In the last two decades, there has been substantial development in the diagnostic possibilities for examining the small intestine. Compared with computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, capsule endoscopy a...In the last two decades, there has been substantial development in the diagnostic possibilities for examining the small intestine. Compared with computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, capsule endoscopy and double-balloon endoscopy, ultrasonography has the advantage of being cheap, portable, flexible and user-and patient-friendly, while at the same time providing the clinician with image data of high temporal and spatial resolution. The method has limitations with penetration in obesity and with intestinal air impairing image quality. The flexibility ultrasonography offers the examiner also implies that a systematic approach during scanning is needed. This paper reviews the basic scanning techniques and new modalities such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound, elastography, strain rate imaging, hydrosonography, allergosonography, endoscopic sonography and nutritional imaging, and the literature on disease-specific findings in the small intestine. Some of these methods have shown clinical benefit, while others are under research and development to establish their role in the diagnostic repertoire. However, along with improved overall image quality of new ultrasound scanners, these methodshave enabled more anatomical and physiological changes in the small intestine to be observed. Accordingly, ultrasound of the small intestine is an attractive clinical tool to study patients with a range of diseases.展开更多
Objective To evaluate the image quality （IQ） and radiation dose of 128-slice dual-source computed tomography （DSCT） coronary angiography using prospectively electrocardiogram （ECG）-triggered sequen- tial scan mo...Objective To evaluate the image quality （IQ） and radiation dose of 128-slice dual-source computed tomography （DSCT） coronary angiography using prospectively electrocardiogram （ECG）-triggered sequen- tial scan mode compared with ECG-gated spiral scan mode in a population with atrial fibrillation. Methods Thirty-two patients with suspected coronary artery disease and permanent atrial fibrilla- tion referred for a second-generation 128-slice DSCT coronary angiography were included in the prospec- tive study. Of them, 17 patients （sequential group） were randomly selected to use a prospectively ECG.~triggered sequential scan, while the other 15 patients （spiral group） used a retrospectively ECG-gated spiral scan. The IQ was assessed by two readers independently, using a four-point grading scale from excel- lent （grade 1） to non-assessable （grade 4）, based on the American Heart Association 15-segment model. IQ of each segment and effective dose of each natient were comDared between the two groups. Results The mean heart rate （HR） of the sequential group was 96±27 beats per minute （bpm） with a variation range of 73±25 bpm, while the mean HR of the spiral group was 86±22 bpm with a variationrange of 65±24 bpm. Both of the mean FIR （t= 1.91, P=0.243） and HR variation range （t=0.950, P=0.350） had no significant difference between the two groups. In per-segment analysis, IQ of the sequential group vs. spiral group was rated as excellent （grade 1） in 190/244 （78%） vs. 177/217 （82%） by readerl and 197/245 （80%） vs. 174/214 （81%） by reader2, as non-assessable （grade 4） in 4/244 （2%） vs. 2/217 （1%） by readerl and 6/245 （2%） vs. 4/214 （2%） by reader2. Overall averaged IQ per-patient in the sequential and spiral group showed equally good （1.27＋0.19 vs. 1.25＋0.22, Z=-0.834, P=0.404）. The effective radiation dose of the sequential group reduced significantly compared with the spiral group （4.88±1.77 mSv vs. 10.20±3.64 mSv; t=-5.372, P=0.000）. Conclusion Compared with retrospectively ECG-gated spiral scan, prospectively ECG-triggered sequential DSCT coronary angiography provides similarly diagnostically valuable images in patients with atrial fibrillation and significantly reduces radiation dose.展开更多
In this paper, a novel reconstruction technique based on level set method and algebraic reconstruction technique is proposed for multiphase flow computed tomography (CT) system. The curvature-driven noise reduction me...In this paper, a novel reconstruction technique based on level set method and algebraic reconstruction technique is proposed for multiphase flow computed tomography (CT) system. The curvature-driven noise reduction method is inserted into the conventional iteration procedure of algebraic reconstruction technique to improve the image quality and convergence speed with limited projection data. By evolving the image as a set of iso-intensity contours after each updation, the sufficient number of iterations for acceptable results is reduced by 80%-90%, while the image quality is enhanced obviously. Quantitative evaluation of image quality is given by using both relative image error and correlation coefficient. The resultant images can be utilized to detect flow regimes for monitoring industrial multiphase flow. Laboratory results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. Phantoms of four typical flow regimes can be reconstructed from few-view projection data efficiently, and the corresponding image errors and correlation coefficients are acceptable for the cases tested in this paper.展开更多
基金Supported by Medviz.-an imaging and visualisation consortium between Haukeland University Hospital, University in Bergen and Christian Michelsen Research
文摘In the last two decades, there has been substantial development in the diagnostic possibilities for examining the small intestine. Compared with computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, capsule endoscopy and double-balloon endoscopy, ultrasonography has the advantage of being cheap, portable, flexible and user-and patient-friendly, while at the same time providing the clinician with image data of high temporal and spatial resolution. The method has limitations with penetration in obesity and with intestinal air impairing image quality. The flexibility ultrasonography offers the examiner also implies that a systematic approach during scanning is needed. This paper reviews the basic scanning techniques and new modalities such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound, elastography, strain rate imaging, hydrosonography, allergosonography, endoscopic sonography and nutritional imaging, and the literature on disease-specific findings in the small intestine. Some of these methods have shown clinical benefit, while others are under research and development to establish their role in the diagnostic repertoire. However, along with improved overall image quality of new ultrasound scanners, these methodshave enabled more anatomical and physiological changes in the small intestine to be observed. Accordingly, ultrasound of the small intestine is an attractive clinical tool to study patients with a range of diseases.
