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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7254623 | Method and apparatus for reducing x-ray dosage in CT imaging prescription The present invention is directed to a networked scanner environment wherein each scanner is communicatable with one or more databases configured to store data associated with previously executed imaging sessions. The one or more databases may be queried by a user t... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7238945 | CT detector having a segmented optical coupler and method of manufacturing same The present invention is a directed to a CT detector for a CT imaging system that incorporates a segmented optical coupler between a photodiode array and a scintillator array. The segmented optical coupler also operates as a light collimator which improves the light... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7227356 | Method and apparatus of multi-echo MR data acquisition with non-discrete flip angle train An imaging technique is disclosed to reduce ringing artifacts from amplitude decay in MR multi-echo acquisition. A flip angle train is determined to match scan parameters for an MR scan to acquire MR data from a given tissue. Reducing the effects of amplitude decay ... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7224766 | CT detector array having non-pixelated scintillator array The present invention is a directed to a non-pixelated scintillator array for a CT detector as well as an apparatus and method of manufacturing same. The scintillator array is comprised of a number of ceramic fibers or single crystal fibers that are aligned in paral... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7219222 | Method and system to grant access to software options resident on a medical imaging device A system and method are provided that remotely grants limited access and permits use of resident software options in accordance with terms consistent with an access grant. The invention includes receiving an access request from a user to access a software option res... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7209777 | Method and apparatus for automated tracking of non-linear vessel movement using MR imaging A system and method is disclosed for tracking a moving object using magnetic resonance imaging. The technique includes acquiring a scout image scan having a number of image frames and extracting non-linear motion parameters from the number of image frames of the sco... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7209778 | Embedded thermal control system for high field MR scanners A thermal control system having an initial bore condition and a thermal boundary condition for an MRI includes a thermal controller adapted to set at least one dynamic limit on power input into an MRI gradient coil. The dynamic limit is determined for a first comman... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7203704 | Method and apparatus of cross-pollinating a post to computerized bulletin boards A GUI such as a web page having a hyperlink thereon is provided and that allows a user to contribute a post to a bulletin board or a thread dedicated to a particular topic of interest. The present invention also includes a process by which the content of the user po... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7190170 | Particle doped magnetic coil A system and method for decreasing partial discharge between adjacent conductive plates includes suspending a plurality of particles in the space between adjacent plates of a magnetic coil. The plurality of particles are generally uniformly dispersed in the space an... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7189972 | X-ray detector with impact absorbing cover The present invention is a directed to a cover assembly for an x-ray detector that incorporates impact-absorbing material designed to absorb the shock, vibration, stress, and strain placed on the detector when dropped or subjected to a load. The cover assembly may i... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7184813 | Method and apparatus for improved metabolite signal separation in MR spectroscopy A technique is set forth for MR spectroscopy that is capable of reducing signal overlap between metabolite signals for improved clinical analysis of metabolite content. The technique includes varying an echo time across a scanning dimension. Once a span of echo time... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7177387 | Self-aligning scintillator-collimator assembly The present invention is directed to scintillator module for a CT detector as well as an apparatus and method of manufacturing the same. The scintillator module is comprised of a scintillator array having a plurality of scintillators aligned in parallel with respect... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7176684 | Method and system of determining in-plane motion in propeller data The present invention is directed to a method of MR imaging whereby a k-space blade extending through a center of k-space from a subject in motion is acquired. A high-pass convolution of the k-space blade with a reference k-space blade is then determined and convert... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7173425 | Method and apparatus to generate a circular polarized RF field independent of subject asymmetry An RF coil assembly is presented that incorporates balun networks to eliminate standing waves from cables used to apply a voltage to multiple drive ports of the coil. Each drive port is driven by an applied voltage that is shifted 90 degrees in the tangential direct... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7173998 | CT detector having a segmented optical coupler and method of manufacturing same The present invention is a directed to a CT detector for a CT imaging system that incorporates a segmented optical coupler between a photodiode array and a scintillator array. The segmented optical coupler also operates as a light collimator which improves the light... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7173996 | Methods and apparatus for 3D reconstruction in helical cone beam volumetric CT A method for reconstructing an image of an object utilizing a cone-beam volumetric computed tomographic imaging apparatus includes helically scanning the object with a radiation source utilizing the cone-beam volumetric computed tomographic imaging apparatus; select... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7172341 | Imaging apparatus and subject moving device With the object of, when a table unit is moved downward as viewed in a vertical direction by use of an actuator, smoothly moving the table unit and enhancing operability, when the actuator moves the table unit from a first position in the vertical direction to a dow... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7171254 | RF coil embedded with homogeneity enhancing material The present invention provides a system and method of improved homogeneity whereby at least a portion of an RF coil is filled with homogeneity enhancing material. Disposing the homogeneity enhancing material, such as perfluorocarbon, within the RF coil, implementati... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7167539 | Thermal sensing detector cell for a computed tomography system and method of manufacturing same The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a CT detector cell having an x-ray absorption component and a thermal sensing component. The thermal sensing component is configured to detect thermal differentials in the absorption component resulting from t... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7149278 | Method and system of dynamically controlling shaping time of a photon counting energy-sensitive radiation detector to accommodate variations in incident radiation flux levels A method and system of counting and tagging radiation energy received by a radiation detector is presented. The method and system are designed to dynamically control the sampling window or shaping time characteristics of a photon counting detector to accommodate var... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7149277 | Correction coefficient calculating method for X-ray CT systems, beam hardening post-processing method therefor, and X-ray CT system An object of the present invention is to calculate a more accurate beam-hardening correction coefficient. A phantom having an oblong section or a phantom having an annular (sector) section and a uniform thickness is positioned in an X-ray CT system, and scanned from... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7138800 | Method and apparatus for vibration-related artifact reduction A method and apparatus for reducing vibration-related artifacts in diffusion weighted imaging determines a vibrational frequency of an MR system and modifies scan parameters such that vibrational frequencies induced on the MR system are inconsistent with the vibrati... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7135864 | System and method of elliptically driving an MRI Coil An RF coil apparatus for generating an elliptical polarization field includes an RF coil assembly having a pair of independent drive channels connected thereto. The drive channels are driven such that an elliptical polarization field is generated in a volume-of-inte... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7127027 | Direct conversion energy discriminating CT detector A CT detector capable of energy discrimination and direct conversion is disclosed. The detector includes multiple layers of semiconductor material with the layers having varying thicknesses. The detector is constructed to be segmented in the x-ray penetration direct... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7127032 | X-ray detector having an accelerometer A method and system of electronically detecting and measuring gravitational loads placed on an x-ray detector is disclosed. An x-ray detector incorporates an accelerometer that detects and provides an output as to the extent of gravitational loads or forces placed t... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7112797 | Scintillator having integrated collimator and method of manufacturing same The present invention is directed to an integrated scintillator and collimator array for a CT detector. The integrated scintillator and collimator are fabricated from a manufacturing process or technique whereupon an array of scintillator material is positioned on a... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7113894 | System and method for coordinated remote activation of multiple software-based options A system and method are provided to remotely activate options resident on a plurality of devices within a site. The invention includes generating a number of activation keys, each of which is specific to one of a plurality of in-field devices having inactive options... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7110488 | X-ray generator and slip ring for a CT system The present invention is directed to an apparatus for supplying power to a rotatable x-ray tube for generation of an x-ray beam for acquisition of CT data. The apparatus includes a slip ring to transfer power from a stationary inverter to a rotatable HV tank. The HV... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7109710 | Method and apparatus to improve signal-to-noise ratio without compromising field-of-view for simultaneous MR data acquisition by an array of RF coils of an MR scanner A method and apparatus is disclosed to analogically combine MR signals from RF coils to form multiple sets of analogically combined MR signals, and then digitally combine the analogically combined sets of MR signals to provide a digitized signal set for image recons... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7102352 | Method and system for image artifact reduction using nearest-neighbor phase correction for echo planar imaging A nearest neighbor phase correction technique is implemented to reduce image artifacts due to phase errors in data acquired in an EPI scan. Image quality for EPI applications, such as DWI, DTI, and fMRI, is improved. ... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7098662 | Method and system of MR imaging with variable readout gradient filtering A method and system of MR imaging where variable readout gradient filtering (VRGF) is carried out after MR data acquired during gradient field transitions has been phase-corrected. Thus, phase errors can be removed prior to VRGF re-sampling of the MR data. As such, ... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7092481 | Direct conversion energy discriminating CT detector A CT detector capable of energy discrimination and direct conversion is disclosed. The detector includes multiple layers of semiconductor material with the layers having varying thicknesses. The detector is constructed to be segmented in the x-ray penetration direct... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7090396 | Systems, methods and apparatus of a radiographic positioner Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which, in one embodiment, an X-ray source and collimator are positioned relative to an image receptor for imaging of a subject. ... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7093032 | System and method for multi-vendor authentication to remotely activate a software-based option A system and method are provided to remotely activate options resident on a multi-vendor supported device. The technique includes receiving, at a centralized facility, an activation key sent from a first location and configured to activate an option of an in-field d... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7088799 | Method and apparatus for presenting multiple pre-subject filtering profiles during CT data acquisition The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for CT data acquisition using a rotatable pre-subject filter having more than one filtering profile to control radiation exposure to a subject. The filter is caused to rotate by a motor and bearing assembly... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7088849 | Method and apparatus for detecting low contrast object in a diagnostic image The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus of objectively testing the low contrast performance of an imaging system. Images of a uniform phantom and images of a low contrast detectability phantom are reconstructed. Thereafter, a group of pixels from... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7088100 | Method and apparatus to generate a circular polarized RF field independent of subject asymmetry An RF coil assembly is presented that incorporates balun networks to eliminate standing waves from cables used to apply a voltage to multiple drive ports of the coil. Each drive port is driven by an applied voltage that is shifted 90 degrees in the tangential direct... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7084404 | CT detector having a segmented optical coupler and method of manufacturing same The present invention is a directed to a CT detector for a CT imaging system that incorporates a segmented optical coupler between a photodiode array and a scintillator array. The segmented optical coupler also operates as a light collimator which improves the light... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7081752 | System and method of electrically loading radio-frequency coils using conductive polymers A system and method including an apparatus for use in electrically loading RF coils of an MRI system is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polymer interdispersed with an electrically conductive additive such that the apparatus provides the necessary electrical load... | 07/25/2006 |
| 7078900 | Method and system of determining parameters for MR data acquisition with real-time Boptimization The present invention provides a system and method of MR scan prescription to achieve in a fast, simple, and effective manner the optimal peak excitation field strength for a given pulse shape and flip angle such that the minimum TR for the MR scan can be optimized ... | 07/18/2006 |
