Automated method for contrast media arrival detection for dynamic contrast enhanced MRI

摘要

This invention provides an automated system and method for determining contrast media arrival in vessels near tissues of interest that have been imaged using a predetermined imaging system that produces a plurality of temporally phased images. The system and method reliably distinguishes between actual contrast arrival and potential false positives that can render basic automated techniques inoperable or unreliable. In an illustrative embodiment, the system and method for determining a contrast arrival phase in a plurality of temporal phases of a medical image dataset of tissue includes an image pre-processor or process that, for each of at least a subset of the temporal phases of the medical image dataset, with at least a subset of the signal intensity values respectively in each of the temporal phases, computes signal intensity frequency distributions. An arrival phase analysis processor or process then determines the contrast arrival phase as a function of a relative change in the signal intensity frequency distributions between each of the temporal phases. The signal intensity frequency distributions can be characterized as histograms in an illustrative embodiment. The arrival phase can further be used for setting proper parameters in which to post-process temporally phased images using various methods for tissue perfusion analysis.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method for determining a contrast arrival phase in a plurality of temporal phases of an image of tissue, comprising the steps of:
establishing in a region of interest, within the image of the tissue, intensity statistics for voxels in each of the plurality of phases; receiving a pre-contrast intensity threshold value of the statistics; preselecting the voxels within the region of interest based upon temporal enhancement characteristics for each of the voxels; computing statistics for predetermined dynamic phases from the preselected voxels; determining a cutoff threshold based on the statistics; determining by a computer, a relative change in statistics for each of the predetermined dynamic phases with respect to the cutoff threshold by determining the contrast arrival phase as a function of temporal increase in frequency of the preselected voxels having post-contrast signal intensity values that exceed the pre-contrast signal intensity threshold value; and reporting the contrast arrival phase to an output device based upon the determined relative change.