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- Malusek, Alexandr, 1968-
(författare)
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Calculation of scatter in cone beam CT : Steps towards a virtual tomograph
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Scattered photons—shortly scatter—are generated by interaction processes when photon beams interact with matter. In diagnostic radiology, they deteriorate image quality since they add an undesirable signal that lowers the contrast in projection radiography and causes cupping and streak artefacts in computed tomography (CT). Scatter is one of the most detrimental factors in cone beam CT owing to irradiation geometries using wide beams. It cannot be fully eliminated, nevertheless its amount can be lowered via scatter reduction techniques (air gaps, antiscatter grids, collimators) and its effect on medical images can be suppressed via scatter correction algorithms.Aim: Develop a tool—a virtual tomograph—that simulates projections and performs image reconstructions similarly to a real CT scanner. Use this tool to evaluate the effect of scatter on projections and reconstructed images in cone beam CT. Propose improvements in CT scanner design and image reconstruction algorithms.Methods: A software toolkit (CTmod) based on the application development framework ROOT was written to simulate primary and scatter projections using analytic and Monte Carlo methods, respectively. It was used to calculate the amount of scatter in cone beam CT for anthropomorphic voxel phantoms and water cylinders. Configurations with and without bowtie filters, antiscatter grids, and beam hardening corrections were investigated. Filtered back-projection was used to reconstruct images. Automatic threshold segmentation of volumetric CT data of anthropomorphic phantoms with known tissue compositions was tested to evaluate its usability in an iterative image reconstruction algorithm capable of performing scatter correction.Results: It was found that computer speed was the limiting factor for the deployment of this method in clinical CT scanners. It took several hours to calculate a single projection depending on the complexity of the geometry, number of simulated detector elements, and statistical precision. Data calculated using the CTmod code confirmed the already known facts that the amount of scatter is almost linearly proportional to the beam width, the scatter-to-primary ratio (SPR) can be larger than 1 for body-size objects, and bowtie filters can decrease the SPR in certain regions of projections. Ideal antiscatter grids significantly lowered the amount of scatter. The beneficial effect of classical antiscatter grids in cone beam CT with flat panel imagers was not confirmed by other researchers nevertheless new grid designs are still being tested. A simple formula estimating the effect of scatter on the quality of reconstructed images was suggested and tested.Conclusions: It was shown that computer simulations could calculate the amount of scatter in diagnostic radiology. The Monte Carlo method was too slow for a routine use in contemporary clinical practice nevertheless it could be used to optimize CT scanner design and, with some enhancements, it could become a part of an image reconstruction algorithm that performs scatter correction.
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| 2. |
- Alm Carlsson, Gudrun, et al.
(författare)
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Monte Carlo metoden : ett verktyg inom strålningsfysiken
- 1995
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Detta kompendium är tänkt att användas som ett propedeutiskt kursmaterial för kursdeltagare i kursen "Monte Carlo simulering av foton- och elektrontransport vid diagnostiska och radioterapeutiska strålkvaliteter". Först följer en kort repetition av den grundläggande statistik som utnyt1jas i beräkningarna. Därefter följer en beskrivning av slumptal. det fundament som metoden bygger på. Vidare beskrivs val ur olika frekvensfunktioner. Valet kan även göras ur så kallade falska fördelningar för att reducera variansen i den skattade storheten. Metoderna belyses i ett avsnitt om problemlösningsmetodik. först i allmänna termer för att sen gå in på ett specifikt problem (Buffons nålproblem) där en analys och strukturering av problemet görs varefter flödesschema och kodning exemplifieras. Så följer två moment där en beskrivning görs av färderna av fotoner respektive elektroner genom materia. För elektronfärderna gör man en indelning i klass 1- och klass II-färder. Vad detta innebär och hur deltapartiklar tas om hand beskrivs i ett kapitel. Till sist kommer en kort introduktion till de tre laborationerna med laborationshandledningar. Speciell vikt har lagts vid att initiera laboranten att fundera på fysiken i de simulerade experimenten. Detta kompendium har tillkommit som examinationsarbete vid en kurs i "Monte Carlo simulering av foton- och elektrontransport vid diagnostiska och radioterapeutiska strålkvaliteter", med andra ord den kurs du själv nu ämnar studera. Författarna önskar dig lycka till med kursen och hoppas att du kommer att få glädje av den. Speciellt hoppas vi att denna skrift ska underlätta för dig att tillgodogöra dig informationen vid föreläsningarna och under laborationerna.
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| 4. |
- Andersson, Mats, et al.
