Systems and methods to improve slice sensitivity profile resolution in computed tomography

Abstract

The described technology is generally directed towards utilizing positionally offset detector elements to enable generation of high-resolution CT images collected from an X-ray detector. The detector can comprise a first array of detector elements and a second array of detector elements, wherein the first array and the second array are positioned about an ISO-axis of a CT system. The detector elements are of a common size having a common width w, such that the first array is positioned offset relative to the second array, and the offset can be between 0w and 1w. Positioning of the first array relative to the second array can be performed dynamically, such as during a CT scanning operation. Sinograms generated from imaging data captured from the detector can be processed based on the position offset, wherein sinograms can undergo image processing, including interlacing and deconvolution, to generate the high-resolution CT images.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO IMPROVE SLICE SENSITIVITY PROFILE RESOLUTIONIN COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHYCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to India Provisional Patent Application No. 120341066972 filed on October 6, 2023, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO IMPROVE SLICE SENSITIVITY PROFILE RESOLUTION IN COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY”. The entireties of the aforementioned application are incorporated by reference herein.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The subject disclosure generally relates to an imaging system, and more particularly, improving the z-slice sensitivity profile of a Computed Tomography (CT) imaging system.BACKGROUND

[0003] A computed tomography scan (CT scan) is an imaging technique used to obtain detailed sectional images of a patient, an animal, or an object. A conventional CT system comprises an X-ray tube and a detector positioned opposite each other in a gantry, wherein, the X-ray tube and the detector rotate about an object, with the detector capturing X-ray attenuations resulting from different tissues, masses, structures, etc., of which the object is formed. Computer processing of the multiple X-ray measurements obtained from different angles of rotation produces tomographic (cross-sectional) images providing virtual slices of the mass being scanned.

[0004] The above-described background description is merely intended to provide a contextual overview regarding X-ray CT imaging systems and is not intended to be exhaustive.SUMMARY

[0005] The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosed subject matter to provide a basic understanding of one or more of the various embodiments described herein. This summary is not an extensive overview of the various embodiments. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the various embodiments nor to delineate the scope of the various embodiments. The sole purpose of the Summary is to present some concepts of the disclosure in a streamlined form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0006] In one or more embodiments described herein, systems, devices, computer- implemented methods, configurations, apparatus, and / or computer program products are presented to utilizing positionally offset detector elements to enable generation of high-resolution CT images collected from an X-ray detector.

[0007] According to one or more embodiments, a computed tomography (CT) system is presented, wherein the CT system comprises at least one processor, and a memory coupled to the at least one processor and having instructions stored thereon. In response to the at least one processor executing the instructions, the instructions facilitate performance of operations, comprising receiving data generated by a detector, wherein the detector is an X-Ray detector located inside a gantry of the CT system and positioned across from an X-ray source of the CT system. In an embodiment, the configurable detector can further comprise a first sub-array of detector elements and a second sub-array of detector elements, wherein the first sub-array of detector elements can be located on one side of an axis passing through a center of rotation of the gantry and running parallel to the gantry and the second sub-array of detector elements can be located on the opposite side of the axis, wherein a first position of the first sub-array of detector elements can be offset from a second position of the second sub-array, and wherein the first subarray of detector elements and the second sub-array of detector elements can be configured to generate data when an X-ray beam is incident upon the respective detector elements included in the first sub-array of detector elements and the second position of the second sub-array. In a further embodiment, the operations can further comprise generating a high-resolution image stack from the data.

[0008] In an embodiment, the offset is in the z-direction of the CT system, wherein the offset can be a fraction of a width of a detector element in the z-direction.

[0009] In another embodiment, the detector can be a fixed configuration detector having a fixed offset distance, wherein the offset of the first position of the first sub-array of detector elements relative to the second position of the second sub-array of detector elements is preconfigured prior to incorporation of the detector in the CT system. In another embodiment, the detector can be a configurable detector, wherein the offset between the first position of the first sub-array of detector elements and the second position of the second sub-array of detector elements can be dynamically adjusted prior to a scan operation or during a scan operation.

[0010] In a further embodiment, the CT system can further comprise a set of actuators. In an embodiment, a first actuator in the set of actuators can be connected to the first sub-array of detector elements, wherein motion of the first actuator causes a change in position of the first sub-array of detector elements. In another embodiment, a second actuator in the set of actuatorscan be connected to the second sub-array of detector elements, wherein motion of the second actuator causes a change in position of the second sub-array of detector elements.

[0011] In another embodiment, the operations can further comprise receiving a first position instruction, adjusting position of the first actuator to position the first sub-array of detector elements at the first position in accordance with the first position instruction, and further adjusting position of the second actuator to position the second sub-array of detector elements at the second position in accordance with the first position instruction, wherein the first position is offset from the second position.

[0012] In a further embodiment, the operations can further comprise performing a scan with the first sub-array of detector elements at the first position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the second position, further capturing data from the first sub-array of detector elements at the first position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the second position, and further generating a first image using the captured data.

[0013] In another embodiment, the operations further comprise: (a) receiving a second position instruction, (b) adjusting position of the first actuator to position the first sub-array of detector elements at a third position in accordance with the second position instruction, (c) adjusting position of the second actuator to position the second sub-array of detector elements at a fourth position in accordance with the second position instruction, wherein the third position is offset from the fourth position, (d) performing a second scan with the first sub-array of detector elements at the third position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the fourth position (e) capturing data from the first sub-array of detector elements at the third position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the fourth position, and (f) generating a second image using the captured data.

[0014] In a further embodiment, the operations can further comprise performing a scan with the first sub-array of detector elements at the first position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the second position, further capturing data from the first sub-array of detector elements at the first position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the second position, and further generating a first sinogram, wherein the first sinogram is generated from the captured data and comprises first measured data captured from the first sub-array of detector elements and second measured data from the second sub-array of detector elements.

[0015] In another embodiment, the operations can further comprise (a) generating first synthesized data, wherein the first synthesized data is generated from the first sinogram based on a distance of offset, and forms a first synthesized data sinogram, (b) generating second synthesized data, wherein the second synthesized data is generated from the second sinogrambased on the distance of the offset, and forms a second synthesized data sinogram, (c) generating a third sinogram comprising the first sinogram and the first synthesized data sinogram, and (d) generating a fourth sinogram comprising the second sinogram and the second synthesized data sinogram.

[0016] In a further embodiment, the operations further comprise interlacing the third sinogram with the fourth sinogram to generate an interlaced higher-sampled sinogram.

[0017] In another embodiment, the operations can further comprise generating a high resolution sinogram stack based on deconvoluting the interlaced higher-sampled sinogram.

[0018] In another embodiment, the operations can further comprise applying an image reconstruction algorithm to the high resolution sinogram stack, and generating a high resolution image stack from the high resolution sinogram stack,

[0019] In a further embodiment, the first sub-array of detector elements can comprise N rows of detector elements, and the high resolution image stack can comprise 2 x N rows of data.

[0020] In another embodiment, detector elements included in the first sub-array of detector elements and in the second sub-array of detector elements have a common width w, and the position offset between the first position of the first sub-array of detector elements and the second position of the second sub-array of detector elements is between zero times w and one times w of a detector element.

[0021] In another embodiment, the position offset can be one of Yi w, 14 w, or a value greater than zero w and less than one w.

[0022] In other embodiments, elements described in connection with the disclosed systems can be embodied in different forms such as computer-implemented methods, computer program products, or other forms. In an embodiment, the computer-implemented method can comprise automatically receiving, by a device comprising at least one processor, first X-ray data, wherein the first X-ray data is captured from a detector comprising a first array comprising a first set of detector elements, and the first array is located on a first side of an ISO-axis of a computed tomography (CT) system. The computer-implemented can further comprise automatically receiving, by the device, second X-ray data, wherein the second X-ray data is captured from a second array of the detector, wherein the second array of the detector comprises a second set of detector elements and the second array is located on a second side of the ISO-axis, wherein the first array is at a first position and the second array is at a second position, and the second position is offset from the first position by a distance less than a width of a detector element in the first set of detector elements. The computer-implemented method can further comprise automatically generating, by the device, a first sinogram from the first X-ray data, wherein thefirst sinogram comprises a first region representing first data measured from the first array and a second region representing second data measured from the second array.

[0023] In another embodiment, the computer-implemented method can further comprise automatically generating, by the device, a second sinogram, wherein the second sinogram comprises a first region comprising the first data measured from the first region of the first sinogram and a second region comprising first synthesized data, wherein the first synthesized data is generated based on first conjugate data of the first X-ray data, and further automatically generating, by the device, a third sinogram, wherein the third sinogram comprises a first region comprising the second data measured from the second array and a second region comprising second synthesized data, wherein the second synthesized data is generated based on second conjugate data of the second X-ray data.

[0024] In another embodiment, the computer-implemented method can further comprise automatically interlacing, by the device, the second sinogram with the third sinogram to form a fourth sinogram, wherein the fourth sinogram comprises double the number of row-sampling in a slice direction of the detector versus a number of detector rows in the slice direction, wherein the fourth sinogram is an interlaced higher-sampled sinogram, further automatically deconvoluting, by the device, the fourth sinogram to form a fifth sinogram, wherein the fifth sinogram comprises twice the number of rows of measurements as the number of detector rows in the slice direction, and further automatically generating, by the device, a high-resolution image stack from the fifth sinogram.

[0025] Another embodiment can further comprise a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising machine-executable instructions, wherein, in response to being executed, the machine-executable instructions cause a system to perform operations, comprising (a) rotating a detector about a subject in a computed tomography (CT) system, (b) capturing X-ray data at the detector comprising N rows in a slice direction of the detector, wherein the detector comprises a first module and a second module, wherein the first module is located on a first side of an ISO-axis and the second module is located on a second side of the ISO-axis, and the second module is positionally offset from the first module by a fraction of a width of detector element in the first module in a z-direction relative to the ISO-axis, wherein the X-ray data includes data captured at a first detector position and a second detector position, wherein the first detector position comprises X-ray data captured at a conjugate projection angle of the second detector position, (c) determining, from the X-ray data, synthesized data captured for the conjugate projection angle, and (d) generating, from the X-ray data and the synthesized data, a high-resolution image stack, wherein the high-resolution imagestack comprises interlaced rows generated from the X-ray data and the synthesized data, and a number of interlaced rows is 2 x N rows in the slice direction.

[0026] In an embodiment, the CT system can comprise a gantry, wherein an X-ray tube is located on a first side of the gantry and the detector is located on the gantry at a position opposite to the X-ray tube, and the ISO-axis is an axis between a focal spot in the X-ray tube extending through a center of rotation of the gantry, and further extending through to the detector.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] One or more embodiments are described below in the Detailed Description section with reference to the following drawings:

[0028] FIGS. 1A and IB present schematics of an example CT system configured to perform CT imaging in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0029] FIG. 2 presents a schematic of an example system configured to control various mechanisms and process data, e.g., to obtain a higher resolution image stack(s), in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0030] FIG. 3 presents a schematic of a CT detector assembly.

[0031] FIG. 4 presents a schematic illustrating a geometry of an example CT system, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0032] FIGS. 5A-5C present schematics of example scan planes with X-ray beams for redundant samples and conjugate samples, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0033] FIG. 6 presents a schematic illustrating a configuration of a detector, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0034] FIGS. 7A-7F present various detector configurations, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0035] FIGS. 8A-D presents a series of schematics depicting sinograms illustrating implementation of moveable detector elements to generate high-resolution data, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0036] FIG. 9, via a flow chart, presents an example computer-implemented method for obtaining images having a higher resolution than can be obtained from a conventional CT imaging system, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0037] FIGS. 10A and 10B present respective schematics of collimator configurations, configured in accordance with an arrangement of detector elements, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0038] FIGS. 11A-11C, via respective flow charts, respectively present example computer-implemented methods for obtaining data from respective scan modes, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0039] FIGS. 12A and 12B, via respective flow charts, respectively present example computer-implemented methods for obtaining data from respective scan modes, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0040] FIG. 13 presents a flowchart of an example computer-implemented process to improve slice sensitivity profile resolution in a CT system, in accordance with an embodiment.

[0041] FIG. 14 presents a flowchart of an example computer-implemented process to improve slice sensitivity profile resolution in a CT system, in accordance with an embodiment.

[0042] FIG. 15 presents a flowchart of an example computer-implemented process to improve slice sensitivity profile resolution in a CT system, in accordance with an embodiment.

[0043] FIG. 16 presents an example environment for implementing various embodiments presented herein.

[0044] FIG. 17 illustrates an example wireless communication system, in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein.

[0045] It is to be appreciated that the figures illustrated in the drawings are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers have been used throughout the drawings and the accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The following detailed description is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit embodiments and / or application or uses of embodiments. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed and / or implied information presented in any of the preceding Background section, Summary section, in the Detailed Description section, and / or the Abstract.

