Cardiac CT Reconstruction Unit for Motion Artifact Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in cardiac CT imaging is the blurriness of reconstructed heart images due to the heart's motion during scanning, which makes it difficult to determine the optimal phase point for retrospectively gated reconstruction, affecting image quality.
Innovation Solution
A reconstruction unit that receives a sequence of data sets representing structural information and scheduling information, allowing for the generation of coarse reconstructions, adaptation of models, determination of motion vectors, and selection of a specific data set with minimum motion to achieve a fine reproduction of the object, thereby improving image clarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If CT scanning is performed on a moving heart, then the scan can be completed, but the reconstructed images become blurry due to motion
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by acquiring scheduling information (ECG data) during the scan to identify phases of minimum motion, then uses this information to select optimal data sets for reconstruction, thereby preparing in advance to mitigate motion blur
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by analyzing scheduling information from ECG recordings to determine motion states, then feeds this information back into the reconstruction process by selecting data sets corresponding to minimum motion phases, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to actual heart motion
2Measurement precision
If model adaptation is performed for each coarse reconstruction, then motion determination accuracy improves, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the reconstruction process into multiple stages: first generating coarse reconstructions, then adapting models to each coarse reconstruction, and finally selecting optimal data sets. This segmentation allows motion determination to be performed on simplified coarse images rather than full-resolution images, reducing computational complexity while maintaining accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by adapting models only to coarse reconstructions rather than to all possible data sets, and by determining motion for predetermined portions of the object rather than the entire object, thereby reducing computational effort while still achieving sufficient accuracy for phase selection
Data Source
AI summary
A reconstruction unit is provided for receiving a sequence of data sets, the data sets representing structural information of the object. The reconstruction unit performs receiving scheduling information related to the data sets of the sequence of data sets. Then reconstructing a sequence of coarse reconstructions of the object by using the sequence of data sets and the scheduling information. Afterwards a sequence of adapted models of the object is generated by adapting a respective model to each of the coarse reconstructions. Then a motion of a predetermined portion of each of the adapted models is determined and a specific data set of the sequence of data sets is selected, wherein the specific data set corresponds to the adapted model with the minimum motion of the predetermined portion. Finally the reconstruction unit performs reconstructing a fine reconstruction of at least the part of the object using the specific data set.