This invention relates generally to Diagnostic Imaging (DI) measurements, and, more particularly, to Bone Mineral Density (BMD) measurements which are the measurements of the amount of bone mineral per unit volume of bone tissue.
The accurate measurement of bone density with Computed Tomography (CT) requires a BMD reference phantom (generally solid Calcium Hydroxyapatite) to be scanned along with the patient scan such that the phantom appears in all the desired patient images. This is required since CT number values for human tissue (especially bone) change as a function of the size of the patient section and the amount of bone, fat, muscle, etc in the scan section. The reference phantom's CT values are affected similarly by the patient's characteristics. Thus, changes in the reference phantom values can be used to calibrate CT number readings from the patient's bone in order to calculate a more accurate BMD value. This is often done using commercial software products such as the QCT-3000 System commercially available from Image Analysis, Inc. of Columbia, Ky.
Most patient CT scans are prescribed for reasons other then BMD screening. It would however be useful to identify patients who are at risk for osteoporosis for follow-up study using information from a routine CT scan (i.e., not a specifically prescribed BMD scan). Specifically, this would require that a BMD estimate could be made with reasonable first order accuracy from bone Region Of Interest (ROI) measurements without the use of a BMD reference phantom.
In one aspect, a method includes scanning a patient without a BMD reference present to obtain data, and performing a BMD analysis on the obtained data.
In another aspect, a computer readable medium is embedded with a program configured to instruct a computer to perform a BMD analysis on scan data that does not include BMD phantom data.
In still another aspect, a system I provided. The system includes a radiation source, a detector positioned to receive radiation emitted from the source, and a computer operationally coupled to the source and the detector. The computer is configured to perform a BMD analysis on scan data that does not include BMD phantom data.
There are herein described BMD measurement methods and apparatus useful for imaging systems such as, for example, but not limited to a Computed Tomography (CT) System. The apparatus and methods are illustrated with reference to the figures wherein similar numbers indicate the same elements in all figures. Such figures are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting and are included herewith to facilitate explanation of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus and methods of the invention. Although, described in the setting of CT, it is contemplated that the benefits of the invention accrue to all system with x-ray tubes such as a combined PET/CT system or an x-ray system, and in one embodiment, the system below is a combined PET/CT system, which is of course a CT capable system. Additionally, it is contemplated that the benefits of the invention accrue to all diagnostic imaging (DI) modalities including PET, MRI, and Ultrasound, for example, and therefore as used herein the terms “radiation source” and “detector” are meant to be broad and include such modalities.
In some known CT imaging system configurations, a radiation source projects a fan-shaped beam which is collimated to lie within an X-Y plane of a Cartesian coordinate system and generally referred to as an “imaging plane”. The radiation beam passes through an object being imaged, such as a patient. The beam, after being attenuated by the object, impinges upon an array of radiation detectors. The intensity of the attenuated radiation beam received at the detector array is dependent upon the attenuation of a radiation beam by the object. Each detector element of the array produces a separate electrical signal that is a measurement of the beam attenuation at the detector location. The attenuation measurements from all the detectors are acquired separately to produce a transmission profile.
In third generation CT systems, the radiation source and the detector array are rotated with a gantry within the imaging plane and around the object to be imaged such that an angle at which the radiation beam intersects the object constantly changes. A group of radiation attenuation measurements, i.e., projection data, from the detector array at one gantry angle is referred to as a “view”. A “scan” of the object includes a set of views made at different gantry angles, or view angles, during one revolution of the radiation source and detector.
In an axial scan, the projection data is processed to reconstruct an image that corresponds to a two dimensional slice taken through the object. One method for reconstructing an image from a set of projection data is referred to in the art as the filtered back projection technique. This process converts the attenuation measurements from a scan into integers called “CT numbers” or “Hounsfield units (HU)”, which are used to control the brightness of a corresponding pixel on a display device.
To reduce the total scan time, a “helical” scan may be performed. To perform a “helical” scan, the patient is moved while the data for the prescribed number of slices is acquired. Such a system generates a single helix from a cone beam helical scan. The helix mapped out by the cone beam yields projection data from which images in each prescribed slice may be reconstructed.
As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly recited. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.
Also as used herein, the phrase “reconstructing an image” is not intended to exclude embodiments of the present invention in which data representing an image is generated but a viewable image is not. Therefore, as used herein the term, “image,” broadly refers to both viewable images and data representing a viewable image. However, many embodiments generate (or are configured to generate) at least one viewable image.
Detector array 18 is formed by a plurality of detector rows (not shown in
During a scan to acquire radiation projection data, gantry 12 and the components mounted thereon rotate about a center of rotation 24.
Rotation of gantry 12 and the operation of radiation source 14 are governed by a control mechanism 26 of CT system 10. Control mechanism 26 includes a radiation controller 28 that provides power and timing signals to radiation source 14 and a gantry motor controller 30 that controls the rotational speed and position of gantry 12. A data acquisition system (DAS) 32 in control mechanism 26 samples analog data from detector elements 20 and converts the data to digital signals for subsequent processing. An image reconstructor 34 receives sampled and digitized radiation data from DAS 32 and performs high-speed image reconstruction. The reconstructed image is applied as an input to a computer 36 that stores the image in a storage device 38.
Computer 36 also receives commands and scanning parameters from an operator via a console 40 that has a keyboard. An associated cathode ray tube display 42 allows the operator to observe the reconstructed image and other data from computer 36. The operator supplied commands and parameters are used by computer 36 to provide control signals and information to DAS 32, radiation controller 28, and gantry motor controller 30. In addition, computer 36 operates a table motor controller 44 which controls a motorized table 46 to position patient 22 in gantry 12. Particularly, table 46 moves portions of patient 22 through gantry opening 48.
In one embodiment, computer 36 includes a device 50, for example, a floppy disk drive, CD-ROM drive, DVD drive, magnetic optical disk (MOD) device, or any other digital device including a network connecting device such as an Ethernet device for reading instructions and/or data from a computer-readable medium 52, such as a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD or an other digital source such as a network or the Internet, as well as yet to be developed digital means. In another embodiment, computer 36 executes instructions stored in firmware (not shown). Generally, a processor in at least one of DAS 32, reconstructor 34, and computer 36 shown in
Patient characteristics that affect x-ray attenuation can be related to the square root of the image attenuation area (sqrtIAA). The attenuation area can be determined from an image in several ways as shown in
In one first order implementation, a reference phantom is scanned along with a set of patients undergoing BMD screening. The BMD reference phantom values are recorded along with the IAA for each patient. The BMD reference values are then fit to the square root of the IAA using a linear regression equation (
In a more refined implementation, a set of tissue specific LAA values could be calculated by thresholding the HU values for specific tissues (gross IAA, bone HU>200, fat between −100 HU and −20, and muscle in the range of 10<HU<40, for examples). To improve accuracy, the BMD reference values could than be fit as a function of overall body size, and the amount of bone, fat, and muscle in the CT scan section.
Technical effects include an accurate automatic method to estimate BMD reference values in order to calculate bone density from routine CT body scan images without the use of a BMD reference phantom. Any inaccuracies of any non phantom calibration methods may be associated with the placement of ROIs to measure tissue specific regions on the patient image and with variations inherent in individual patient anatomy. Therefore, by fitting the BMD reference values as a function of overall body size, and the amount of bone, fat, and muscle in the CT scan section, the resultant images will be more accurate.
Exemplary embodiments are described above in detail. The assemblies and methods are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather, components of each assembly and/or method may be utilized independently and separately from other components described herein.
While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.
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20080013813 A1 | Jan 2008 | US |