[0047] One or more embodiments are now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like referenced numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the one or more embodiments. It is evident, however, in various cases, that the one or more embodiments can be practiced without these specific details.

[0048] As used herein, “data” can comprise metadata. Further, ranges A- / / are utilized herein to indicate a respective plurality of devices, components, signals etc., where n is any positive integer.

[0049] 1. OVERVIEW

[0050] A conventional CT scan system comprises an x-ray source and a detector array both configured to rotate on a gantry within an imaging plane and around an object to be imaged such that the angle at which an X-ray beam intersects the object constantly changes. A group / set of X-ray attenuation measurements, i.e., projection data, from the detector array at one gantry angle is referred to as a view or projection. A scan of the object comprises a set of views generated at different gantry angles, or view angles, during a revolution of the X-ray source and detector around the object. The projection data can be processed to reconstruct an image corresponding to a two-dimensional (2D) slice taken through the object.

[0051] A simultaneous coordinated movement of a table / cradle on which the subject to be scanned is placed when performed with the X-ray control gives rise to a multitude of scanning modes referred in the art as axial scan mode, helical / spiral scan mode, cine scan mode, and the like. Projection data acquired during such movement can be reconstructed, e.g., via an image reconstruction algorithm to reconstruct an image stack.

[0052] The term slice sensitivity profile (SSP) refers to a CT system's resolving power in the perpendicular direction with respect to the reconstructed planes (z resolution), with a full width at half maximum of SSP (FWHM-SSP) being referred to as the slice thickness.

[0053] An SSP can be limited, primarily, by a size of the detector aperture, and is generally fixed for a system based on the detector size and other system geometry constants / constraints such as source to detector distance and source to isocenter distance. The higher the SSP, measured in line pairs per centimeter (Ip / cm), the better the resolution of the CT images. Improved / high-level SSP enables imaging of finer structure anatomies like the inner ear, lung nodules, etc.

[0054] Various techniques are available with conventional systems to increase the SSP. For example, reducing the dimension of the detector in the z-di recti on, whereby such reduction in the dimension of the detector proportionally reduces a signal -to-woise ratio (SNR) during scanning / imaging. Another approach utilizes focal spot wobble / oscillation to sample an anatomy, whereby, such an approach requires an electronic circuit within the X-ray tube to slightly deflect the electron beam, while requiring better detector technology with lesser afterglow. A further approach reduces the image locations by half and further utilizes 3D reconstruction to improve the sampling and, accordingly, increase the SSP. This approach improves the SSP marginally and primarily away from the ISO center of the gantry. A high- resolution grid could be further used in conjunction with the detectors to lower the effective detector aperture and hence improve the resolution of sampling.

[0055] The various embodiments presented herein relate to a CT system utilizing the principle of super-resolution (SR) imaging in combination with super-sampling techniques, in conjunction with one or more detector geometry configurations. One or more signal processing technologies can be applied to the configuration to enable an increase in the realized z-resolution of a CT system beyond that achievable with a conventional system configuration. The various embodiments presented herein are compliant with the limitations arising from the various Nyquist considerations / constraints / limitations regarding detector size, detector aperture in the z- direction, focal spot size of the x-ray emanating from the X-ray tube, and the like.

[0056] SR imaging relates to a class of technologies and techniques enabling enhanced resolution of an imaging system. In geometrical SR, the resolution of digital imaging sensors is enhanced. While the technical achievements / abilities of enhancing the performance of imageforming and sensing devices classified as being in the SR domain, SR remains within the bounds imposed by the laws of physics and information theory.

[0057] Geometrical SR reconstruction algorithms are possible if the inputted low resolution images have been under-sampled and therefore contain aliasing. Because of this aliasing, the high-frequency content of the desired reconstructed image is embedded in the low- frequency content of each of the observed images. Given a sufficient number of observation samples, and if the set of observations vary in their phase (e.g., in the event of the images of the scene are shifted by a sub-pixel amount), the phase information can be used to separate the aliased high-frequency content from the true low-frequency content, and the full-resolution image can be accurately reconstructed. Two variants of SR imaging are single-frame SR and multiple-frame SR.

[0058] Regarding single-frame SR, while technology advancements have been achieved regarding the utilization of deep convolutional networks to perform super-resolution using single-frame SR images, there is no assurance that the upscaled features exist in the original image. Such approaches may hallucinate image features, potentially rendering such approaches unsafe for medical use.

[0059] Multiple-frame SR uses the sub-pixel shifts between multiple low-resolution images of the same scene. Multiple-frame SR creates an improved resolution image fusing information from all low-resolution images, with the created higher resolution images being a better description(s) of the scene. Multi-frame SR processes all obtained measurements in conjunction with a system model like the PSF to statistically estimate the higher-resolution image. Multi-frame SR does so in a manner consistent with all-measurements obtained and, accordingly, multi-frame SR processing limits itself to be within the features present in the low-frequency aliased measurements, hence rendering multi-frame SR more suitable for medical applications.

[0060] The various embodiments presented herein take advantage of conjugate rays, where a subject region scanned by X-rays emitted and captured in a first directi on / angle of scanning is also scanned by X-rays emitted and captured in a second direction / angle of scanning. By utilizing a detector having one or more first detector regions geometrically offset from one or more second detector regions, conjugate data can be obtained and extracted, enabling imaging at finer levels of resolution than is available with a conventional system. Further, the various embodiments presented herein can utilize a variety of super-sampling techniques, with the various embodiments not limited to any one technique over any other. Such techniques include, in a non-limiting list, grid, rotated grid, random, jitter, HRAA, quincunx, and such. Given the critical importance of having sufficient sampling to ensure all features are encoded in the multiple-measurements, all techniques can be employed in a full-sampling mode. Partialsampling mode can also be utilized.

[0061] 2. CT SYSTEM OVERVIEW

[0062] FIG. 1 A presents a schematic of an example CT system 100 A configured to perform CT imaging in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0063] As shown, CT system 100A can be configured to image a subject 106. Subject 106 can be a human, an animal, a living entity, an inanimate object, etc. For example, subject 106 can be a human patient, one or more manufactured parts, as well as foreign objects such as dental implants, stents, and / or contrast agents present within the body of subject 106. CT system 100 can also be employed to scan three-dimensional (3D) structures with pre-defined geometries and material properties, known as phantoms.

[0064] In various embodiments, CT system 100 can include a gantry 102, wherein gantry 102 can be further configured to include at least one X-ray source 104 (a.k.a. X-ray tube) configured to project X-ray radiation rays / beam(s) I I 0A- / / (per FIG. IB) to perform CT imaging of subject 106. Atable 108 (a.k.a., cradle or bed) can be utilized for positioning subject 106 in the CT system 100 during CT imaging. X-ray source 104 can be configured to project X-ray radiation beam(s) HOA-w towards a detector 112 (per FIG. IB) positioned on an opposite side of gantry 102 from the X-ray source 104. Detector 112 can be of any suitable technology, e.g., detector 112 can be an X-ray detector. It is to be appreciated that while FIG. 1 A only depicts a single X-ray source 104, multiple X-ray sources 104A-W and detectors 112A-W can be utilized to project a plurality / series of X-ray radiation beams I I 0A- / / to acquire projection data at different energy levels corresponding to subject 106. For example, in one or more embodiments, two setsof X-ray sources 104A / B and detectors 112A / B can be employed to generate dual -energy projections, with a first set 104A / 112A operating at a low kilovoltage (kVp) value, and a second set 104B / 112B operating at a high kVp value. Accordingly, the various embodiments presented herein are equally applicable to single energy acquisition techniques / technologies as well as dual energy acquisition techniques / technologies. In an example embodiment, X-ray source 104 can enable dual-energy gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) by rapid peak kilovoltage (kVp) switching. In another embodiment, detector 112 can be a photon-counting detector capable of differentiating X-ray photons of different energies.

[0065] In an example configuration, X-ray source 104 can project a cone-shaped X-ray radiation beam (e.g., X-ray radiation beams HOA-w) which can be collimated to lie within an X- Y-Z plane of a Cartesian coordinate system, also known as an "imaging plane”. The X, Y, and Z axes of the imaging plane are illustrated at FIGS. IB, 4, 5A-C, etc., with the references to the individual X, Y, and Z axes throughout this specification are consistent with the orientation illustrated in FIG. IB. In various embodiments, X-ray radiation beam HOA-w can pass through a subject 106 being imaged, and after being attenuated by the subject 106, X-ray radiation beams I I 0A- / 7 can impinge / be incident upon detector 112. The intensity of the attenuated X-ray radiation beams HOA-w received at detector 112 can be dependent upon the attenuation of X-ray radiation beams HOA-w by the subject 106. In an embodiment, detector 112 can produce an electrical signal (e.g., as data 114A-w) indicative of measurements of the X-ray beam attenuation at detector 112. The CT imaging system 100A can be configured to measure attenuation along the path of an X-ray beam HOA-w between the X-ray source 104 and the detector 112.

[0066] As shown, CT system 100 can further include a computer system 180 (a.k.a., computer device) comprising at least one processor 182 and a memory 184, as further described.

[0067] FIG. IB presents a schematic of an example CT system comprising a CT scanning machine coupled to an operator console in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. FIG. IB further expands on elements and concepts described in the various embodiments presented with system 100 A. The terms CT system 100 A, CT system 100B, CT system 100, and the like, are used interchangeably herein regarding components and functionality available across the CT system 100 / 100A / 100B. Further, the terms CT system, CT scanning system, CT scanner, and the like, are used interchangeably herein.

[0068] In accordance with one or more embodiments of the subject application, FIG. IB illustrates an example, CT system 100B configured to perform CT imaging of subject 106. CT system 100B can include, or be of similar configuration to, CT system 100 A presented in FIG.1 A. As previously mentioned, subject 106 can comprise one or more of a patient, a phantom, amanufactured part, a foreign object (e.g., a dental implant, stent), and / or other contrast agents present within the volume (e.g., body of a subject 106). As further previously mentioned, CT system 100B can include a detector 112. Detector 112 can further comprise an array of detectors comprising a plurality / set / group / modules / collection of detector elements 120 A- / / (a.k.a., cells) (e.g., per FIGS. 3, 6, 7A-F, etc.) that can be configured to collectively sense X-ray radiation beam I I 0A- / / , e.g., after X-ray radiation beam I I 0A- / / passes through subject 106, to acquire the corresponding projection data (e.g., data 1 14 A- / / ). The set of detector elements 120 A- / / can be arranged in a single monotonous curve or a piecewise linear pattern along the X-axis with reference to the imaging plane, e.g., as further illustrated in FIGS. 3, 6, 7A-F, etc. In an example configuration, detector 112 can be fabricated in a multi-slice configuration comprising multiple rows of detector elements 120 A- / / . In such a configuration, one or more additional rows of detector elements 120 A- / / can be arranged in a parallel configuration, as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 6, etc., for acquiring the projection data 1 14 A- / / . As further described, the respective position of rows of detector elements 120 A- / / , portions of rows of detector elements 120 A- / / , and / or individual detector elements 120 A- / / can be configured / adjusted during initial fabrication of the detector 112, and / or during operation of the CT system 100.

[0069] During imaging, X-ray source 104 and detector 112 can rotate with gantry 102, can be configured to traverse different angular positions around entity 106, with detector 112 configured to collect / acquire projection data 1 14 A- / / of the attenuated X-ray beams I I 0A- / / . The data 1 14 A- / / collected by detector 112 can undergo pre-processing and calibration (e.g., via a computer system 180 and various included sub-components) to condition the received data 1 14 A- / / with line integrals of attenuation coefficients associated with subject 106 being scanned. The processed data is commonly referred to as one or more projections to form sinograms 800A- D (as further described).

[0070] In an example scenario of use, gantry 102 and respective components mounted to gantry 102 can be configured to rotate about center of rotation 125 to acquire the projection data 1 14 A- / / , for example, at different energy levels.

[0071] In an aspect of operation, the individual detector elements 120 A- / / of detector 112 can comprise photon-counting detectors configured to register the interactions of individual photons (per X-rays I I 0A- / / ) into one or more energy bins of detector 112. However, it is to be appreciated that the various embodiments presented herein can also be implemented with a detector 112 comprising an energy-integrating detector(s).

[0072] In an embodiment, CT system 100 can utilize a control mechanism 128 to control movement of various components of CT system 100, such as the rotation of gantry 102,operation of X-ray source 104, movement of table 108, etc. Control mechanism 128 can utilize an X-ray controller 132 configured to provide / control power and timing signals to X-ray source 104. Control mechanism 128 can further utilize a gantry motor controller 130 configured to control rotational speed and / or position of gantry 102 based on one or more imaging requirements. Control mechanism 128 can function based on one or more instructions 197 A-n generated by / received from control component 170 / computer system 180 and / or an associated component / sub-component.

