Cardiac CT Post-Processing for Slab Boundary Artifact Correction

The patent segments the cardiac imaging data acquisition into multiple heartbeats, where each heartbeat generates a separate slab of image data. This segmentation allows comprehensive axial coverage to be achieved by combining multiple slabs, while the invention subsequently addresses the slab boundary artifacts through detection and correction mechanisms that identify and compensate for mis-registration at the interfaces between segmented slabs.

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system detects slab boundary artifacts and vessel mis-registration in the reconstructed images, quantifies the extent of mis-alignment, and then applies corrective transformations. This closed-loop feedback process continuously refines the image quality by identifying artifacts and applying compensatory corrections to restore vessel visualization accuracy while preserving comprehensive cardiac coverage.

The patent employs self-service principles where the post-processing system automatically detects slab boundary artifacts, quantifies mis-registration without requiring manual intervention, and applies appropriate corrective transformations. The system serves itself by autonomously identifying problems and implementing solutions, thereby reducing vessel mis-registration while managing processing complexity through automation rather than manual methods.