Patent ID: 8218719
Filing Date: 2012-07-10
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A computerized method to assist configuring a computed tomography (CT) apparatus to an adjustable acquisition configuration among a plurality of available adjustable acquisition configurations, to implement an examination of the heart of a patient, comprising the steps of: prior to implementing an examination of the heart of a patient with a CT apparatus, entering information into a computerized processor that designates a patient-specific variable of the patient and an x-ray dose-specific variable of the examination; in a memory accessible by said processor, storing and associating with, for each of said available adjustable acquisition configurations, at least two probability density functions, with a first of said at least two probability density functions generally correlating a patient variable with a probability of suitability of the associated adjustable acquisition configuration, and with a second of said at least two probability density functions generally correlating an x-ray dose with a probability of suitability of the associated adjustable acquisition configuration; in said processor, accessing said probability density functions respectively for at least two of the available adjustable acquisition configurations and, for each of the first and second probability density functions associated therewith, determining the respective probability of suitability of the associated adjustable acquisition configuration for the patient-specific variable and for the x-ray dose-specific variable and, from the determined probabilities, selecting one of said at least two of said adjustable acquisition configurations for use in implementing said examination of said patient; and providing an indication of the selected adjustable acquisition configuration at an output of the processor in a form allowing the CT apparatus to be configured according to the selected adjustable acquisition configuration.