[0073] In an embodiment, control mechanism 128 can be configured to operate in conjunction with a data acquisition system (DAS) 116, wherein DAS 116 can be configured to receive digital signal 114A-w (a.k.a., measured data) received from detector elements 120 for subsequent processing / imaging. DAS 116 can be further configured to selectively aggregate the measured data 114A-w from a subset of detector elements 120A-W. The measured data 114A-w sampled and digitized by DAS 116 can be transmitted to computer system 180.

[0074] An image component 144 (a.k.a., an image reconstructor component) can be configured to receive data 1 14 A- / / (e.g., sinogram 800) and further process the received data 114A-n to generate respective sinograms (e.g., sinograms 800B1, 800B2, 800C, 800D, high- resolution image stack 214, and such) further indicated as data 1 15 A- / / . Data 115 A-n indicates data 114A-n being subsequently processed to form sinograms 800B-W. The image component can be further utilized to implement respective imaging schema and algorithms (e.g., data blending schema 230, image reconstruction algorithm(s) 195A-W, and the like). The image component 144 can further include imaging-related subcomponents (e.g., resolution recovery component 240, image stack reconstruction component 212, and the like).

[0075] In various embodiments, computing system 180 can store signal data I I4A- / / , processed data 1 15 A- / / , image stacks 214, sinograms 800A-W, etc., in a storage device or memory 184. Additionally, computing system 180 can include a control component 170 configured to provide commands and parameters to one or more of the DAS 116, an X-ray controller 132, and gantry motor controller 130 for controlling system operations such as data acquisition and / or processing. In an example scenario, control component 170 can control system operations of CT system 100 based on one or more instructions received as a function of operator input. For example, control component 170 can receive operator input, including commands and / or scanning parameters, via an operator console 188 operatively coupled to computing system 180 and display 189. Operator console 188 can be a human-machine interface (HMI) including a keyboard (not illustrated) or a touchscreen to allow the operator to specify the commands and / or scanning parameters for operation of CT system 100. While FIG. IB only illustrates oneoperator console 188, any number of operator consoles 188A-W can be coupled to CT system 100, for example, for inputting or outputting system parameters, requesting examinations, plotting data, and / or viewing images (e.g., generated from signal data 114A-w, and the like). In another example, CT system 100 can be coupled to multiple displays, printers, workstations, and / or similar devices located either locally or remotely, for example, within an institution or hospital, or in an entirely different / remote location via one or more configurable wired and / or wireless networks such as the Internet and / or virtual private networks, wireless telephone networks, wireless local area networks, wired local area networks, wireless wide area networks, wired wide area networks, etc.

[0076] Various communications 197A-W can be utilized across CT system 100, between control component 170 (and subcomponents further described, per FIG. 2), table motor controller 142, X-ray controller 132, gantry motor controller 130, DAS 116, PACS 140, image component 144, console 188, display 189, memory 184, detector 112, actuators 270A- / / and 255A-W, focal spot position estimator component 211, image stack reconstruction component 212, and computer system 180. Communications 197A-W can include notifications, instructions, status updates, selections, data (e.g., signal data 114A-W, image stacks 214, sinograms 800A-W, and the like), information (e.g., positional information regarding actuators 255 A- / / and 270A-W, gantry 102, X-ray source 104, detector 112 position, table 108 position, and such), and the like.

[0077] As shown, CT system 100 can further include, or is coupled to, a picture archiving and communications system (PACS) 140. In an example scenario of implementation, PACS 140 can be further coupled to a remote system such as a radiology department information system, hospital information system, and / or to an internal or external network (not shown) to allow technicians / operators at different locations to supply commands and parameters and / or gain access to the image data (e.g., signal data 1 14 A- / / , image stacks 214, sinograms 800 A-w, and the like). Control component 170 can be configured to use operator-supplied and / or system-defined commands and parameters to operate a table motor controller 142, wherein table motor controller 142 can be configured to control positioning of table 108 (e.g., table 108 is a motorized table) and image component 144. Table motor controller 142 may move the table 108 for appropriately positioning the subject 106 in the gantry 102 for acquiring projection data 1 14 A- / / corresponding to the target volume of the subject 106. Gantry 102 can be rotated by 360 degrees (360°), and data 114A-w from detector 112 can be acquired T times to generate P projections, wherein T and P represent positive numeric value.

[0078] FIG. 2 presents a schematic of an example system 200 configured to control various mechanisms and process data, e.g., to obtain a higher resolution image stack(s), in accordance with one or more embodiments. System 200 can be included in CT system 100.

[0079] As shown, system 200 comprises various communicatively coupled components, e.g., coupled to computer system 180, including a control component 170, a detector assembly 112 (e.g., comprising detector elements 120A-w), a collimator assembly 250, a focal spot position estimator component 211, an image stack reconstruction component 212, and a high-resolution image stack 214.

[0080] Control component 170, in conjunction with a processor 182, can be configured to control / manage any of hardware settings of CT system 100 (e.g., configuration of detector elements 120A-w), dose control settings (e.g., of X-ray beams HOA-w), and respective processing of signal data 114A-w as required to achieve a high-resolution image stack 214. Control component 170 can include a group of sub -components, including a detector sampling control component 210 configured to determine / implement respective settings for detector 112 and detector elements 120A-W, e.g., per instructions 197A-W, as required for a scanning mode operation of CT system 100. Detector sampling control component 210 can be communicatively coupled to one or more positional actuators 270A- / / (e.g., located in the detector assembly 112) to control / set the respective position(s) of the detector assembly 112 and / or detector elements 120A-W as required per scan, wherein the respective positions can be set either prior to, or during a scan operation. The respective settings of detector 112 and / or detector elements 120 A- / / are further described in FIGS. 6 and 7A-F, e.g., where the detector elements 120 A- / / can have a factory-set configuration or adjusted prior to and / or during a scan operation, e.g., detector elements 120 A- / / can have a static or dynamic configuration.

[0081] Collimator control component 220 (e.g., located in control component 170) can be configured to control the dosage of X-rays 1 10A- / / to the subject 106, e.g., as a function of one or more configurations of the detector elements 120 A- / / and / or detector 112. The collimator control component 220 can be configured to control one or more collimator actuators 255 A- / / to adjust / configure an aperture opening 1010 (e.g., per FIGS. 10A and 10B) and position of a collimator assembly 250, e.g., as a function of a focal spot position estimator component 211 and the respective configuration(s) of the detector elements 120 A- / / and / or detector 112. As further described, the collimator assembly 250 can be configured such that emission of X-rays 1 10A- / / is in accordance with a sensing profile / configuration of the detector elements 120 A- / / . The aperture profile 1030 of the collimator assembly 250 can be configured / adjusted by one or more collimator actuators 255A-W.

[0082] Control component 170 can be further configured to utilize a data blending schema 230 to arrange / configure any data 1 14 A- / / detected by the x-ray detector 112 based on the respective configuration of detector elements 120 A- / / , whereby, the data 1 14 A- / / can be further processed by a resolution recovery component 240. The resolution recovery component 240 can be configured to generate, from signal data 1 14 A- / / , sinograms 800 A- / / and high- resolution image stack 214. The data blending schema 230 and the resolution recovery component 240 can comprise a computer implemented schema / methodology or can be implemented as specialized hardware circuits, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0083] The image component 144 can be configured to utilize the signal data 1 14 A- / / and a focal spot position (e.g., focal spot 404, per FIG. 4) provided by the focal spot position estimator component 211 to reconstruct a high-resolution image stack 214. Image reconstruction can comprise any suitable technology / technique, such as 2D or 3D algorithms 195 A-w and processing techniques.

[0084] The various methods and processes described herein can be stored as executable instructions in a non-transitory memory 184 on a computer system 180 (or controller) in CT system 100.

[0085] 3. CONVENTIONAL DETECTOR ASSEMBLY

[0086] FIG. 3 presents a schematic of a conventional CT detector assembly 300. Assembly 300 is presented for reference, from which the various embodiments presented herein can be understood. As shown, assembly 300 can comprise a group of X-ray detecting elements 12OA- / 7 (a.k.a. detector cells) configured to detect X-rays / X-ray beam 330. An X-ray detecting element (e.g., detector element 120A) is also known as a detector cell or a detector channel. Each detector element 120A-W can comprise dimensions width m * length n in the respective z- * x- axes of the cartesian coordinate system. Each detector element 120 A- / z can be of a common size / dimension m^n, where dimensions m and n can be in millimeters (mm). The length n of the detector elements 120 A- / / in the x- direction determine the resolution of detector 112 in the inplane direction / x-axis / x- direction, while the width m of the detector elements 120 A-n in the z- direction determine the resolution of detector 112 in the z-direction / axis. The size of m and n can also determine SNR and geometric efficiency of a detector 112 / CT system 100. Generally, for a given detector material forming an element 120A-W, the smaller the size of m and n. the better is the image resolution, but the poorer is the SNR of the detector element 120A- / ? / detector 112.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 3, the elements 120A-W can be arranged in a grid comprising M rows in the z-axis and N columns in the x-axis. Per the conventional configuration, the N columns of elements 120A-W are arranged symmetrically about the central-axis 304, respectivelyforming a first, left-side detector sub-array 306A (a.k.a., first module) of elements 120 A- / / and a second, right-side detector sub-array 306B (a.k.a., second module). In the example configuration presented in FIG. 3, sub-arrays 306 A and 306B can be arranged symmetrically about the centralaxis 304, such that sub-arrays 306A and 306B both contain M rows and N / 2 columns of elements 120 A- / / . The rows AT are also referred to as slices, hence, with two rows of elements 120A-W, example detector configuration 300 is a two-slice detector with sixteen columns.

[0088] Central axis 304 is also known as, isocenter (ISO, a.k.a., ISO-center line). The detector ISO 304 can be defined as a point, or a plurality of points, along the Z-axis about which detector subarrays 306 A and 306B can be symmetrically arranged with respect to each other. That is, the detector ISO 304 can fall under the center of rotation 125 (e.g., per FIG. IB) in the X- Y plane, and the ISO 304 can be a virtual location in space about which gantry 102, and included components mounted on gantry 102, can spin / rotate about during imaging. Center of rotation 125 is the virtual point in space around which the imaging components (X-ray tube, generator, detector, collimator) rotate. The subject 106 can be positioned within the central bore of gantry 102 during CT imaging.

[0089] It is to be appreciated that the various example detector configurations presented herein (e.g., configurations 300, 600, 700A, 700C-F, etc.) are presented for understanding, and the detector 112 can comprise any number of detector elements 120 A- / / in rows Aland columns N per the design / requirements of a particular CT system 100.

[0090] 4. SYSTEM GEOMETRY & BEAM CONJUGATION

[0091] The size, in terms of m x n. of a detector cell 120 A- / / can govern the achievable resolution for detector 112 and the detector geometric efficiency (DGE) of detector 112, for a given detector material. DGE can be defined as a ratio of an active area (i.e., detector elements exposed to X-rays) of a detector 112 of a CT system 100 to the total area of the detector 112 exposed to the X-rays. Lower values of m and n can generate better z-axis and in-plane resolutions with a poor DGE, whereas higher values of m and n can generate poor z-axis and inplane resolutions with a good DGE. The DGE of detector 112 can determine the signal -to-woise ratio (SNR) of the resultant CT images, and there can be trade-off between resolution and SNR for a given detector material.

[0092] The CT system 100 can employ different modes of operations, involving different respective mechanisms with respect to the movement of table 108 and the X-ray control on gantry 102 to acquire different types of data for different clinical purposes. For example, the CT system 100 can operate in an axial step and shoot mode, where the entity and table 108 can remain stationary during the CT imaging, and gantry 102 can turn the X-ray emissions on andoff. X-ray source 104 can turn at a particular angle (e.g., between 0° and 360°) and complete one turn of scanning, after which gantry 102 can turn off the X-ray emission to stop the scanning. Gantry 102 can continue to spin at a constant rotational rate and table 108 can be controlled (e.g., by table motor controller 226) to feed the subject through gantry 102 in defined distance increments along the z-axis, based on a distance programmed into the CT system 100. Thereafter, gantry 102 can turn the X-ray emission on and X-ray source 104 can complete an additional turn of scanning. The process can be repeated until the scanning is completed. In the axial step and shoot mode, data (e.g., data 1 14 A- / / ) from the scanning can be acquired in slabs and combined to generate CT images (e.g., sinograms 800A-D, image stack 214, and the like).

[0093] The CT system can also operate in a helical or spiral mode, wherein the X-ray emission can be turned on at the requested beginning position of table 108 and table 108 can be gradually fed (e.g., by table motor controller 226) through gantry 102 during the scanning. The X-ray emission can remain on throughout the scan until the scanning is completed and table 108 has reached the requested ending position. The helical or spiral mode can result in the helical trajectory of data acquisition as described elsewhere herein.

