Breathing-Phase Triggered 3D X-Ray Reconstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3D x-ray imaging methods for the heart, such as C-arm x-ray angiography, require patients to hold their breath for extended periods, which can be problematic for children and those with breathing issues due to the duration of image recording, leading to image unsharpness from both heart and breathing movements.
Innovation Solution
A method where patient breathing is continuously monitored, allowing image acquisition operations to be triggered only during specific predetermined breathing phases, reducing the need for simultaneous image capture and enabling the patient to breathe between operations, with automatic or doctor-activated image recording and registration of 2D images from multiple perspectives for 3D reconstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple image acquisition operations are performed immediately one after another to create a 3D x-ray image data record, then the image quality is improved by capturing heart phase consistency, but the total recording duration increases to 25 seconds causing patient breathing movement and image unsharpness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image acquisition process into multiple separate acquisition operations, each lasting only 5 seconds, rather than performing all acquisitions continuously. Between these segmented operations, patients can breathe naturally, reducing motion-induced unsharpness while maintaining adequate heart phase consistency through selective image selection from each segment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic image acquisition operations interspersed with breathing periods. Instead of continuous acquisition, the system performs acquisitions at periodic intervals (multiple 5-second operations), allowing the patient's breathing cycle to occur between acquisitions, thereby reducing respiratory motion artifacts while maintaining sufficient data for 3D reconstruction
2Manufacturing precision
If patients are requested to hold their breath during the entire 25-second image recording procedure, then image unsharpness from breathing movement is reduced, but patient comfort and feasibility deteriorate for children and patients with breathing problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the total 25-second recording into multiple shorter 5-second acquisition operations separated by breathing intervals. Patients only need to hold their breath briefly during each short acquisition window rather than for the entire duration, significantly improving comfort and feasibility for children and patients with breathing difficulties while maintaining image sharpness through brief breath-holding periods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial breath-holding action - patients hold their breath only during the necessary 5-second acquisition windows rather than continuously throughout the full recording period. This partial application of breath-holding achieves sufficient image sharpness while avoiding the excessive burden of prolonged breath-holding, making the procedure feasible for vulnerable patient populations
3Loss of information
If three to four C-arm acquisition operations are performed with 200° movement each to achieve adequate 3D coverage, then the completeness of the 3D image data record is improved, but the total recording time extends to 25 seconds increasing breathing-related unsharpness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the C-arm acquisition into multiple separate operations, each covering a 200° arc but performed discontinuously with breathing intervals between them. This segmentation maintains the necessary angular coverage for complete 3D reconstruction while allowing patients to breathe between segments, reducing respiratory motion artifacts without sacrificing data completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic C-arm acquisition operations rather than continuous movement. The C-arm performs its 200° sweep periodically in discrete operations separated by intervals allowing patient breathing, achieving sufficient angular coverage for complete 3D imaging while minimizing the impact of breathing-induced motion through the periodic, interrupted acquisition schedule
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for providing a 3D x-ray image data record of a patient, in particular of the heart, by an x-ray imaging system connected to a measuring facility which monitors the breathing phases of the patient. The x-ray image system is automatically activated repeatedly when a predetermined breathing phase is reached and an image acquisition operation is carried out, during which a plurality of 2D x-ray images are recorded. An individual 3D image data record is reconstructed from the 2D x-ray images of each image acquisition operation and the different 3D image data records are registered in pairs in order to assign them in a correct positional and dimensional arrangement. Registration parameters are obtained during the registration. The 3D image data record is reconstructed from 2D x-ray images from all image acquisition operations using the registration parameters.