Kevin M Holt

US Patent:

7286630, Oct 23, 2007

Filed:

Dec 16, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/305750

Inventors:

Kevin Holt - Chicago IL, US

Assignee:

Varian Medical Systems Technologies, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

A61B 6/00

US Classification:

378 8, 378 20

Abstract:

A method of and apparatus for facilitating enhanced computed tomography (“CT”) scanning is provided including a scanned object () disposed on a translating table () capable of rotating the object () and moving the through the CT system (). Certain values regarding the scanning system geometry and a target metric are provided ( and ). Given these values and the target metric, the system determines () a scanning procedure as a predetermined function of the target metric and the scanning system geometry dependant values. Further, the system may resample () the scanning data into an output array according to a predetermined sampling algorithm.

US Patent:

7700909, Apr 20, 2010

Filed:

Oct 27, 2005

Appl. No.:

12/091610

Inventors:

Kevin M. Holt - Chicago IL, US

Assignee:

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G01D 18/00
G01T 1/164

US Classification:

2502521, 25036309

Abstract:

A method of and apparatus for automatically calibrating a computed tomography (“CT”) scanning system () is provided including providing () a calibration object () substantially centered on a translating table () for passing through the CT system (). The system () scans () the calibration object () and provides () a preliminary representation such as a display () of a sorted sinogram of the object (). From that preliminary representation, the system () determines intercept-related and/or slope-related values for at least a portion ( or ) of the preliminary representation and uses these values to calculate () one or more predetermined calibrations values.

US Patent:

7922390, Apr 12, 2011

Filed:

Mar 11, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/046337

Inventors:

Kevin Holt - Chicago IL, US
Charles R. Smith - Libertyville IL, US

Assignee:

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G01D 18/00

US Classification:

378207, 378 18

Abstract:

The provision of calibration information for a given high energy-based scanner having a plurality of detectors can comprise forming () detector-level calibration information for that scanner. This can comprise calculating () a theoretical trajectory as pertains to relative movement as between the plurality of detectors and a calibration object as a function of known geometry parameters for this particular scanner and then causing () relative movement as between this plurality of detectors and a calibration object to develop a corresponding observed trajectory for the calibration object. These teachings then provide for determining (), for each of at least some of the plurality of detectors, a value that corresponds to a difference between the theoretical trajectory and the observed trajectory to thereby provide the detector-level calibration information.

US Patent:

8155475, Apr 10, 2012

Filed:

Mar 11, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/046060

Inventors:

Kevin Holt - Chicago IL, US

Assignee:

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G06K 9/40

US Classification:

382274, 382165, 382275, 358 21, 358 327

Abstract:

An image processing apparatus () partitions () an image into a plurality of blocks. For a selected one of these blocks, the apparatus then uses a given available range of grayscale level values to determine () grayscale level values for image data in the selected block to provide corresponding determined grayscale level values. At least some of these determined grayscale level values are then transformed () to thereby use an altered amount of the given available range of grayscale level values to thereby provide rescaled grayscale level values for the selected block.

US Patent:

8184769, May 22, 2012

Filed:

Jun 5, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/479376

Inventors:

Timothy R. Fox - Chicago IL, US
Gongyin Chen - Henderson NV, US
Kevin M. Holt - Chicago IL, US
Paul J. Bjorkholm - Newport Beach CA, US
David T. Nisius - Des Plaines IL, US

Assignee:

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G01N 23/06

US Classification:

378 53, 378 989

Abstract:

At least three radiation-detection views are used to facilitate identifying material as comprises an object being assessed along a beam path relative to that object. This comprises developing a first radiation-detection view () as corresponds to the material along the beam path, a second radiation-detection view () as corresponds to the material along substantially the beam path, and at least a third radiation-detection view () as corresponds to the material along substantially the beam path. At least one of the source spectra and detector spectral responses used for these radiation-detection views are different from one another for each view. One then uses () these radiation-detection views to identify the material by, at least in part, differentiating the material from other possible materials.

US Patent:

8218720, Jul 10, 2012

Filed:

Mar 11, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/046347

Inventors:

Kevin Holt - Chicago IL, US

Assignee:

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

A61B 6/00

US Classification:

378 14, 378 4, 382131

Abstract:

One provides () fan-beam data via a translate-rotate computed tomography acquisition process and then reconstructs () an image from this data without resampling any pixel positions other than to optionally resample pixel positions to compensate for non-uniform translation intervals. These embodiments also provide for reconstructing this image from this data without interpolating any pixel positions other than to optionally interpolate pixel positions as again may be useful to compensate for non-uniform translation intervals.

US Patent:

8422826, Apr 16, 2013

Filed:

Jun 5, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/479322

Inventors:

Kevin M. Holt - Chicago IL, US

Assignee:

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G06K 9/32
G06K 9/46
G09G 5/00

US Classification:

382294, 382195, 345634

Abstract:

First image data (which comprises a penetrating image of an object formed using a first spectrum) and second image data (which also comprises a penetrating image of this same object formed using a second, different spectrum) is retrieved from memory and fused to facilitate identifying at least one material that comprises at least a part of this object. The aforementioned first spectrum can comprise, for example, a spectrum of x-ray energies having a high typical energy while the second spectrum can comprise a spectrum of x-ray energies with a relatively lower typical energy. By one approach, this process can associate materials as comprise the object with corresponding atomic numbers and hence corresponding elements (such as, for example, uranium, plutonium, and so forth).

US Patent:

8508545, Aug 13, 2013

Filed:

May 13, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/779538

Inventors:

Kevin M. Holt - Chicago IL, US

Assignee:

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G09G 5/00
G09G 5/02
G06F 11/00
H04N 1/40
G06K 9/40
G03F 3/08

US Classification:

345589, 345581, 345593, 345619, 345690, 358 19, 358520, 358448, 382162, 382254

Abstract:

A control circuit accesses image information regarding an image of a target. This information comprises, at least in part, information regarding material content of the target. The control circuit also accesses confidence information regarding at least one degree of confidence as pertains to the target's material content. The control circuit uses this confidence information to facilitate rendering the image such that the rendered image integrally conveys information both about materials included in the target and a relative degree of confidence that the materials are correctly identified.