Patent ID: 8615116

Claim:
A computed tomography system, comprising: a support stage constructed and arranged to support a subject while under observation; an x-ray illumination system arranged proximate said support stage to illuminate said subject with x-rays; an x-ray detection system arranged proximate said support stage to detect x-rays after they pass through said subject and to provide signals based on the detected x-rays; and a data processing system in communication with said x-ray detection system to receive said signals from said x-ray detection system, wherein said computed tomography system has a dynamic mode of operation in which said x-ray illumination system illuminates a portion of said subject a plurality of times and said data processing system processes at least some of said signals from said x-ray detection system to obtain a plurality of dynamic mode computed tomography images of said portion of said subject corresponding to said plurality of times to provide information regarding a change in said portion of said subject over said plurality of times, wherein said computed tomography system has a scanning mode of operation in which said x-ray illumination system illuminates a plurality of portions of said subject and said data processing system processes at least some of said signals from said x-ray detection system to obtain a plurality of scanning mode computed tomography images of a corresponding plurality of portions of said subject to provide a substantially three-dimensional representation of an internal structure of said subject, wherein said data processing system is configured to time register said plurality of dynamic mode computed tomography images with said plurality of scanning mode computed tomography images, wherein said data processing system is further configured to determine a first portion of an arterial input function based on said plurality of dynamic mode computed tomography images after being time registered, and wherein said data processing system is further configured to determine a second portion of said arterial input function based on said plurality of scanning mode computed tomography images after being time registered.