Spectral Cardiac CT Alignment Across Heart Phases

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional CT imaging for cardiac examination lacks sufficient information on coronary vessels, myocardial fibrosis, and heart muscle dynamics while exposing patients to high radiation doses, necessitating alternative methods like MRI for assessing heart muscle dynamics.

Innovation Solution

Spectrally differentiated cardiac CT imaging using dual-energy or split-filter systems to acquire CT projection data at different cardiac phases, aligning image data to reduce radiation exposure by minimizing contrast agent attenuation differences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a wide ECG window is used to capture both systolic and diastolic phases, then heart muscle dynamics can be assessed, but radiation exposure increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheart muscle dynamics informationVSAvoidradiation exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the cardiac examination into separate spectral acquisitions for diastolic and systolic phases, processing them independently through alignment and subtraction operations to extract wall motion information without requiring a wide temporal window that would increase radiation dose

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If multiple CT scans are performed to assess coronary vessels, myocardium, and heart dynamics, then comprehensive diagnostic information is obtained, but radiation exposure becomes unacceptably high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomprehensive cardiac diagnostic informationVSAvoidradiation exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges coronary angiography and heart muscle dynamics assessment into a single integrated spectral CT examination protocol, using dual-energy or split-filter acquisition to simultaneously obtain both types of information without requiring separate scans

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The spectral CT system performs multiple diagnostic functions (coronary vessel imaging, myocardial fibrosis assessment via ECV, and heart muscle dynamics evaluation) within a single examination framework, making the system universally capable of addressing all three diagnostic needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of information

If a third CT scan is performed 3-5 minutes later for ECV measurement, then fibrotic portion of myocardium can be estimated, but examination time and radiation exposure increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemyocardial fibrosis informationVSAvoidexamination time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines ECV measurement for fibrosis assessment with the primary cardiac CT examination by utilizing the contrast agent distribution at different time points within the same spectral acquisition session, eliminating the need for a separate delayed scan

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 detailed assessment of coronary vessels, myocardial fibrosis, and heart muscle dynamics with reduced radiation exposure by aligning image data from different cardiac phases, allowing precise evaluation of myocardial wall thickness and deformation.

Implementation Method 1

a) receiving first spectrally differentiated CT projection measurement data

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectX-ray generation: X-Ray

Implementation Method 2

a contrast agent mainly being located in the ventricles and the vessels of the heart

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectX-ray attenuation: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 3

spectrally differentiated CT projection measurement data, preferably spectrally resolved projection measurement data

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpectral differentiation:

Implementation Method 4

first monoenergetic image data is calculated on the basis of the first spectrally differentiated CT projection measurement data for a first energy value

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImage reconstruction: Tomography

Implementation Method 5

a contrast agent mainly being located in the ventricles and the vessels of the heart

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectContrast agent attenuation: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS20250288261A1Alignment of CT image data for cardiac examination

Publication Date: 2025.09.18 SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG

AI summary

In a method for spectrally differentiated cardiac CT imaging, first spectrally differentiated CT projection measurement data relating to a heart is received in a first time interval, when a contrast agent is located in chambers and/or vessels of the heart. The first time interval comprises a diastole of the heart. Second spectrally differentiated CT projection measurement data relating to the heart is received in a second time interval, when the contrast agent is located in a muscle tissue of the heart. The second time interval includes a systole of the heart. First monoenergetic image data is calculated for a first energy value based on the first spectrally differentiated CT projection measurement data and second monoenergetic image data is calculated for the first energy value based on the second spectrally differentiated CT projection measurement data.