Dynamic CT Phase Segmentation for Collateral Blood Flow Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to accurately evaluate the size of early cerebral infarction, occluded blood vessels, and collateral blood flow in CT imaging, especially for acute stroke patients, due to low temporal resolution and patient-specific differences in cardiovascular status.
Innovation Solution
A method and medical imaging system for generating CT collateral blood flow images and 3D subtraction CT venography, and color-coded 4D CT angiography by analyzing blood flow phases in dynamic contrast-enhanced CT images, using a processor to load, classify, and segment CT images to generate accurate, patient-specific images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If repeated CT angiography is performed to obtain collateral blood flow images, then blood flow information can be captured, but temporal resolution is low and examination time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dynamic contrast-enhanced CT data into multiple phases (arterial phase, capillary phase, venous phase, delayed phase) based on time-intensity curves. By segmenting the continuous dynamic data into discrete functional phases, the system can extract collateral blood flow information from each phase without requiring repeated examinations, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining efficient examination time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms conventional 3D CT angiography into 4D CT angiography by adding the time dimension. This allows the system to capture and analyze blood flow dynamics across multiple time points within a single examination, enabling accurate collateral blood flow evaluation without requiring repeated scans, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and examination time.
2Ease of operation
If CT images are acquired at fixed time points, then examination is simplified, but patient-specific cardiovascular status differences cannot be reflected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic phase classification by analyzing time-intensity curves to automatically identify arterial, capillary, venous, and delayed phases for each patient. This dynamic approach adapts to individual cardiovascular status differences while maintaining ease of operation through automated processing, resolving the contradiction between examination simplicity and patient-specific adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temporal parameters of image acquisition and analysis by using continuous dynamic contrast enhancement followed by automated phase segmentation. This allows the examination to remain simple in protocol while adapting to patient-specific blood flow characteristics through parameter-based phase identification, enabling both ease of operation and patient-specific evaluation.
3Measurement precision
If 3D subtraction CT arteriography and venography are performed separately, then vascular separation is achieved, but multiple examinations or complex processing is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges 3D subtraction CT arteriography and venography into a single integrated process by performing phase-based segmentation on dynamic contrast-enhanced CT data. Both arterial and venous phases are extracted from the same dataset through automated time-intensity curve analysis, achieving accurate vascular separation without requiring separate examinations or complex post-processing, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method, performed by an electronic device, for generating patient-customized CT collateral blood flow images by using blood flow phase segmentation of dynamic contrast-enhanced CT images, and simultaneously implementing 3D subtraction CT arteriography, 3D subtraction CT venography, and color-coded 4D CT angiography.