文摘Objective To evaluate the image quality （IQ） and radiation dose of 128-slice dual-source computed tomography （DSCT） coronary angiography using prospectively electrocardiogram （ECG）-triggered sequen- tial scan mode compared with ECG-gated spiral scan mode in a population with atrial fibrillation. Methods Thirty-two patients with suspected coronary artery disease and permanent atrial fibrilla- tion referred for a second-generation 128-slice DSCT coronary angiography were included in the prospec- tive study. Of them, 17 patients （sequential group） were randomly selected to use a prospectively ECG.~triggered sequential scan, while the other 15 patients （spiral group） used a retrospectively ECG-gated spiral scan. The IQ was assessed by two readers independently, using a four-point grading scale from excel- lent （grade 1） to non-assessable （grade 4）, based on the American Heart Association 15-segment model. IQ of each segment and effective dose of each natient were comDared between the two groups. Results The mean heart rate （HR） of the sequential group was 96±27 beats per minute （bpm） with a variation range of 73±25 bpm, while the mean HR of the spiral group was 86±22 bpm with a variationrange of 65±24 bpm. Both of the mean FIR （t= 1.91, P=0.243） and HR variation range （t=0.950, P=0.350） had no significant difference between the two groups. In per-segment analysis, IQ of the sequential group vs. spiral group was rated as excellent （grade 1） in 190/244 （78%） vs. 177/217 （82%） by readerl and 197/245 （80%） vs. 174/214 （81%） by reader2, as non-assessable （grade 4） in 4/244 （2%） vs. 2/217 （1%） by readerl and 6/245 （2%） vs. 4/214 （2%） by reader2. Overall averaged IQ per-patient in the sequential and spiral group showed equally good （1.27＋0.19 vs. 1.25＋0.22, Z=-0.834, P=0.404）. The effective radiation dose of the sequential group reduced significantly compared with the spiral group （4.88±1.77 mSv vs. 10.20±3.64 mSv; t=-5.372, P=0.000）. Conclusion Compared with retrospectively ECG-gated spiral scan, prospectively ECG-triggered sequential DSCT coronary angiography provides similarly diagnostically valuable images in patients with atrial fibrillation and significantly reduces radiation dose.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.60820106002,No.60532020)Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin(No.11JCYBJC06900)
文摘In this paper, a novel reconstruction technique based on level set method and algebraic reconstruction technique is proposed for multiphase flow computed tomography (CT) system. The curvature-driven noise reduction method is inserted into the conventional iteration procedure of algebraic reconstruction technique to improve the image quality and convergence speed with limited projection data. By evolving the image as a set of iso-intensity contours after each updation, the sufficient number of iterations for acceptable results is reduced by 80%-90%, while the image quality is enhanced obviously. Quantitative evaluation of image quality is given by using both relative image error and correlation coefficient. The resultant images can be utilized to detect flow regimes for monitoring industrial multiphase flow. Laboratory results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. Phantoms of four typical flow regimes can be reconstructed from few-view projection data efficiently, and the corresponding image errors and correlation coefficients are acceptable for the cases tested in this paper.
