Generating a suitable model for estimating patient radiation dose resulting from medical imaging scans

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for estimating patient radiation exposure during computerized tomography (CT) scans. More specifically, embodiments of the invention provide efficient approaches for generating a suitable patient model used to make such an estimate, to approaches for estimating patient dose by interpolating the results of multiple simulations, and to approaches for a service provider to host a dose estimation service made available to multiple CT scan providers.

Description

technical field [0001] Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a scheme for estimating radiation exposure of a patient during a computerized tomography (CT) scan. Background technique [0002] As is known, CT scanning systems use ionizing radiation (X-rays) to create images of tissues, organs and other structures in the body. X-ray data from CT scans can be converted into images on a computer screen. For example, a CT scan will provide a data set used to create a three-dimensional (3D) volume corresponding to the scanned portion of the patient's body. The 3D volume is then sliced ​​to create images of body tissue at small intervals along the axis of the patient's body. Such slices may include lateral slices and transverse slices (among others), depending on the tissue or structure to be imaged. [0003] The use of CT scans and ionizing radiation for medical imaging has grown exponentially over the past decade. And modern technologies such as CT scans provide far...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, this leads to poor and widely varying results, depending on where the single point dose is measured

More generally, surface measurements of radiation exposure will not provide an accurate measure of actual absorption by internal tissues, organs, and structures

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