Patent ID: 7186984
Filing Date: 2007-03-06
Classification: A61B,G01T,G06T

Abstract:
1. A process of quantifying the radioactivity of a set of living tissue structures to determine the concentration of a radioactive tracer in said living tissue structures, the process comprising the steps: (a) acquiring and reconstructing a plurality of images of the said living tissue structures in three dimensions using an imaging system comprising a detection chain and employing emission tomography and storing said plurality of three-dimensional images in the form of numerical data in a memory; (b) generating a high resolution generic anatomical numerical model of a shape approximating said living tissue structures and storing said high resolution generic anatomical model in the form of numerical data in said memory; (c) determining a point dispersion function of said detection chain and storing parameters characterizing said point dispersion function in the form of numerical signals in said memory; (d) convoluting said high-resolution generic anatomical numerical model with said parameters of said point dispersion function to obtain a low resolution model of said high-resolution generic anatomical numerical model and storing said low resolution model in the form of numerical data in said memory; (e) readjusting between said plurality of three-dimensional images and said low resolution model; (f) estimating a match between said plurality of three-dimensional images and said low resolution model and testing said match using predetermined threshold values; (g) performing iterative tests if the testing of said match is negative, comprising the step of deforming said high resolution generic anatomical numerical model, storing deformation of said high resolution generic anatomical numerical model in the form of numerical data in said memory, and repeating said steps (d)–(f) until the testing of said match is positive; (h) segmentating said low resolution model in regions superimposed on said numerical data of said plurality of three dimensional images; (i) determining the radioactivity in said plurality of three-dimensional images in segmented regions and storage the radioactivity in the form of numerical data in said memory; (j) determining a geometric transfer matrix starting from said high resolution generic anatomical numerical model and low resolution model, and storing said geometric transfer matrix in the form of numerical data in said memory; and (k) inverting said geometric transfer matrix and multiplying inverted geometric transfer matrix by said numerical data representing the radioactivity of said segmented regions to obtain correction data of partial volume effect associated with said living tissue structures, thereby providing a quantification data of radioactive concentration within said living tissue structures.