Nuclear Imaging Viewing Angle Selection for SNR Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Nuclear imaging techniques face challenges in optimizing acquisition time and dwell times to achieve a desired signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) within a region of interest, leading to inefficient use of radiation and potential harm to patients due to excessive exposure.
Innovation Solution
Adaptive methods are employed to determine and adjust acquisition time and dwell times based on the footprint signal-to-noise ratio (FSNR) analysis, allowing for optimized nuclear data acquisition by selecting the most contributing viewing angles and varying dwell times to improve SNR, thereby reducing radiation exposure and enhancing image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If all viewing angles are used for nuclear imaging, then image quality is improved, but acquisition time and radiation exposure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes viewing angles that contribute minimally to the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the region of interest. By identifying and eliminating redundant viewing angles through SNR analysis, the system reduces acquisition time while preserving image quality for the most informative angles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different acquisition strategies to different viewing angles based on their local contribution to image quality. Viewing angles are categorized into groups (first plurality contributing to desired SNR, second plurality not contributing) and treated differently, with the first group being acquired and the second group being omitted.
2Measurement precision
If all viewing angles are used for nuclear imaging, then image quality is improved, but radiation exposure to patient increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes viewing angles that contribute minimally to the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the region of interest. By identifying and eliminating redundant viewing angles through SNR analysis, the system reduces radiation exposure while preserving image quality for the most informative angles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by acquiring data from only the necessary portion of viewing angles (first plurality) that contribute to the desired SNR, rather than acquiring from all possible viewing angles. This partial acquisition is sufficient to achieve the imaging goal while minimizing harmful radiation exposure.
3Measurement precision
If dwell time is increased for each viewing angle, then signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but acquisition time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different dwell times to different viewing angles based on their local contribution to the signal-to-noise ratio. The first plurality of viewing angles receives dwell time allocation to achieve desired SNR, while the second plurality is omitted entirely, optimizing the balance between signal quality and acquisition time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by allocating dwell time only to the necessary portion of viewing angles (first plurality) that contribute to the desired signal-to-noise ratio, rather than uniformly applying dwell time to all viewing angles. This selective approach achieves the required SNR with reduced total acquisition time.
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 more efficient clinical nuclear medicine procedures by reducing the time required for image acquisition, increasing image quality, and minimizing patient radiation exposure while maintaining a desired SNR.
Implementation Method 1
detecting radiation emitted from a patient in a first plurality of viewing angles
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of nuclear imaging can include, in a pre-scan, detecting radiation emitted from a patient in a first plurality of viewing angles including at least a first viewing angle and a second viewing angle, generating nuclear data from the detected radiation, reconstructing a first nuclear event distribution from the nuclear data, selecting a region of interest, determining a first signal-to-noise ratio of the first nuclear event distribution within the region of interest, selecting a second plurality of viewing angles not including the first viewing angle, reconstructing a second nuclear event distribution from the nuclear data associated with the second plurality of viewing angles, determining a second signal-to-noise ratio of the second nuclear event distribution within the region of interest, determining that the second signal-to-noise ratio is greater than or equal to the first signal-to-noise ratio, and nuclear imaging the patient by detecting nuclear data based on a nuclear imaging process that is based on the second plurality of viewing angles.