or equal to the minimum value among the amplitude peak values ​​of each respiratory signal.

[0089] In some embodiments of the present invention, the determining module 102 is specifically used to multiply the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of each respiratory signal by a preset value as a second threshold, wherein the preset value is a positive number less than 1.

[0090] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control module 103 is specifically used to acquire images of the target under test at different angles using a laser measurement device; and to reconstruct the images to complete the imaging processing of the target under test.

[0091] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control module 103 is further configured to compare the current respiratory signal with the first respiratory signal; and update the first time domain and the second time domain when the phase difference between the current respiratory signal and the first respiratory signal is greater than a preset phase difference.

[0092] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first respiratory signal is the surface motion signal of the target under test, the second respiratory signal is the internal motion signal of the target under test, the first time domain is the image acquisition delay time domain of the laser measuring device, and the second time domain is the image acquisition time domain of the laser measuring device.

[0093] It should be noted that the specific implementation of the control device of the imaging system in this embodiment can be found in the specific implementation of the control method of the imaging system in the above embodiments. To avoid redundancy, it will not be described again here.

[0094] In summary, the control device of the imaging system in this embodiment of the invention can replace the internal monitoring signal with an external monitoring signal, which facilitates the observation of the real-time status of the region of interest of the live animal being tested, has high accuracy, and can reduce the impact of X-ray radiation on the live animal, thereby improving the safety of use.

[0095] Figure 15 This is a structural block diagram of the imaging system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0096] Furthermore, such as Figure 15 As shown, the present invention proposes an imaging system 200, which includes the control device 100 of the imaging system in the above embodiment.

[0097] The imaging system of this invention, through the control device of the imaging system in the above embodiments, can replace the internal monitoring signal with an external monitoring signal, which facilitates the observation of the real-time status of the region of interest of the live animal being detected. It has high accuracy and can reduce the impact of X-ray radiation on the live animal, thereby improving the safety of use.

[0098] It should be noted that the logic and / or steps represented in the flowchart or otherwise described herein, for example, can be considered as a sequenced list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, and can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device (such as a computer-based system, a processor-included system, or other system that can fetch and execute instructions from, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device). For the purposes of this specification, "computer-readable medium" can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit programs for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable media include: an electrical connection having one or more wires (electronic device), a portable computer disk drive (magnetic device), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable and editable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), fiber optic devices, and portable optical disc read-only memory (CDROM). Alternatively, the computer-readable medium may be paper or other suitable media on which the program can be printed, since the program can be obtained electronically, for example, by optically scanning the paper or other medium, followed by editing, interpreting, or otherwise processing as necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

[0099] It should be understood that various parts of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented in software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented using any one or a combination of the following techniques known in the art: discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing logical functions on data signals, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) having suitable combinational logic gates, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0100] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0101] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0102] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the embodiments of this invention are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated in this embodiment. Therefore, features defined with terms such as "first" and "second" in the embodiments of this invention can explicitly or implicitly indicate that the embodiment includes at least one of those features. In the description of this invention, the word "multiple" means at least two or more, such as two, three, four, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified in the embodiments.

[0103] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited in the embodiments, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" appearing in the embodiments should be interpreted broadly. For example, a connection can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can also be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, etc. Of course, it can also be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components, or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific implementation.

[0104] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0105] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for an imaging system, characterized in that, The imaging system includes a laser measurement device and a CT imaging device. The CT imaging device includes an X-ray tube and a detector, with the target to be measured located between the X-ray tube and the detector. The control method includes: The laser measuring device acquires a first respiratory signal of the target under test, and the X-ray tube acquires a second respiratory signal of the target under test. The first respiratory signal is the surface movement signal of the target under test, and the second respiratory signal is the internal movement signal of the target under test. A first time domain and a second time domain are determined based on the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal, wherein the first time domain is the image acquisition delay time domain of the laser measurement device, and the second time domain is the image acquisition time domain of the laser measurement device; The laser measurement device acquires the current respiratory signal of the target under test, and when the current respiratory signal is in the second time domain, the target under test is imaged. The determination of the first time domain and the second time domain based on the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal includes: Obtain the amplitude of the first respiratory signal and the amplitude of the second respiratory signal; A first fluctuation value is determined based on the amplitude of the first respiratory signal, and a second fluctuation value is determined based on the amplitude of the second respiratory signal; The time period corresponding to when both the first fluctuation value and the second fluctuation value are less than the first threshold, and the difference between the amplitude of the first respiratory signal and the amplitude of the second respiratory signal is less than a preset difference, is defined as the second time domain. When the amplitude of the first respiratory signal is decreasing, the time point corresponding to when the amplitude of the first respiratory signal equals the second threshold is taken as the starting time point of the first time domain, and the time period corresponding to the starting time point of the first time domain and the starting time point of the second time domain is determined as the first time domain.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Acquire at least one respiratory signal prior to the first respiratory signal; Determine the peak amplitude of each respiratory signal in the at least one respiratory signal; The second threshold is determined based on the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of the various respiratory signals, wherein the second threshold is less than or equal to the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of the various respiratory signals.

3. The control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second threshold is determined based on the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of the various respiratory signals, including: The product of the minimum value among the peak amplitudes of each respiratory signal and a preset value is used as the second threshold, wherein the preset value is a positive number less than 1.

4. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Imaging the target under test includes: The laser measurement device acquires images of the target at different angles. The image is reconstructed to complete the imaging process of the target under test.

5. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The current respiratory signal is compared with the first respiratory signal; When the phase difference between the current respiratory signal and the first respiratory signal is greater than a preset phase difference, the first time domain and the second time domain are updated.

6. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, It stores a control program for the imaging system, which, when executed by a processor, implements the control method for the imaging system as described in any one of claims 1-5.

7. A control device for an imaging system, characterized in that, The imaging system includes a laser measurement device and a CT imaging device. The CT imaging device includes an X-ray tube and a detector, with the target located between the X-ray tube and the detector. The control device includes: The acquisition module is used to acquire the first respiratory signal of the target under test collected by the laser measurement device and the second respiratory signal of the target under test collected by the X-ray tube. The first respiratory signal is the surface motion signal of the target under test, and the second respiratory signal is the internal motion signal of the target under test. The determining module is configured to determine a first time domain and a second time domain based on the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal, wherein the first time domain is the image acquisition delay time domain of the laser measuring device, and the second time domain is the image acquisition time domain of the laser measuring device; The control module is used to acquire the current respiratory signal of the target under test through the laser measurement device, and to perform imaging processing on the target under test when the current respiratory signal is in the second time domain; The determining module is configured to: acquire the amplitude of the first respiratory signal and the amplitude of the second respiratory signal; determine a first fluctuation value based on the amplitude of the first respiratory signal and a second fluctuation value based on the amplitude of the second respiratory signal; define the time period corresponding to when both the first fluctuation value and the second fluctuation value are less than a first threshold and the difference between the amplitudes of the first respiratory signal and the second respiratory signal is less than a preset difference as the second time domain; when the amplitude of the first respiratory signal is decreasing, define the time point corresponding to when the amplitude of the first respiratory signal equals the second threshold as the starting time point of the first time domain, and define the time period corresponding to the starting time point of the first time domain and the starting time point of the second time domain as the first time domain.

8. An imaging system, characterized in that, Includes the control device for the imaging system as described in claim 7.

Images