[0094] Further, the CT system can operate in the cine mode or fluoroscopy mode described elsewhere herein. In the cine mode, gantry 102 can rotate during scanning and table 108 can remain stationary. Additionally, the X-ray emission can remain ON beyond one turn of scanning, such that the same location on the entity can be repeatedly scanned to check for any movement of a contrast through an area of interest of the entity. Thus, the contrast can flow into and wash through a portion of the entity’s anatomy before flowing out, and the evolution of the contrast over time can be observed via the cine mode. The same portion of the entity’s anatomy can be repeatedly imaged.

[0095] FIG. 4 presents a schematic illustrating a geometry 400 of an example CT system, in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, CT system 100 comprises an X-ray source 104 and a detector 112 both rotating about a virtual point, the ISO-center 125. In accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure, FIG. 4 illustrates a scan plane 400 of a CT imaging system 100, X-ray tube 104, and a bowtie filter 406. Bowtie filter 406 can be a pre-patient filter. As mentioned, in a detector array 112, a single detector cell (e.g., a detector element 120 A) can be referred to as a channel.

[0096] A channel angle, y, can be defined as an angle formed between a line (e.g., line 410) extending from a focal spot 404 (or X-ray tube focal spot) of X-ray tube / X-ray source 104 to a detector cell of an array of detector 112 and a line (e.g., line 420) extending from the focalspot 404 of X-ray tube 104 through the ISO-center 125 to an ISO-point / center 304 projected onto the surface of detector 112, of the CT system 100.

[0097] A projection angle or view angle, , can be defined as an angle formed between a line (e.g., line 420) joining the focal spot 404 of X-ray tube 104 to the ISO 304 of the CT system 100 and the Y-axis.

[0098] The channel angle y and projection angle are illustrated in FIG. 4. Every row of detector elements 120 A- / / of detector 112 can collect a sample (e.g., data 1 14 A- / / ) for all views (X-ray projections) during a complete 2K radian rotation (i.e., a 360° rotation) of gantry 102, with the sample termed as a sinogram (e.g., sinogram 800A) generated by the CT system 100. The sinogram can be utilized in filtered back-projection (FBP) techniques to reconstruct CT images (e.g., sinogram 800D, image stack 214, etc.) of a scanned object 106 using an axial scan of 2K radians. In an aspect, the maximum y angle determines the Scanning Field of View (SFOV) 412 of the CT system 100.

[0099] FIGS. 5A-5C present schematics of example scan planes 500A-C with X-ray beams for redundant samples and conjugate samples, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein. FIGS. 5A-C illustrate scan planes of a CT imaging system 100, wherein the scan planes in FIGS. 5A-C are based on scan plane schematic 400 presented in FIG. 4.

[0100] In this regard, FIGS. 5A-C illustrate a redundancy of sampling involved in a complete 2K radians axial scan due to existence of conjugate sampling pairs of line integrals in conventional CT detector assembly 300. An axial scan with a 2K radians or 360° rotation of gantry 102 can involve redundancy of sampling. For example, FIG. 5 A presents a scan plane with a position of X-ray tube 104 at a first position corresponding to an angle / 3 = 0°, and FIG. 5B presents a scan plane with a position of X-ray tube 104 at a second position corresponding to an angle of ? = 168°. Line 410A represents an X-ray with an angle y = +6, and line 410B represents an X-ray with an angle of y = -6. As further shown, the respective positions of the first module 306 A and second module 306B effectively flip during rotation of the detector 112, giving rise to the redundancy of sampling as shown in Fig. 3.

[0101] FIG. 5C presents the X-ray tube 104 at the first position (e.g., FIG. 5 A) overlaid with the X-ray tube 104 at the second position (e.g., FIG. 5B). As shown in FIG. 5C, for every ray joining focal spot 404 of X-ray tube 104 at any detector channel of angle y, at a particular view angle , there exists another ray in the opposite direction, referred to as a conjugate ray, for a 2K radians axial scan, line 410C represents the conjugate with lines 410A and 410B overlaid. The conjugate ray 410C can be obtained based on a view angle, / 3conj = / 3 + n + 2y, from achannel having an angle of negative (-)y. Thus, with reference to FIG. 5C scan plane, (3conj = P + n + 2y = 0° +n + 2 x (—6) = 180° - 12° = 168°. It is to be appreciated that focal spot 404 can be a point located on an imaginary plane inside X-ray tube 104 from which the X-rays 110An can em an at er

[0102] 5. CONFIGURABLE DETECTOR & HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGING

[0103] FIG. 6 presents a schematic 600 illustrating a configuration of a detector, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein. FIG. 6 presents an alternative detector configuration of the conventional detector configuration 300 presented in FIG. 3. As shown, rather than the detector elements 120 A- / / being arranged in a regular array comprising M rows and N columns of detector elements 120A-W, e.g., sub-arrays 306A and 306B are mirror images in FIG. 3, the respective sub-arrays 606 A (comparable to sub-array 306 A) and 606B (comparable to sub-arrays 306B) are positionally offset from each other, e.g., in the z-axis (offset 608). Offset 608 can be of any value d between 0 and m, wherein m is the width of a respective detector element 120 A- / / in the z-direction. The positional offset in the detector cells allows for shifted sampling of line integrals in contrast to the redundant sampling as discussed earlier with reference to conventional detector arrangement 300. When the position offset is within the width m of the detector cell creating fractional geometrical shift, the conjugate rays are super sampled. This super sampling enables imaging at finer levels of resolution than is available with a conventional detector arrangement 300. It is to be appreciated that when the offset 608 has a distance value m, the position of conjugate detector elements 120A-W essentially become redundant samples, with no resolution benefit to be realized, hence width m can be considered the limiting distance of offset 608 for the purpose of super sampling. Accordingly, with reference to FIG. 3, configuration 300, given the in-line alignment of detector elements 120 A- / / , the neighboring elements 120A-W can be considered, in configuration 300, to have an offset 608 of zero. As shown, sub-arrays 606A and 606B are offset in the z-axis and arranged symmetrically about the central-axis 304.

[0104] By utilizing an offset of between 0 —> m, a detector 112 can be configured to enable reconstruction of a higher resolution image stack 214 compared to the resolution achievable using conventional CT detector 300, e.g., without having to utilize any other x-ray tube-side z-resolution enhancing techniques. CT detector 600 comprises detector elements 120A-W having the same physical and geometrical properties as the detector elements 120A-W utilized in conventional CT detector 300. As further described, the relative position(s) of subarray 606A and sub-array 606B can be of any value between 0 (zero) and m, e.g., / i m, 14 m. etc.,thereby enabling a higher resolution image stack 214 to be created. The resolution benefit improves as the relative position increases from 0 to ’A m, and is maximum at ’A m.

[0105] FIGS. 7A-7F present various detector configurations 700A-700F, in accordance with one or more embodiments. As further described, the respective positions of detector elements 120 A- / / within a configuration of a detector 112 can be set at the time of fabrication of the detector 112, or further adjusted / configured during a scanning operation with system 100.

[0106] As shown, detector configurations 700A-700F can comprise of various sub-arrays 706A, 706B, 706C, and 706D, or element pairings 730A-H, respectively positioned on either side of central axis 304, where sub-arrays 706A-D are comparable to sub-arrays 306A-B and 606A-B regarding included detector elements 120A-W (Fig. 3). The example configurations presented in 700A-F are a two-slice detector, comprising a first row (Rl) and a second row (R2), with the labels further utilized in FIGS. 8A-D. As further shown, a series of actuators 270A- / / can be coupled to one or more pairs of detector elements 120 A- / / , such that, rather than having to utilize an array of detector elements 120 A- / / as defined / configured by an initial manufacturing process, a detector 112 / detector elements 120A can be placed / programmed to be in any of a multitude of configurations. Respective positioning of actuators 270A- / / can be controlled by control component 170 and detector sampling control component 210, as previously mentioned, with the resting positions of actuators 270A- / / indicated by line 712.

[0107] Hence, as shown by the example configurations 700A and 700C-G, by operating actuators 270A-H, the respective detector elements 120 A- / / in each of the sub-arrays 706A-D can be positioned to enable dynamic configuration of detector elements 120 A- / / . For example, configuration 700A is a base configuration (e.g., comparable to configuration 300), as utilized in a conventional CT system. Configuration 700C illustrates the respective sub-arrays 706A-D being displaced by distance ’Am in the z direction; detector sub-arrays 706A-B displaced by l / 4m in -z direction while detector sub-arrays 706C-D displaced by l / 4m in +z direction.Configuration 700D illustrates the respective sub-arrays 706A-D being displaced by distance ’Am in the z direction; detector sub-arrays 706A-B displaced by l / 4m in +z direction while detector sub-arrays 706C-D displaced by l / 4m in -z direction. Configuration 700E illustrates the respective sub-arrays 706A-D being further separated into array modules, such that a first subarray side (e.g., sub-array 606A) is separated into modules 706A and 706B, and a second subarray (e.g., sub-array 606B) is separated into a modules 706C and 706D via respective operation of actuators 270A-D. Configuration 700F presents sub-groups / modules of detector element pairings 730A-n being positioned at different fractions of m, (e.g., ’A m, ’A m, etc.) to enable a range of super-resolution images to be generated. Hence, as mentioned, based upon respectiveplacement / coupling of actuators 270A- / / with detector elements 120 A- / / , a variety of configurations 700A and 700C-F can be generated. The benefit of such configurations 700A and 700C-F is further described in FIGS. 8A-D.

[0108] Regarding the displacement of the sub-arrays 706A and 706B, modules 706A-D, element pairings 730A-W, etc., as mentioned, the displacement d can be of any value between 0 to m, which is further illustrated in the displacement chart of FIG. 7B, showing the range in displacement between +m / 2 and -m 2 in the z-di recti on.

[0109] In an embodiment, an offset configuration of detector elements 120 A- / / can be manufactured with a fixed configuration, for example, per FIG. 6 (or any of the configurations 700A and 700C-F configured with a fixed arrangement). However, rather than having the respective elements 120 A- / / positioned prior to a scanning operation, operation of the actuators 270A-W can be activated during a scanning operation, such that the respective position of the respective elements 120 A- / / can be changed during the scanning operation. In an embodiment, curve 750A of FIG. 7B can be a position signal 197P, such that the actuators 270A-W, upon receipt of respective positioning information in signal 197P can move in a sinusoidal manner (e.g., replicating the position of signal curve 750A), further causing the respective connected elements 120 A- / / to also move in a sinusoidal manner. Position signal 197P can be of any configuration, e.g., sinusoidal, sawtooth, square wave (e.g., signal 197W is a square wave 750B), and the like, with the actuators 270 A- / / pulled or pushed as governed by signals 197P, 197W, etc., or any other governing signal.

[0110] Actuators 270A- / / can be configured to provide positional information of the respective actuator 270A-W and the connected / associated elements 120 A- / / , such that, by knowing a position of a particular element 120 A- / / throughout the scanning operation, imaging data 1 14 A- / / collected at the particular element 120 A- / / during positioning / placement of the particular element 120 A- / / can be correlated with the position of the respective element 120 A- / / enabling resolution recovery to be performed in a more dynamic fashion than can be achieved with a conventional, static array (e.g., per FIG. 3). Dynamic motion of elements 120A-W enables dynamic element-based resolution recovering potentially providing improved resolution compared to a conventional CT system, and hence enables sub-detector width (e.g., d< m) resolution / detection of a condition of subject 106 that cannot be achieved with the conventional CT system.

[0111] FIG. 7C illustrates an example configuration when all the detector element modules included in the left detector sub-arrays 706A and 706B are pushed using actuators 270Aand 270B, while all the modules included in the right detector sub-arrays 706C and 706D are pulled using actuators 270A and 270D, per offset 608.

[0112] FIG. 7D illustrates an example configuration when all the detector element modules included in the left detector sub-arrays 706A and 706B are pulled using actuators 270A and 270B, while all the modules included in the right detector sub-arrays 706C and 706D are pushed using actuators 270A and 270D, per offset 608.

[0113] FIG. 7E illustrates another example configuration where consecutive modules (e.g., each module respectively comprises 2 rows of 4 columns of detector elements 120A-w) are moved independently to respective positions of actuators 270A, 270B, 270C, and 270D.

[0114] FIG. 7F illustrates an example where consecutive modules (e.g., each comprising a pair of detector elements 120 A- / / arranged as single columns) 730 A- / / are at offset from a neighboring module, and further, modules can be grouped and moved by an actuator. In 7F, each grouped module 706A-D of paired detectors 120A-W can be moved using an independent actuator 270A- / / respectively, e.g., module 706A is moved by actuator 270A, module 706B is moved by actuator 270B, etc. As shown, while the neighboring modules are offset from each other by a first offset distance 608A, where d= mH, by further moving respective modules, a second offset distance 608B can be utilized, enabling an offset resolution of d= ml to be achieved.

