Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2010, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (26): 4818-4822.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2010.26.017

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Four-dimensional computerized tomography reconstruction based on body volume change  

Zhang Shu-xu1, Yu Hui1, Yang Jun2, Zhou Ling-hong3, Zhang Hai-nan1, Lin Sheng-qu1   

  1. 1Radiotherapy Center, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou  510095, Guangdong Province, China;
    2The 458 Hospital of Chinese PLA, Guangzhou  510060, Guangdong Province, China;
    3School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou  510515, Guangdong Province, China
  • Online:2010-06-25 Published:2010-06-25
  • About author:Zhang Shu-xu, Doctor, Chief technician, Master’s supervisor, Radiotherapy Center, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510095, Guangdong Province, China gthzsx@163.com
  • Supported by:

    the Science and Technology Development Program of Guangzhou Higher Education Institutes, No. 08A008*;
    the Doctoral Foundation Program of Guangzhou Medical University, No. 2010-1-11*

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: There is no domestic four-dimensional computerized tomography (4D-CT). The import 4D-CT system requires respiratory signals during image collection, limiting the reconstruction in only several CT machine. In addition, respiration monitor device and 4D-CT reconstruction software cost high, limiting the wide application in China.
OBJECTIVE: To overcome the shortcoming of present commercial 4D-CT reconstruction system and implement 4D-CT reconstruction based on multi-slices CT scanner.
METHODS: A 4D-CT reconstruction software program (GTH4DIM V2.0) was developed by using VC++ and VTK software tools. The CT data of patient undergoing free breathing were acquired in Cine mode by a GE LightSpeed 16 CT scanner, with the Cine during time equal to the breathing period of the patient plus one second (about 4-6 seconds), and 8 to 15 slices CT images were acquired by a row CT detector in every Cine scan. The phase of each CT slice was determined according to the volume change rule of scanned thoracic cavity and lung tissue during respiration.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: All of the CT data with the same phase, which were acquired in Cine mode, were resorted by GTH4DIM V2.0 into a same CT series, and several 3D-CT series with the different phases could be obtained. 3D reconstruction of the CT data was completed by using GTH4DIM V2.0 software. Compared with the unsorted CT data, the motion artifacts in the 3D reconstruction of sorted CT data were significantly reduced, and all of the resorted multi-phase CT series result in a 4D-CT, which reflected the characteristics of the periodical motion viscera contained within the abdominal and thoracic cavities. The results suggest that time-resolved 4D-CT reconstruction of periodical motion viscera could be implemented with any general multi-slice CT scanners based on the volume change rule of scanned thoracic cavity and lung tissue during respiration, and the process of the 4D-CT data acquisition and reconstruction were independent on the respiration monitoring system and not restricted to the hardware or software of the CT scanner. Therefore, it is a universal 4D-CT reconstruction method.

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