(författare)
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Adaptiv filtering of 4D-heart CT for image denoising and patient safety
- 2010
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of this medical image science project is to increase patient safety in terms of improved image quality and reduced exposure to ionizing radiation in CT. The means to achieve these goals is to develop and evaluate an efficient adaptive filtering (denoising/image enhancement) method that fully explores true 4D image acquisition modes. Four-dimensional (4D) medical image data are captured as a time sequence of image volumes. During 4D image acquisition, a 3D image of the patient is recorded at regular time intervals. The resulting data will consequently have three spatial dimensions and one temporal dimension. Increasing the dimensionality of the data impose a major increase the computational demands. The initial linear filtering which is the cornerstone in all adaptive image enhancement algorithms increase exponentially with the dimensionality. On the other hand the potential gain in Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) also increase exponentially with the dimensionality. This means that the same gain in noise reduction that can be attained by performing the adaptive filtering in 3D as opposed to 2D can be expected to occur once more by moving from 3D to 4D. The initial tests on on both synthetic and clinical 4D images has resulted in a significant reduction of the noise level and an increased detail compared to 2D and 3D methods. When tuning the parameters for adaptive filtering is extremely important to attain maximal diagnostic value which not necessarily coincide with an an eye pleasing image for a layman. Although this application focus on CT the resulting adaptive filtering methods will be beneficial for a wide range of 3D/4D medical imaging modalities e.g. shorter acquisition time in MRI and improved elimination of noise in 3D or 4D ultrasound datasets.
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| 5. |
- Baranowski, Jacek, et al.
(författare)
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Echo-guided presentation of the aortic valve minimises contrast exposure in transcatheter valve recipients
- 2011
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Ingår i: Catheterization and cardiovascular interventions. - : Wiley. - 1522-1946 .- 1522-726X. ; 77:2, s. 272-275
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: We have developed a method using transthoracic echocardiography in establishing optimal visualization of the aortic root, to reduce the amount of contrast medium used in each patient. BACKGROUND: During transcatheter aortic valve implantation, it is necessary to obtain an optimal fluoroscopic projection for deployment of the valve showing the aortic ostium with the three cusps aligned in the beam direction. This may require repeat aortic root angiograms at this stage of the procedure with a high amount of contrast medium with a risk of detrimental influence on renal function. METHODS: We studied the conventional way and an echo guided way to optimize visualisation of the aortic root. Echocardiography was used initially allowing easier alignment of the image intensifier with the transducer's direction. RESULTS: Contrast volumes, radiation/fluoroscopy exposure times, and postoperative creatinine levels were significantly less in patients having the echo-guided orientation of the optimal fluoroscopic angles compared with patients treated with the conventional approach. CONCLUSION: We present a user-friendly echo-guided method to facilitate fluoroscopy adjustment during transcatheter aortic valve implantation. In our series, the amounts of contrast medium and radiation have been significantly reduced, with a concomitant reduction in detrimental effects on renal function in the early postoperative phase.
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| 6. |
- Borgen, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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Application of adaptive non-linear 2D and 3D postprocessing filters for reduced dose abdominal CT
- 2012
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Ingår i: Acta Radiologica. - : Informa Healthcare / Wiley-Blackwell / Royal Society of Medicine Press. - 0284-1851 .- 1600-0455. ; 53:3, s. 335-342
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Abdominal computed tomography (an is a frequently performed imaging procedure, resulting in considerable radiation doses to the patient population. Postprocessing filters are one of several dose reduction measures that might help to reduce radiation doses without loss of image quality. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanPurpose: To assess and compare the effect of two- and three-dimensional (2D, 3D) non-linear adaptive filters on reduced dose abdominal CT images. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanMaterial and Methods: Two baseline abdominal CT image series with a volume computer tomography dose index (CTDI (vol)) of 12 mGy and 6 mGy were acquired for 12 patients. Reduced dose images were postprocessed with 2D and 3D filters. Six radiologists performed blinded randomized, side-by-side image quality assessments. Objective noise was measured. Data were analyzed using visual grading regression and mixed linear models. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResults: All image quality criteria were rated as superior for 3D filtered images compared to reduced dose baseline and 2D filtered images (P andlt; 0.01). Standard dose images had better image quality than reduced dose 3D filtered images (P andlt; 0.01), but similar image noise. For patients with body mass index (BMI) andlt; 30 kg/m(2) however, 3D filtered images were rated significantly better than normal dose images for two image criteria (P andlt; 0.05), while no significant difference was found for the remaining three image criteria (P andgt; 0.05). There were no significant variations of objective noise between standard dose and 2D or 3D filtered images. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanConclusion: The quality of 3D filtered reduced dose abdominal CT images is superior compared to reduced dose unfiltered and 2D filtered images. For patients with BMI andlt; 30 kg/m(2), 3D filtered images are comparable to standard dose images.
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| 7. |
- Dance, D, et al.
(författare)
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Breast dosimetry using high-resolution voxel phantoms
- 2005
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Ingår i: Radiation Protection Dosimetry. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0144-8420 .- 1742-3406. ; 114:1-3, s. 359-363
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A computer model of X-ray mammography has been developed, which uses quasi-realistic high-resolution voxel phantoms to simulate the breast. The phantoms have 400 μm voxels and simulate the three-dimensional distributions of adipose and fibroglandular tissues, Cooper's ligaments, ducts and skin and allow the estimation of dose to individual tissues. Calculations of the incident air kerma to mean glandular dose conversion factor, g, were made using a Mo/Mo spectrum at 28 kV for eight phantoms in the thickness range 40-80 mm and of varying glandularity. The values differed from standard tabulations used for breast dosimetry by up to 43%, because of the different spatial distribution of glandular tissue within the breast. To study this further, additional voxel phantoms were constructed, which gave variations of between 9 and 59% compared with standard values. For accurate breast dosimetry, it is therefore very important to take the distribution of glandular tissues into account. © The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
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