[0115] FIGS. 8A-D presents a series of schematics of images / sinograms 800A-D illustrating implementation of resolution recovery component 240 to generate high-resolution sinogram by processing the data 114A-n obtained by the various geometrical arrangements of detector elements in accordance with one or more embodiments as illustrated in Fig. 7. Per the various embodiments presented herein, a high-resolution sinogram 800D and image stack 214 can be obtained, wherein the high-resolution sinogram 800D and image stack 214 comprises twice as many samples as against the physical number of detector elements 120 A- / / in the slice direction of a detector 112, as further described. As shown in FIGS. 8A-D, the shading implemented with FIGS. 7A-F is preserved, along with the labels R1 and R2.

[0116] FIG. 8A illustrates a detector geometric arrangement of a detector 112 comprising a plurality of detector elements 120A-W, e.g., a first sub-array 606A (comprising detector elements 120A-H) and a second sub-array 606B (comprising detector elements 120I-P), wherein the respective detector elements 120A-H in the first sub-array 606A are positionally offset / shifted by a distance (e.g., offset 608) in the range 0 —> m from the respective detector elements 120I-P in the second sub-array 606B. As shown, first sub-array 606A and second subarray 606B are juxtaposed on the central ISO-line 304, whereby ISO-line 304 is aligned directly in line with the ISO-center 125 of the CT system 100 and the focal spot 404 in the x-raysource / tube 104, as previously described. As indicated, the offset 608 about ISO 304 splits the respective rows R1 and R2 of detectors (per the two-slice configuration marked on FIG. 6) into segments Rl-A (first portion of R1 on side 606A), Rl-B (second portion of R1 on side 606B), R2-A (first portion of R2 on side 606 A), and R2-B (second portion of R2 on side 606B). The measured data 1 14 A- / / obtained from configuration 600 is depicted as a single measured value as illustrated in respective detectors marked 306 A and 306B, referred to as conjugate channels. Conjugate channels have the measurement of the same line integral with juxtaposed source and detector positions at two different view angles, as previously described in FIGS. 5A-C.

[0117] As shown, the respective measured values form regions Rl-A, Rl-B, R2-A, and R2-B, with synthesized regions Rl-AS, Rl-BS, R2-AS, and R2-BS as further described.

[0118] FIG. 8B illustrates how the measured samples in FIG. 8A are utilized along with the corresponding conjugate data 810A and 810B to generate data 810D and 810C, respectively. 810C and 810D are conjugate synthesized data that provide a set of measured values in regions 606C and 606D, with the conjugate synthesized data further identified per regions Rl-AS, RIBS, R2- AS, and R2-BS.

[0119] FIG. 8C illustrates a data interlacing process, wherein the measured data 810A and 810B and the synthesized data 810C and 810D obtained in FIG. 8B are interlaced into an intermediate higher sampled data to form an interlaced sinogram 800C. As shown, interlaced sinogram 800C comprises a first row Rl-A + Rl-AS (per the marked interlace operation #1), a second row Rl-B + Rl-BS (per interlace operation #2), a third row R2-A + R2-AS (per interlace operation #3), and a fourth row R2-B + R2-BS (per interlace operation #4). While the distance between the samples is represented as 820, the samples have an overlapping nature of point spread function based on the detector arrangement represented in FIG. 8A, offset distance 608 = d.

[0120] FIG. 8D illustrates a deconvolution process of the interlaced sinogram 800C, whereby, the process of resolution recovery involves utilizing the sample overlap (offset 608) based on the system geometric arrangement per FIG. 8A to deconvolve the data in FIG. 8C to create the final high-resolution data in FIG. 8D, final high-resolution sinogram 800D. The final data, respectively labelled Rl-AF, Rl-ASF, Rl-BSF, Rl-BF, R2-AF, R2-ASF, R2-BSF, and R2- BF is now in higher resolution, such that final data comprises twice as many samples in the row direction as compared to the number of rows N of physical detectors and measured samples, e.g., original number of rows R1 and R2 of the two-slice detector 112.

[0121] FIG. 9, via flow chart 900, presents a computer-implemented method for obtaining images having a higher resolution than can be obtained from a conventional CT imaging system, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0122] At 910, a resolution recovery component / image component (e.g., image component 144 / resolution recovery component 240) can be configured to capture signals (e.g., data 114A-w) from an X-ray detector (e.g., detector 112), wherein the signals are obtained from individual detector sub-arrays (e.g., sub-arrays 606A-w / 706A-w comprising detector elements 120A- / ?) forming a detector (e.g., detector 112). The detector can be located in a CT system (e.g., CT system 100). The resolution recovery component can be further configured to generate measured sinogram data (e.g., in the form of sinogram 800A) from the received signals, wherein the measured sinogram (e.g., sinogram 800A) is a visual representation of the raw data (e.g., data 1 14A- / z) obtained from the individual detector sub-arrays. The resolution recovery component can be configured to apply a data blending schema (e.g., data blending schema 230) to create the measured sinogram data (e.g., sinogram 800A) from the captured signals (e.g., signals 114A-n).

[0123] At 920, the resolution recovery component can be configured to conjugate complete the obtained measurements (e.g., sinogram 800A, data 114A-w) for each detector subarray to generate a pair of full sinograms (e.g., sinograms 800B1 and 800B2), wherein the pair of full sinograms comprise measured data regions (e.g., regions 606A and 606B) and synthesized conjugate regions (e.g., regions 606C and 606D).

[0124] At 930, the resolution recovery component can be further configured to interlace the pair of sinograms (e.g., sinograms 800B1 and 800B2) to obtain a complete sinogram (e.g., sinogram 800C), wherein the complete sinogram has double the number of row-samplings in the slice direction as compared with the number of physical detector rows available, where the number of rows = N, the complete sinogram has 2N rows.

[0125] At 940, an image stack reconstruction component (e.g., image component 144, image stack reconstruction component 212) can be configured to deconvolve the interlaced higher-sampled sinogram (e.g., sinogram 800C) to generate a higher-resolution sinogram stack (e.g., sinogram stack 800D). Any suitable technology / technique can be utilized to deconvolve the interlaced higher-sampled sinogram, wherein such suitable technique (e.g., included in image algorithms 195A-w) can utilize a point-spread function model to sharpen the measurements to generate the higher-resolution sinogram stack. In an embodiment, the higher-resolution sinogram stack can have twice as many rows of measurements as compared to the physical detector rows in the CT system.

[0126] At 950, the image stack reconstruction component can be further configured to further process the high-resolution sinogram stack (e.g., sinogram stack 800D) to generate an image stack (e.g., high-resolution image stack 214). In an embodiment, processing of the high- resolution sinogram stack can be performed utilizing any suitable technology / technique (e.g., included in image algorithms 195 A- / / ), wherein such suitable technique can utilize an image reconstruction algorithm to generate an image stack. Accordingly, when the image stack is reformatted, the image stack comprises a higher slice-sensitivity profile as compared with the native detector sampling limitations as per the physical detector aperture size in the z-direction.

[0127] 6. CONFIGURABLE COLLIMATOR

[0128] FIGS. 10A and 10B present respective schematics of collimator configurations 1000 A and 1000B, configured in accordance with an arrangement of detector elements, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0129] As previously mentioned, a collimator 250 can be utilized to constrain emission of X-ray beams 1 lOA-w, e.g., to ensure X-ray dose management over the detector elements 120A-W to optimize dose efficiency. Per the various embodiments presented herein, the detector elements 12OA- / 7 can be in a multitude of arrangements / configurations, such as configurations 600, 700A, and 700C-F. Accordingly, the profile 1030 of an aperture opening 1010 of the collimator 250 can be adjusted to match / correspond to the respective configuration of detector elements 120 A- / z.

[0130] Collimator configuration 1000 A represents a baseline aperture corresponding to baseline configuration 300 of detector elements 120A-W, e.g., a collimator and detection system without any z-offset in the detector elements 120 A- / / per a conventional CT system. Collimator configuration 1000B represents a modified aperture profile corresponding to configuration 700C of detector elements 120A-W. In an embodiment, rather than having a fixed profile 1030, collimator 1000A can comprise of a set of movable / slidable regions 1020A-W respectively attached to a collimator actuator 255A-W, wherein actuators 255 A- / / can have functionality comparable to actuators 270A-W. Collimator actuators 255 A- / / can be connected to control component 170 / collimator control component 220, such that as actuators 270 A- / / change a position of a respective detector element 120A-W, a corresponding change can be effected by operation of position actuators 255 A- / / regarding a position of a movable region 1020 A- / / corresponding to the respective detector element 120 A- / / can also be changed / adjusted, such that the profile of the aperture 1030 of collimator 250 matches the arrangement / configuration of the detector elements 120 A- / / . Accordingly, the position of slidable regions 1020 A- / / correlates to the arrangement of the detector elements 120 A- / / . As previously mentioned, respective positions of detector elements 120 A- / / can be dynamically adjusted during a scanning operation at CTsystem 100, such that by controlling collimator actuators 255 A- / / and position actuators 270A- / / in lockstep, the aperture profile 1030 can be dynamically adjusted in accordance with the modified configuration of the detector elements 120 A- / / .

[0131] 7. EXAMPLE USE SCENARIOS OF CONFIGURABLE DETECTOR

[0132] FIGS. 11A-11C, via flow charts 1100A-C, respectively present a computer- implemented method for obtaining data from respective scan modes, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0133] FIG. 11 A presents a computer-implemented method for utilizing a modified geometry of detector arrangement as configured during an initial system design and setup. Thereafter this geometry of the system is used as-is for all subsequent scans.

[0134] At 1105, the z-offset (e.g., offset 608) position of the respective detector elements (e.g., detector elements 120 A- / / ) is set during system design and manufacturing of the detector (e.g., detector 112). Accordingly, designing and manufacturing the detector causes a detector having a fixed configuration to be created. Hence, unlike the configurable designs implemented per FIGS. 12B and 12C, the detector design is fixed. The detector can be an X-ray detector for use in a CT system (e.g., CT system 100).

[0135] At 1110, the scan mode and range of the CT system can be selected (e.g., via an instruction 197 A- / / received from HMI 188) and applied, e.g., by a control component (e.g., control component 170, mechanisms 128, etc.). Any applicable scan mode can be utilized, e.g., an axial scan mode, helical / spiral scan mode, cine scan mode, fluoroscopy mode, scan length Z, scan time Z, rotation of gantry 102, dose emission of X-rays 1 lOA-w, and the like.

[0136] At 1115, the scan can be acquired via the CT system (e.g., per initiation input from HMI 188).

[0137] FIG. 1 IB presents a computer-implemented method for configuring a detector z- offset position plan as a function of desired slice-sensitivity profile prior to a scan.

[0138] At 1120, a scan mode and range for operation of a CT system (e.g., CT system 100) can be selected, e.g., scan length Z, scan time Z, rotation of gantry 102, dose emission of X- rays 1 lOA-w, a scan mode of axial scan, spiral, helical, cine mode, fluoroscopy mode, and the like.

[0139] At 1125, a detector sampling controller (e.g., detector sampling control component 210) can be configured to receive an instruction (e.g., instruction 197 A), whereby the instruction comprises a configuration / position plan for a detector (e.g., detector 112) and arrangement / location of respective detector elements (e.g., detector elements 120 A- / / ) comprising the detector. In an embodiment, the instruction can be formed as a function of a slice-sensitivityprofile defined in a schema generated for imaging of a particular entity (e.g., a patient 106). In another embodiment, the instruction can be entered via an HMI (e.g., HMI 188) communicatively coupled to the detector sampling controller.

[0140] At 1130, based on the received instruction, the detector sampling controller can be configured to control operation of one or more actuators (e.g., actuators 270A-w) coupled to the respective detector elements. As previously mentioned, the configuration of the detector and the respective detector elements can be configured prior to a scan operation being performed, such that, in accordance with the received instruction, the actuators can be activated to physically modify the detector geometry prior to the scan. As previously mentioned, the actuators can provide a position signal to the detector sampling controller, enabling the detector sampling controller to know the respective position of the one or more respective detector elements, e.g., position offset 0 —> d.

[0141] At 1135, the scan can be acquired at the CT system (e.g., per initiation input from HMI 188).

[0142] FIG. 11C presents a computer-implemented method for configuring and adjusting a detector arrangement throughout a scanning process.

[0143] At 1150, a scan mode and a scan range can be selected / input (e.g., via HMI 188), e.g., scan length Z, scan time 7, rotation of gantry 102, dose emission of X-rays I I 0A- / / , a scan mode of axial scan, spiral, helical, cine mode, fluoroscopy mode, and the like.

