Photon Counting Image Binning for Diagnostic Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Photon counting radiology imaging modalities generate a large volume of data, making it impractical to display all information due to limited processing resources and display capabilities, necessitating data binning along spatial, temporal, and energy dimensions, but existing methods lack flexibility in adapting binning based on user input or specific regions of interest.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for identifying a region-of-interest in an image and rebinning projection data accordingly to generate a second image with improved spatial and contrast resolution, allowing users to select options for altering the appearance of the region-of-interest, such as reducing artifacts or changing the energy spectrum, through a user interface and photon data processor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If all photon data is processed and displayed, then complete diagnostic information is available, but processing resources and display capabilities are overwhelmed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complete photon data into multiple projection data bins based on different binning parameters (spatial, temporal, energy). This allows the system to process and display manageable subsets of data while maintaining the option to access complete diagnostic information through selective binning, thus resolving the contradiction between information completeness and processing feasibility.
2Productivity
If data is binned into fewer bins, then processing and display become feasible, but spatial and contrast resolution deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic binning where the binning parameters can be adjusted based on the region of interest. For regions requiring high spatial and contrast resolution, the system uses finer binning, while for other regions, coarser binning is applied. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain high processing efficiency while preserving resolution where needed.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed binning parameters are used, then processing is simplified, but adaptability to different regions of interest is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables changes in binning parameters (spatial, temporal, energy) based on the identified region of interest. The system provides a user interface that allows selection of different binning configurations, and automatically adjusts parameters to optimize image quality for the selected region. This maintains processing simplicity through automated parameter selection while achieving region-specific optimization.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple images with different binning are generated, then diagnostic flexibility is improved, but computational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary binning of all photon data into multiple projection data bins with different binning parameters during the acquisition phase. This pre-processing creates a library of binned data that can be quickly retrieved and displayed without requiring intensive computational processing at the time of diagnosis, thus reducing computational costs while maintaining diagnostic flexibility.
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
Enables dynamic and interactive image processing, allowing for real-time adjustment of image quality and focus on specific areas of interest without re-examining the object, improving diagnostic information and reducing computational costs by optimizing data representation.
Implementation Method 1
a detector array comprised of a plurality of detector cells that are respectively configured to convert radiation that has traversed the object into electrical signals
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are described for presenting images derived from a photon counting imaging modality. Initially, a first image is derived by binning native projection data in a first manner to create first binned data and generating the first image using the first binned data. A region-of- interest within the object may be identified from the first image, and, based upon the identified region-of-interest, the native projection data may be rebinned in a second, different, manner to create second binned data. Because the second manner of binning the native projection data is different than the first manner, an image resulting from the second binned data may be different than the first image. Moreover, a user interface may be provided for assisting a user in selecting a region-of-interest and/or for specifying desired properties of the second image.