Patent ID: 9672613
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: G06T

Claim:
1. A method of monitoring a bolus value, comprising: initiating flow of a contrast agent in a patient; constantly monitoring flow of the contrast agent in the patient using an imaging device; contrast-agent-assisted test recording of a time series of test images of a region patient under examination in the imaging device, the test images being of a first type sufficient only to determine a bolus value; determining via a processor, in a first determination, one bolus value in each respective one of the test images during the test recording, the bolus value being an image signal received in the imaging device; determining via the processor, in a second determination, a change in the bolus values between at least two test images during the test recording, the bolus values being image signals received in the imaging device; estimating via the processor, a future bolus value in the region under examination on the basis of the change in the bolus values between at least two test images during the test recording; regulating via the processor, a time interval between the recordings of individual test images as a function of the change in the bolus values during the test recording, wherein the function of the change in bolus values is adapted to a variation in the bolus values over time and includes parameters related to properties of contrast agents used in the method and parameters related to the patient under examination; and recording of a diagnostic image based on the determined and estimated bolus values of the at least two test images obtained during the test recording, wherein the time interval between the recordings of individual test images is regulated in such a way that the time interval decreases with increasing bolus values, the diagnostic image being of a second type enhanced in terms of imaged volume and/or the spatial resolution and/or the specific contrast by comparison with the test image, wherein the test images are images of a patient stationary relative to the imaging device and the diagnostic image is an image of a patient moving relative to the imaging device.