[0144] At 1155, based on the slice-sensitivity profile requirements, a detector z-offset position plan for every gantry angle can be created prior to a scan. A detector sampling controller (e.g., detector sampling control component 210) can be configured to control operation of actuators (e.g., actuators 270A-«) to adjust position of respective detector elements (e.g., detector elements 120 A- / / ) during a scan operation.

[0145] At 1160, the scan acquisition can be initiated (e.g., per initiation input from HMI 188).

[0146] At 1165, while the scan is in progress, the detector sampling controller can be configured to dynamically instruct the positional actuators to re-position / re-configure the geometry of the detector / detector elements in accordance with the plan per gantry angle provided by the detector sampling controller. The detector reconfiguration process can be performed at a regular interval(s) during the scan to obtain a finer sub-detector sampling till the scan is completed.

[0147] At 1170, the detector sampling controller can be configured to determine whether the scan operation has been completed. At 1170, in response to a determination by the detectorsampling controller that NO, the scan range has not been completed / fully traversed, method 1100C can return to step 1165 for a further positional adjustment of the respective detector elements to be performed.

[0148] At 1170, in response to a determination by the detector sampling controller that YES, the scan range has been completed, method 1100C can advance to step 1175, whereupon the scan operation can be terminated.

[0149] FIGS. 12A and 12B, via flow charts 1200A and 1200B, respectively present a computer-implemented method for obtaining data from respective scan modes, in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

[0150] FIGS. 12A and 12B present respective scan acquisition plans to obtain a subdetector pitch helical scan to obtain high resolution slice sensitivity profile. The method employed in FIG. 12 A utilizes a combination of cradle motion with the detector to obtain finer sub-detector multi -turn helical trajectory sampling. The method employed in FIG. 12B utilizes controlling the detector positional actuators (e.g., actuators 270A-«) by the detector sampling controller (e.g., detector sampling control component 210) to create a motion plan in-lieu of the cradle (e.g., table 108) to achieve a finer sub-detector multi-turn helical trajectory sampling. The data obtained from both schemas above can then be processed using the resolution recovery component configured to generate a high-resolution data, such that when processed by an image stack reconstruction component (e.g., image stack reconstruction component 212) in conjunction with the focal spot position (e.g., focal spot 404) from a focal spot estimator (e.g., focal spot estimator 211) can further create an image stack (e.g., high resolution image stack 214) with an improved slice sensitivity profile or z-resolution that is higher than a slice sensitivity profile or z- resolution achievable by the native / conventional detector sampling limitations in the z-di recti on s of a conventional system.

[0151] Per FIG. 12A, at 1210, a gantry (e.g., gantry 102) included in a CT system (e.g., CT system 100) can be configured / operated to rotate at a constant velocity.

[0152] At 1220, the X-ray source (e.g., X-ray source 104 / X-ray beams I I 0A- / / ) can be switched on, and an entity (e.g., patient 106) located on the cradle (e.g., table 108) can be moved with a constant velocity along a z-direction to cover a half detector width (e.g., dll') within 2K turns of the gantry.

[0153] At 1230, the X-ray source can be switched off and the cradle can be shifted based on collimation.

[0154] Per FIG. 12B, at 1250, a gantry (e.g., gantry 102) included in a CT system (e.g., CT system 100) can be configured / operated to rotate at a constant velocity.

[0155] At 1260, the X-ray source (e.g., X-ray source 104 / X-ray beams 1 lOA-w) can be switched on, and actuators (e.g., actuators 270A-«) can be operated / adjusted to configure the detector assembly / detector elements (e.g., detector 112 and detector elements 120 A- / / ) to be adjusted to cover the half detector width (e.g., d / 2) within 2K turns of the gantry.

[0156] At 1270, the X-ray source can be switched off and the cradle can be shifted based on collimation.

[0157] Comparing FIGS. 12A and 12B, per method 1200A, the half detector width motion (d / 2) can be achieved by utilizing a combination of rotation of the gantry and adjusting the position of the cradle, while with method 1200B, the half detector width motion (d / 2) can be achieved by utilizing a combination of rotation of the gantry 102 and adjusting the configuration of the detector 112 and detector elements 120 A- / / .

[0158] FIG. 13, via flowchart 1300, presents an example computer-implemented process to improve slice sensitivity profile resolution in a CT system, in accordance with an embodiment. At 1310, method 1300 can include a CT system (e.g., CT system 100 / 100A / 100B), comprising: at least one processor (e.g., processor 182A-n); and at least one memory (e.g., memory 184A-n) coupled to the at least one processor and having instructions stored thereon, wherein, in response to the at least one processor executing the instructions, the instructions facilitate performance of operations, comprising: receiving data (e.g., data 114A-n) generated by a detector (e.g., detector 112), wherein the detector is an X-Ray detector located inside a gantry (e.g., gantry) of the CT system and positioned across from an X-ray source of the CT system. At 1320, the configurable detector can further comprise a first sub-array (e.g., sub-array 606A) of detector elements (e.g., elements 120A-n) and a second sub-array (e.g., sub-array 606B) of detector elements, wherein the first sub-array of detector elements is located on one side of an axis (e.g., axis 304) passing through a center of rotation of the gantry and running parallel to the gantry and the second subarray of detector elements are located on the opposite side of the axis, wherein a first position of the first sub-array of detector elements is offset (e.g., offset 608) from a second position of the second sub-array, and wherein the first sub-array of detector elements and the second sub-array of detector elements are configured to generate data (e.g., measured data 114A-n) when an X-ray beam (e.g., beam 110A) is incident upon the respective detector elements included in the first sub-array of detector elements and the second position of the second sub-array. At 1330, method 1300 can further comprise generating a high-resolution image stack (e.g., high resolution image stack 214) from the data.

[0159] FIG. 14, via flowchart 1400, presents an example computer-implemented process to improve slice sensitivity profile resolution in a CT system (e.g., CT system 100 / 100A / 100B),in accordance with an embodiment. At 1410, the computer-implemented method 1400 comprises receiving, by a device (e.g., control component 170, computer system 180) comprising at least one processor (e.g., processor 182A-n), first X-ray data (e.g., data 114A-n), wherein the first X- ray data is captured from a detector (e.g., detector 112) comprising a first array (e.g., array 606A) comprising a first set of detector elements (e.g., elements 120A-n), and the first array is located on a first side of an ISO-axis (e.g., axis 304) of a computed tomography (CT) system. At 1420, method 1400 further comprises receiving, by the device, second X-ray data (e.g., data 114A-n), wherein the second X-ray data is captured from a second array (e.g., array 606B) of the detector, wherein the second array of the detector comprises a second set of detector elements and the second array is located on a second side of the ISO-axis, wherein the first array is at a first position and the second array is at a second position, and the second position is offset (e.g., offset 608) from the first position by a distance less than a width of a detector element in the first set of detector elements. At 1430, method 1400 further comprises generating, by the device, a first sinogram (e.g., sinogram 800A) from the first X-ray data, wherein the first sinogram comprises a first region (e.g., region 606A / 810A) representing first data measured from the first array and a second region (e.g., region 606B / 810B) representing second data measured from the second array.

[0160] FIG. 15, via flowchart 1500, presents an example computer-implemented process to improve slice sensitivity profile resolution in a CT system, in accordance with an embodiment. At 1510, method 1500 can comprise a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 184A-n) and comprising machine-executable instructions, wherein, in response to being executed (e.g., by processor 182A-n), the machineexecutable instructions cause a system to perform operations, comprising rotating a detector (e.g., detector 112) about a subject in a CT system (e.g., CT system 100 / 100A / 100B). At 1520, method 1500 can further include operations for capturing X-ray data (e.g., data 114A-n) at the detector comprising N rows in a slice direction of the detector, wherein the detector comprises a first module (e.g., sub-array 606A) and a second module (e.g., sub-array 606B), wherein the first module is located on a first side of an ISO-axis (e.g., axis 304) and the second module is located on a second side of the ISO-axis, and the second module is positionally offset (e.g., offset 608) from the first module by a fraction of a width of detector element in the first module in a z- direction relative to the ISO-axis, wherein the X-ray data includes data (e.g., data 144A-n, data 810A and 810B) captured at a first detector position and a second detector position, wherein the first detector position comprises X-ray data captured at a conjugate projection angle of the second detector position. At 1530, method 1500 can further comprise operations fordetermining, from the X-ray data, synthesized data (e.g., data 8 IOC and 81OD) captured for the conjugate projection angle. At 1540, method 1500 can further comprise operations for generating, from the X-ray data and the synthesized data, a high resolution image stack (e.g., high-resolution image stack 214), wherein the high resolution image stack comprises interlaced rows generated from the X-ray data and the synthesized data, and a number of interlaced rows is 2 x N rows in the slice direction.

[0161] The various embodiments presented herein relate to various CT systems and related methods / technologies / techniques regarding generation of high resolution images. In an embodiment, a CT system (e.g., CT system 100) is presented comprising a computing device (e.g., computer 180) electrically connected to a detector assembly (e.g., detector 112), collimator assembly (e.g., collimator assembly 250) and an X-ray detector (e.g., detector elements 120 A- / / ). The computing device comprises at least one processor (e.g., processor 182) in communication with at least one memory device (e.g., memory 184). The at least one processor can be configured / programmed to gather data (e.g., data I I4A- / / ) from a modified detector geometry (e.g., detector 112 comprising detector elements 120 A- / / ). The at least one processor can be further configured to control an aperture (e.g., aperture opening 1010) of the collimator assembly using an aperture controller (e.g., collimator control component 220). The processor can further include a resolution recovery component (e.g., resolution recovery component 240) configured to computationally recover the high frequency component of the measurement using a data blending schema (e.g., data blending schema 230) in conjunction with the modified detector geometry and focal spot position estimator (e.g., focal spot position estimator component 211) to estimate the high resolution data. The at least one processor can be further configured to generate an image stack reconstruction (e.g., sinograms 800 A- / / ) to translate the higher resolution data into a reconstructed image stack that shall have higher SSP (e.g., high resolution image stack 214).

[0162] In an embodiment, the modified detector geometry can be achieved / configured using an asymmetrically shifted detector arrangement in the slice sampling direction where the amount of shift is fractional height of a detector in z-direction in reference to the conjugate channel.

[0163] In another embodiment, the modified detector geometry can be achieved by tiling a small group or clusters of detectors (e.g., detector elements 120 A- / / ) in the detector (e.g., detector 112) such that the corresponding conjugate detectors in the fan direction continue to maintain a relative fractional shift, e.g., the previously mentioned asymmetrically shifted detector arrangement in the slice sampling direction where the amount of shift is fractional height of a detector in z-direction in reference to the conjugate channel.

[0164] In a further embodiment, the modified detector geometry can be accomplished with a multiplicity of sizes of detector clusters (e.g., detector elements 120 A- / / ) ranging from a single detector to a maximum of half of the total number of detector channels that are juxtaposed across the ISO-central ray (e.g., ISO-center 304) dividing the detector into two partitions (e.g., first sub-array 606A and second sub-array 606B).

[0165] In another embodiment, a computer-implemented method is presented for generating high-resolution data from low-resolution measurements (e.g., data I I4A- / / ) using the position and geometry information from the system using a resolution recovery component (e.g., resolution recovery component 240). The missing conjugate data is synthesized using the measured channel data to get overlapping sampling in the z- direction. This approach is referred to as data blending (per data blending schema 230) and utilizes the detector positional information to deduce the degree of overlap (per offset 608). The overlapping data is processed using a computational resolution recovery algorithm (e.g., algorithm 195 A- / / ) to super resolve fractional detector signals. Such an approach eventually generates higher sampling than achievable using native detector thickness. This can be further processed as data coming from finer resolution detector hardware system.

[0166] In another embodiment, a system of positional actuators (e.g., actuators 270A-«) can be coupled to the CT detector (e.g., detector 112) to be controlled using the detector sampling controller (e.g., detector sampling control component 210) to modify the detector geometry in a programmable manner.

[0167] In another embodiment, the detector sampling controller (e.g., detector sampling control component 210) can be used to generate the required geometry modification prior to a scan and actuate the positional actuator (e.g., actuators 270A-«) to effect the geometry modification in the detector (e.g., detector 112) prior to a scan operation.

[0168] In another embodiment, the detector sampling controller (e.g., detector sampling control component 210) can be used to generate the geometry modification of the detector (e.g., detector 112), wherein the geometry modification can be a function of the gantry angle. The determined geometry modification can be sent / transmitted to the positional actuator (e.g., actuator 270A-«) of the CT detector assembly (e.g., detector 112) to dynamically modify the detector geometry during the acquisition of a scan to create a dynamic sampling plan to be subsequently used in the data blending schema (e.g., data blending schema 230), by a resolution recovery component (e.g., resolution recovery component 240) and image stack reconstruction (e.g., reconstruction of sinograms 800A- / / ).

