Improved method of in vivo respiratory-gated micro-CT imaging.
The presence of motion artifacts is a typical problem in thoracic imaging. However, synchronizing the respiratory cycle with computed tomography (CT) image acquisition can reduce these artifacts. We currently employ a method of in vivo respiratory-gated micro-CT imaging for small laboratory animals (mice). This procedure involves the use of a ventilator that controls the respiratory cycle of the animal and provides a digital output signal that is used to trigger data acquisition. After inspection of the default respiratory trigger timing, we hypothesized that image quality could be improved by moving the data-acquisition window to a portion of the cycle with less respiratory motion. For this reason, we developed a simple delay circuit to adjust the timing of the ventilator signal that initiates micro-CT data acquisition. This delay circuit decreases motion artifacts and substantially improves image quality.
Department of Imaging Physics, Unit 56, The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Erin B
EB
Walters
Kunal
K
Panda
James A
JA
Bankson
Ellana
E
Brown
Dianna D
DD
Cody
D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D051379:Mice; D009068:Movement; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D012119:Respiration; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*