Efficient processing of photon counting X-Ray CT sinograms
JHU REF: [C12151]
Invention novelty: New and more efficient methods of compensating for image distorting effects in photon counting X-Ray CT.
Value Proposition
Traditional CT suffers from some major limitations: low contrast between different tissues and high dosages required for a clean image. Photon counting X-Ray (PCXD) CT systems avoid these limitations. However, the raw data from photon counting X-Ray CT suffers from pulse pileup and spectral response effects which distort and occlude the true data. This invention provides methods to compensate for these unwanted effects. Advantages of these methods include:
· Ability to generate 4-fold increase in operational count rate of PCXDs
· Bias reduction from 11% to 0%
· Artifacts removed from reconstructed images
· Similar to methods used in SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) and PET
Technical Details
Johns Hopkins Researchers have developed a model for the pulse pileup effects which affect photon counting detectors used in X-Ray CT. Furthermore, methods to compensate for this effect as well as spectral response effects (such as finite-energy-resolution, Compton scattering, charge-sharing, and K-escape) were also developed in order to make PCXD CT systems viable in the clinical setting. These compensation methods involve a highly efficient and convergent conjugate gradient method.
Looking for Partners: To develop and commercialize the technology as an efficient method to analyze data from photon counting X-Ray CT systems.
Stage of Development: [Pre-Clinical]
Data Availability: See Publications
Patent Status: Pending
Publication(s)/Associated Cases: 1. An analytical model of the effects of pulse pileup on the energy spectrum recorded by energy resolved photon counting x-ray detectors.
2. Enabling photon counting clinical X-ray CT
3. Spectral response compensation for photon-counting clinical x-ray CT using sinogram restoration