[0169] In another embodiment, the image reconstruction component (e.g., image component 144, image stack reconstruction component 212) can use the high-resolution data (e.g., sinograms 800A-D) from the controller obtained from the resolution recovery component in conjunction with the focal spot position estimator (e.g., focal spot position estimator component 211) to reconstruct an image stack (e.g., image stack 214) that provides for translation of the high resolution in the data after an image reconstruction method into the image stack as an improved SSP.

[0170] In a further embodiment, the detector sampling controller can be configured to prepare a plan (e.g., scan directions / instructions 197 A-w) for a multi turn acquisition to create a sub-detector helical pitch data that when processed with resolution recovery component provides a finer sampling in slice direction.

[0171] In another embodiment, the previously mentioned spiral sub-detector pitch samples can be achieved either with a planned motion of cradle (e.g., table 108) with the subject (e.g., patient 106) lying on the cradle or achieved using the detector positional actuators (e.g., actuators 270A-«) to provide corresponding movement to the detectors (e.g., the detector elements 120 A- / / ).

[0172] For simplicity of explanation, the computer-implemented and non-computer- implemented methodologies provided herein are depicted and / or described as a series of acts. It is to be understood that the subject innovation is not limited by the acts illustrated and / or by the order of acts, for example acts can occur in one or more orders and / or concurrently, and with other acts not presented and described herein. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts can be utilized to implement the computer-implemented and non-computer-implemented methodologies in accordance with the described subject matter. Additionally, the computer-implemented methodologies described hereinafter and throughout this specification are capable of being stored on an article of manufacture to enable transporting and transferring the computer-implemented methodologies to computers. The term article of manufacture, as used herein, is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device or storage media.

[0173] The systems and / or devices have been (and / or will be further) described herein with respect to interaction between one or more components. Such systems and / or components can include those components or sub-components specified therein, one or more of the specified components and / or sub-components, and / or additional components. Sub-components can be implemented as components communicatively coupled to other components rather than included within parent components. One or more components and / or sub-components can be combined into a single component providing aggregate functionality. The components can interact withone or more other components not specifically described herein for the sake of brevity, but known by those of skill in the art.

[0174] EXAMPLE IMPLEMENTATION

[0175] In order to provide additional context for various embodiments described herein, FIG. 16 and the accompanying description are intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment 1600 in which the various embodiments described herein can be implemented. While the embodiments have been described above in the general context of computer-executable instructions that can run on one or more computers, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments can be also implemented in combination with other program modules or as a combination of hardware and software.

[0176] Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventive methods can be practiced with other computer system configurations, including single-processor or multi-processor computer systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, Internet of Things (loT) devices, distributed computing systems, as well as personal computers, hand-held computing devices, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, and the like, each of which can be operatively coupled to one or more associated devices.

[0177] The illustrated embodiments of the embodiments herein can be also practiced in distributed computing environments where certain tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0178] Computing devices typically include a variety of media, which can include computer-readable storage media, machine-readable storage media, or communications media, which two terms are used herein differently from one another as follows. Computer-readable storage media or machine-readable storage media can be any available storage media that can be accessed by the computer and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and nonremovable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable storage media or machine-readable storage media can be implemented in connection with any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable or machine-readable instructions, program modules, structured data or unstructured data.

[0179] Computer-readable storage media can include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, compact disk read onlymemory (CD ROM), digital versatile disk (DVD), Blu-ray disc (BD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, solid state drives or other solid state storage devices, or other tangible or non-transitory media which can be used to store desired information. In this regard, the terms “tangible” or “non-transitory” herein as applied to storage, memory or computer-readable media, are to be understood to exclude only propagating transitory signals per se as modifiers and do not relinquish rights to all standard storage, memory or computer-readable media that are not only propagating transitory signals per se.

[0180] Computer-readable storage media can be accessed by one or more local or remote computing devices, e.g., via access requests, queries or other data retrieval protocols, for a variety of operations with respect to the information stored by the medium.

[0181] Communications media typically embody computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other structured or unstructured data in a data signal such as a modulated data signal, e.g., a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery or transport media. The term “modulated data signal” or signals refers to a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in one or more signals. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media include wired media, such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media.

[0182] With reference again to FIG. 16, the example environment 1600 for implementing various embodiments of the aspects described herein includes a computer 1602, the computer 1602 including a processing unit 1604, a system memory 1606 and a system bus 1608. The system bus 1608 couples system components including, but not limited to, the system memory 1606 to the processing unit 1604. The processing unit 1604 can be any of various commercially available processors. Dual microprocessors and other multi processor architectures can also be employed as the processing unit 1604.

[0183] The system bus 1608 can be any of several types of bus structure that can further interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures. The system memory 1606 includes ROM 1610 and RAM 1612. A basic input / output system (BIOS) can be stored in a non-volatile memory such as ROM, erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), EEPROM, which BIOS contains the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer 1602, such as during startup. The RAM 1612 can also include a high-speed RAM such as static RAM for caching data.

[0184] The computer 1602 further includes an internal hard disk drive (HDD) 1614 (e.g., EIDE, SATA), one or more external storage devices 1616 (e.g., a magnetic floppy disk drive (FDD) 1616, a memory stick or flash drive reader, a memory card reader, etc.) and a drive 1620, e.g., such as a solid state drive, an optical disk drive, which can read or write from a disk 1622, such as a CD-ROM disc, a DVD, a BD, etc. Alternatively, where a solid state drive is involved, disk 1622 would not be included, unless separate. While the internal HDD 1614 is illustrated as located within the computer 1602, the internal HDD 1614 can also be configured for external use in a suitable chassis (not shown). Additionally, while not shown in environment 1600, a solid state drive (SSD) could be used in addition to, or in place of, an HDD 1614. The HDD 1614, external storage device(s) 1616 and drive 1620 can be connected to the system bus 1608 by an HDD interface 1624, an external storage interface 1626 and a drive interface 1628, respectively. The interface 1624 for external drive implementations can include at least one or both of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 interface technologies. Other external drive connection technologies are within contemplation of the embodiments described herein.

[0185] The drives and their associated computer-readable storage media provide nonvolatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, and so forth. For the computer 1602, the drives and storage media accommodate the storage of any data in a suitable digital format. Although the description of computer-readable storage media above refers to respective types of storage devices, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of storage media which are readable by a computer, whether presently existing or developed in the future, could also be used in the example operating environment, and further, that any such storage media can contain computer-executable instructions for performing the methods described herein.

[0186] A number of program modules can be stored in the drives and RAM 1612, including an operating system 1630, one or more application programs 1632, other program modules 1634 and program data 1636. All or portions of the operating system, applications, modules, or data can also be cached in the RAM 1612. The systems and methods described herein can be implemented utilizing various commercially available operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

[0187] Computer 1602 can optionally comprise emulation technologies. For example, a hypervisor (not shown) or other intermediary can emulate a hardware environment for operating system 1630, and the emulated hardware can optionally be different from the hardware illustrated in FIG. 16. In such an embodiment, operating system 1630 can comprise one virtual machine(VM) of multiple VMs hosted at computer 1602. Furthermore, operating system 1630 can provide runtime environments, such as the Java runtime environment or the .NET framework, for applications 1632. Runtime environments are consistent execution environments that allow applications 1632 to run on any operating system that includes the runtime environment.Similarly, operating system 1630 can support containers, and applications 1632 can be in the form of containers, which are lightweight, standalone, executable packages of software that include, e.g., code, runtime, system tools, system libraries and settings for an application.

[0188] Further, computer 1602 can be enabled with a security module, such as a trusted processing module (TPM). For instance, with a TPM, boot components hash next in time boot components, and wait for a match of results to secured values, before loading a next boot component. This process can take place at any layer in the code execution stack of computer 1602, e.g., applied at the application execution level or at the OS kernel level, thereby enabling security at any level of code execution.

[0189] A user can enter commands and information into the computer 1602 through one or more wired / wireless input devices, e.g., a keyboard 1638, a touch screen 1640, and a pointing device, such as a mouse 1642. Other input devices (not shown) can include a microphone, an infrared (IR) remote control, a radio frequency (RF) remote control, or other remote control, a joystick, a virtual reality controller or virtual reality headset, a game pad, a stylus pen, an image input device, e.g., camera(s), a gesture sensor input device, a vision movement sensor input device, an emotion or facial detection device, a biometric input device, e.g., fingerprint or iris scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 1604 through an input device interface 1644 that can be coupled to the system bus 1608, but can be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, an IEEE 1394 serial port, a game port, a USB port, an IR interface, a BLUETOOTH® interface, etc.

[0190] A monitor 1646 or other type of display device can be also connected to the system bus 1608 via an interface, such as a video adapter 1648. In addition to the monitor 1646, a computer typically includes other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers, printers, etc.

[0191] The computer 1602 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections via wired or wireless communications to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer(s) 1650. The remote computer(s) 1650 can be a workstation, a server computer, a router, a personal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based entertainment appliance, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described relative to the computer 1602, although, for purposes of brevity, only amemory / storage device 1652 is illustrated. The logical connections depicted include wired / wireless connectivity to a local area network (LAN) 1654 or larger networks, e.g., a wide area network (WAN) 1656. Such LAN and WAN networking environments are commonplace in offices and companies, and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such as intranets, all of which can connect to a global communications network, e.g., the Internet.

[0192] When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 1602 can be connected to the local network 1654 through a wired or wireless communication network interface or adapter 1658. The adapter 1658 can facilitate wired or wireless communication to the LAN 1654, which can also include a wireless access point (AP) disposed thereon for communicating with the adapter 1658 in a wireless mode.

[0193] When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 1602 can include a modem 1660 or can be connected to a communications server on the WAN 1656 via other means for establishing communications over the WAN 1656, such as by way of the Internet. The modem 1660, which can be internal or external and a wired or wireless device, can be connected to the system bus 1608 via the input device interface 1644. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 1602 or portions thereof, can be stored in the remote memory / storage device 1652. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are examples and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers can be used.

[0194] When used in either a LAN or WAN networking environment, the computer 1602 can access cloud storage systems or other network-based storage systems in addition to, or in place of, external storage devices 1616 as described above, such as but not limited to a network virtual machine providing one or more aspects of storage or processing of information. Generally, a connection between the computer 1602 and a cloud storage system can be established over a LAN 1654 or WAN 1656 e.g., by the adapter 1658 or modem 1660, respectively. Upon connecting the computer 1602 to an associated cloud storage system, the external storage interface 1626 can, with the aid of the adapter 1658 or modem 1660, manage storage provided by the cloud storage system as it would other types of external storage. For instance, the external storage interface 1626 can be configured to provide access to cloud storage sources as if those sources were physically connected to the computer 1602.

[0195] The computer 1602 can be operable to communicate with any wireless devices or entities operatively disposed in wireless communication, e.g., a printer, scanner, desktop or portable computer, portable data assistant, communications satellite, any piece of equipment or location associated with a wirelessly detectable tag (e.g., a kiosk, news stand, store shelf, etc.),and telephone. This can include Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) and BLUETOOTH® wireless technologies. Thus, the communication can be a predefined structure as with a conventional network or simply an ad hoc communication between at least two devices.

[0196] FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram of a sample computing environment 1700 with which the disclosed subject matter can interact. The sample computing environment 1700 includes one or more client(s) 1710. The client(s) 1710 can be hardware or software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). The sample computing environment 1700 also includes one or more server(s) 1730. The server(s) 1730 can also be hardware or software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). The servers 1730 can house threads to perform transformations by employing one or more embodiments as described herein, for example. One possible communication between a client 1710 and a server 1730 can be in the form of a data packet adapted to be transmitted between two or more computer processes. The sample computing environment 1700 includes a communication framework 1750 that can be employed to facilitate communications between the client(s) 1710 and the server(s) 1730. The client(s) 1710 are operably connected to one or more client data store(s) 1720 that can be employed to store information local to the client(s) 1710. Similarly, the server(s) 1730 are operably connected to one or more server data store(s) 1740 that can be employed to store information local to the servers 1730.

[0197] Various embodiments may be a system, a method, an apparatus or a computer program product at any possible technical detail level of integration. The computer program product can include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of various embodiments. The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium can be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium can also include the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, isnot to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.

[0198] Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing / processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network or a wireless network. The network can comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing / processing device. Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of various embodiments can be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, configuration data for integrated circuitry, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions can execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection can be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) can execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform various aspects.

[0199] Various aspects are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to various embodiments. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations or block diagrams, can beimplemented by computer readable program instructions. These computer readable program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function / act specified in the flowchart or block diagram block or blocks. The computer readable program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational acts to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions / acts specified in the flowchart or block diagram block or blocks.

