CT Measuring Electronics Adaptive Filter Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computed tomography (CT) devices cannot fully adapt the frequency response of their measuring electronics to the chosen settings, limiting the interpretation of the CT signal's informational content and requiring approximate image quality adjustments through low-pass or high-pass filtering.
Innovation Solution
A CT device with a user interface for setting standard parameters, including spring focus mode, high-resolution comb, body region, and convolution kernel, and configurable filter electronics that are automatically configured by a system computer to optimize the filtering behavior, allowing for better utilization of the CT measurement signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the filtering behavior of measuring electronics is fixed and cannot be adapted to different measurement settings, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and information content utilization are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The filter electronics are designed with dynamic reconfigurability, allowing the filtering behavior to be changed during operation based on the selected standard setting. The system computer configures the filter electronics adaptively to match different measurement scenarios, transforming static filtering into dynamic, context-aware filtering that optimizes measurement precision for each specific application.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters of the filter electronics by providing multiple configurable filter characteristics (different cutoff frequencies, filter orders, and types) that can be selected based on the standard setting. This allows the measurement system to adapt its frequency response characteristics to match the specific requirements of different measurement scenarios, thereby improving measurement precision without requiring a completely different hardware design for each application.
2Ease of operation
If approximate image quality adjustments are made through low-pass or high-pass filtering, then the ease of operation is improved, but the loss of information in the CT signal increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the standard setting selected by the user is automatically communicated to the filter electronics configuration. The system computer monitors the selected standard setting and automatically adjusts the filter characteristics accordingly, eliminating the need for manual filter adjustments and ensuring that the optimal filtering is applied for each measurement scenario, thereby preserving maximum information while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter electronics are designed to self-configure based on the selected standard setting. When a user selects a particular standard setting, the system computer automatically programs the filter electronics with the appropriate characteristics without requiring manual intervention or approximation. This self-service capability ensures that the filtering is always optimally matched to the measurement requirements, minimizing information loss while maintaining operational simplicity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the filter electronics are configured to adapt to different standard settings, then the adaptability of the measuring system is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter electronics are designed as a universal, multi-functional component that can perform multiple filtering functions through a single reconfigurable hardware architecture. Rather than having separate dedicated filters for each standard setting, the system uses one adaptable filter module that can be programmed to implement different filter characteristics as needed, thereby achieving high adaptability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system computer acts as an intermediary between the user-selected standard setting and the filter electronics configuration. It translates the high-level standard setting selection into specific filter parameter configurations, managing the complexity of adaptability internally while presenting a simple interface to the user. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of coordinating multiple filter characteristics across different standards, making the adaptability transparent to the end user.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables improved image quality with reduced noise and a potential 16% reduction in X-ray dose while allowing for precise adaptation of the filtering behavior to achieve desired image quality.
Implementation Method 1
measuring electronics (7) which include configurable filter electronics for filtering and preparing the measurement signals
Implementation Method 2
configurable filter electronics that are automatically configured by a system computer to optimize the filtering behavior
Data Source
AI summary
A computed tomography device (CT device) includes a user interface, via which the standard settings characterizing the CT measurement can be performed. At the same time, in a method and a computed tomography device for carrying out this method, filtering behavior of the filter electronics is adapted to the configuration of the standard settings by the system computer.