[0200] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams can represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks can occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession can, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks can sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0201] While the subject matter has been described above in the general context of computer-executable instructions of a computer program product that runs on a computer or computers, those skilled in the art will recognize that this disclosure also can or can be implemented in combination with other program modules. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that variousaspects can be practiced with other computer system configurations, including single-processor or multiprocessor computer systems, mini -computing devices, mainframe computers, as well as computers, hand-held computing devices (e.g., PDA, phone), microprocessor-based or programmable consumer or industrial electronics, and the like. The illustrated aspects can also be practiced in distributed computing environments in which tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. However, some, if not all aspects of this disclosure can be practiced on stand-alone computers. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0202] As used in this application, the terms “component,” “system,” “platform,” “interface,” and the like, can refer to and / or can include a computer-related entity or an entity related to an operational machine with one or more specific functionalities. The entities disclosed herein can be either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be, but may not be limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and / or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a server and the server can be a component. One or more components can reside within a process and / or thread of execution and a component can be localized on one computer and / or distributed between two or more computers. In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, respective components can execute from various computer readable media having various data structures stored thereon. The components can communicate via local and / or remote processes such as in accordance with a signal having one or more data packets / data sets (e.g., data from one component interacting with another component in a local system, distributed system, and / or across a network such as the Internet with other systems via the signal). In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a component can be an apparatus with specific functionality provided by mechanical parts operated by electric or electronic circuitry, which may be operated by a software or firmware application executed by a processor. In such a case, the processor can be internal or external to the apparatus and can execute at least a part of the software or firmware application. As yet another example, a component can be an apparatus that provides specific functionality through electronic components without mechanical parts, wherein the electronic components can include a processor or other means to execute software or firmware that confers at least in part the functionality of the electronic components. In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a component can emulate an electronic component via a virtual machine, e.g., within a cloud computing system.

[0203] In addition, the term “or” may be intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, “X employs A or B” may be intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” may be satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. Moreover, articles “a” and “an” as used in the subject specification and annexed drawings should generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form. As used herein, the terms “example” and / or “exemplary” are utilized to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration and are intended to be non-limiting. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein may not be limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as an “example” and / or “exemplary” may not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor it may be meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0204] The herein disclosure describes non-limiting examples. For ease of description or explanation, various portions of the herein disclosure utilize the term “each,” “every,” or “all” when discussing various examples. Such usages of the term “each,” “every,” or “all” are nonlimiting. In other words, when the herein disclosure provides a description that is applied to “each,” “every,” or “all” of some particular object or component, it should be understood that this is a non-limiting example, and it should be further understood that, in various other examples, it can be the case that such description applies to fewer than “each,” “every,” or “all” of that particular object or component.

[0205] As it may be employed in the subject specification, the term “processor” can refer to substantially any computing processing unit or device comprising, but not limited to, singlecore processors; single-processors with software multithread execution capability; multi-core processors; multi-core processors with software multithread execution capability; multi -core processors with hardware multithread technology; parallel platforms; and parallel platforms with distributed shared memory. Additionally, a processor can refer to an integrated circuit, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic controller (PLC), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. Further, processors can exploit nano-scale architectures such as, but not limited to, molecular and quantum-dot based transistors, switches and gates, in order to optimize space usage or enhance performance of user equipment. A processor can also be implemented as a combination ofcomputing processing units. In this disclosure, terms such as “store,” “storage,” “data store,” data storage,” “database,” and substantially any other information storage component relevant to operation and functionality of a component are utilized to refer to “memory components,” entities embodied in a “memory,” or components comprising a memory. It is to be appreciated that memory and / or memory components described herein can be either volatile memory or nonvolatile memory or can include both volatile and non-volatile memory. By way of illustration, and not limitation, non-volatile memory can include read only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, or non-volatile random-access memory (RAM) (e.g., ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM). Volatile memory can include RAM, which can act as external cache memory, for example. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM may be available in many forms such as synchronous RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), Synchlink DRAM (SLDRAM), direct Rambus RAM (DRRAM), direct Rambus dynamic RAM (DRDRAM), and Rambus dynamic RAM (RDRAM). Additionally, the disclosed memory components of systems or computer-implemented methods herein are intended to include, without being limited to including, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0206] What has been described above include mere examples of systems and computer- implemented methods. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or computer-implemented methods for purposes of describing this disclosure, but one of ordinary skill in the art can recognize that many further combinations and permutations of this disclosure are possible. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “possesses,” and the like are used in the detailed description, claims, appendices and drawings such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” may be interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. The descriptions of the various examples have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the examples disclosed. Many modifications and variations can be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described examples. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the examples, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the examples disclosed herein.

[0207] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including makingand using any computing system or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention may be defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.

[0208] Examples of the present disclosure shown in the drawings and described above are example examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims, including any equivalents as included within the scope of the claims. Various modifications are possible and will be readily apparent to the skilled person in the art. It is intended that any combination of non-mutually exclusive features described herein are within the scope of the present invention. That is, features of the described examples can be combined with any appropriate aspect described above and optional features of any one aspect can be combined with any other appropriate aspect. Similarly, features set forth in dependent claims can be combined with non- mutually exclusive features of other dependent claims, particularly where the dependent claims depend on the same independent claim. Single claim dependencies may have been used as practice in some jurisdictions require them, but this should not be taken to mean that the features in the dependent claims are mutually exclusive.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A computed tomography (CT) system, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor and having instructions stored thereon, wherein, in response to the at least one processor executing the instructions, the instructions facilitate performance of operations, comprising: receiving data generated by a detector, wherein the detector is an X-Ray detector located inside a gantry of the CT system and positioned across from an X-ray source of the CT system, wherein the configurable detector further comprises: a first sub-array of detector elements and a second sub-array of detector elements, wherein the first sub-array of detector elements is located on one side of an axis passing through a center of rotation of the gantry and running parallel to the gantry and the second sub-array of detector elements are located on the opposite side of the axis, wherein a first position of the first sub-array of detector elements is offset from a second position of the second sub-array, and wherein the first sub-array of detector elements and the second sub-array of detector elements are configured to generate data when an X-ray beam is incident upon the respective detector elements included in the first sub-array of detector elements and the second position of the second sub-array; and generating a high-resolution image stack from the data.

2. The CT system of claim 1, wherein the offset is in the z-direction of the CT system, and the offset being a fraction of a width of a detector element in the z-direction.

3. The CT system of claim 1, wherein the detector is one of a fixed configuration detector having a fixed offset distance, wherein the offset of the first position of the first sub-array of detector elements relative to the second position of the second sub-array of detector elements is pre-configured prior to incorporation of the detector in the CT system, or a configurable detector, wherein the offset between the first position of the first sub-array of detector elements and the second position of the second sub-array of detector elements can be dynamically adjusted prior to a scan operation or during a scan operation.

4. The CT system of claim 1, further comprising a set of actuators, wherein: a first actuator in the set of actuators is connected to the first sub-array of detector elements, wherein motion of the first actuator causes a change in position of the first subarray of detector elements; and a second actuator in the set of actuators is connected to the second sub-array of detector elements, wherein motion of the second actuator causes a change in position of the second sub-array of detector elements.

5. The CT system of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a first position instruction; adjusting position of the first actuator to position the first sub-array of detector elements at the first position in accordance with the first position instruction; and adjusting position of the second actuator to position the second sub-array of detector elements at the second position in accordance with the first position instruction, wherein the first position is offset from the second position.

6. The CT system of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise: performing a scan with the first sub-array of detector elements at the first position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the second position; capturing data from the first sub-array of detector elements at the first position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the second position; and generating a first image using the captured data.

7. The CT system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a second position instruction; adjusting position of the first actuator to position the first sub-array of detector elements at a third position in accordance with the second position instruction; adjusting position of the second actuator to position the second sub-array of detector elements at a fourth position in accordance with the second position instruction, wherein the third position is offset from the fourth position; performing a second scan with the first sub-array of detector elements at the third position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the fourth position; capturing data from the first sub-array of detector elements at the third position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the fourth position; and generating a second image using the captured data.

8. The CT system of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise: performing a scan with the first sub-array of detector elements at the first position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the second position; capturing data from the first sub-array of detector elements at the first position and the second sub-array of detector elements at the second position; and generating a first sinogram, wherein the first sinogram is generated from the captured data and comprises first measured data captured from the first sub-array of detector elements and second measured data from the second sub-array of detector elements.

9. The CT system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise: generating first synthesized data, wherein the first synthesized data is generated from the first sinogram based on a distance of offset, and forms a first synthesized data sinogram; generating second synthesized data, wherein the second synthesized data is generated from the second sinogram based on the distance of the offset, and forms a second synthesized data sinogram; generating a third sinogram comprising the first sinogram and the first synthesized data sinogram; and generating a fourth sinogram comprising the second sinogram and the second synthesized data sinogram.

10. The CT system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise: interlacing the third sinogram with the fourth sinogram to generate an interlaced higher-sampled sinogram.

11. The CT system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise: generating a high resolution sinogram stack based on deconvoluting the interlaced higher-sampled sinogram.

12. The CT system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise: applying an image reconstruction algorithm to the high resolution sinogram stack; and generating a high resolution image stack from the high resolution sinogram stack.

13. The CT system of claim 12, wherein the first sub-array of detector elements comprises N rows of detector elements, and the high resolution image stack comprises 2 x N rows of data.

14. The CT system of claim 1, wherein detector elements included in the first sub-array of detector elements and in the second sub-array of detector elements have a common width w, and the position offset between the first position of the first sub-array of detector elements and the second position of the second sub-array of detector elements is between zero w and one w of a detector element.

15. The CT system of claim 9, wherein the position offset is one of i w, % w, or a value greater than zero w and less than one w.

16. A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving, by a device comprising at least one processor, first X-ray data, wherein the first X-ray data is captured from a detector comprising a first array comprising a first set of detector elements, and the first array is located on a first side of an ISO-axis of a computed tomography (CT) system; receiving, by the device, second X-ray data, wherein the second X-ray data is captured from a second array of the detector, wherein the second array of the detector comprises a second set of detector elements and the second array is located on a second side of the ISO-axis, wherein the first array is at a first position and the second array is at a second position, and the second position is offset from the first position by a distance less than a width of a detector element in the first set of detector elements; and generating, by the device, a first sinogram from the first X-ray data, wherein the first sinogram comprises a first region representing first data measured from the first array and a second region representing second data measured from the second array.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising: generating, by the device, a second sinogram, wherein the second sinogram comprises a first region comprising the first data measured from the first region of the first sinogram and a second region comprising first synthesized data, wherein the first synthesized data is generated based on first conjugate data of the first X-ray data; and generating, by the device, a third sinogram, wherein the third sinogram comprises a first region comprising the second data measured from the second array and a second region comprising second synthesized data, wherein the second synthesized data is generated based on second conjugate data of the second X-ray data.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising: interlacing, by the device, the second sinogram with the third sinogram to form a fourth sinogram, wherein the fourth sinogram comprises double the number of rowsampling in a slice direction of the detector versus a number of detector rows in the slice direction, wherein the fourth sinogram is an interlaced higher-sampled sinogram; deconvoluting, by the device, the fourth sinogram to form a fifth sinogram, wherein the fifth sinogram comprises twice the number of rows of measurements as the number of detector rows in the slice direction; and generating, by the device, a high-resolution image stack from the fifth sinogram.

19. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising machine-executable instructions, wherein, in response to being executed, the machine-executable instructions cause a system to perform operations, comprising: rotating a detector about a subject in a computed tomography (CT) system; capturing X-ray data at the detector comprising N rows in a slice direction of the detector, wherein the detector comprises a first module and a second module, wherein the first module is located on a first side of an ISO-axis and the second module is located on a second side of the ISO-axis, and the second module is positionally offset from the first module by a fraction of a width of detector element in the first module in a z-direction relative to the ISO-axis, wherein the X-ray data includes data captured at a first detector position and a second detector position, wherein the first detector position comprises X- ray data captured at a conjugate projection angle of the second detector position; determining, from the X-ray data, synthesized data captured for the conjugate projection angle; and generating, from the X-ray data and the synthesized data, a high-resolution image stack, wherein the high-resolution image stack comprises interlaced rows generated from the X-ray data and the synthesized data, and a number of interlaced rows is 2 x N rows in the slice direction.

20. The computer program product according to claim 19, wherein CT system comprises a gantry, wherein an X-ray tube is located on a first side of the gantry and the detector is located on the gantry at a position opposite to the X-ray tube, and the ISO-axis is an axis between a focal spot in the X-ray tube extending through a center of rotation of the gantry, and further extending through to the detector.

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