1. A packet based display interface arranged to couple a multimedia source device to a multimedia sink device, comprising:
a transmitter unit coupled to the source device arranged to receive a source video data stream in accordance with a native video data rate;
a receiver unit coupled to the sink device; and
a linking unit coupling the transmitter unit and the receiver unit arranged to transfer the video data in the form of a number of main link characters at a link character clock rate that is independent of the native stream rate such that video data and the link character clock are asynchronous to each other.
2. A packet based display interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the multimedia data packet stream is one of a number of multimedia data packet streams each having an associated adjustable data stream link rate that is independent of the native stream rate.
3. A display interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the link unit further comprises:
a unidirectional main link arranged to carry the multimedia data packets from the transmitter unit to the receiver unit; and
a bi-directional auxiliary channel arranged to transfer information between the transmitter unit and the receiver unit and vice versa.
4. A display interface as recited in claim 3, wherein the bi-directional auxiliary channel is formed of a uni-directional back channel configured to carry information from the sink device to the source device and a unidirectional forward channel included as part of the main channel for carrying information from the source device to the sink device in concert with the back channel.
5. A display interface as recited in claim 2, wherein the main link unit further comprises:
a number of virtual links each being associated with a particular one of the multi media data packet streams wherein each of said virtual links has an associated virtual link bandwidth and a virtual link rate.
6. A display interface as recited in claim 5, wherein a main link bandwidth is at least equal to an aggregate of the virtual link bandwidths.
7. A display interface as recited in 1, wherein the source data stream is packetized over the respective virtual link based upon a mapping definition.
8. A method of coupling a multimedia source device to a multimedia sink device, comprising:
receiving source video data in accordance with a native video data rate;
transferring the video data in the form of a number of main link characters at a link character clock rate that is independent of the native stream rate such that video data and the link character clock are asynchronous to each other.
9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the multimedia data packet stream is one of a number of multimedia data packet streams each having an associated adjustable data stream link rate that is independent of the native stream rate.
10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the link unit further comprises:
a unidirectional main link arranged to carry the multimedia data packets from the transmitter unit to the receiver unit; and
a bi-directional auxiliary channel arranged to transfer information between the transmitter unit and the receiver unit and vice versa.
11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the bi-directional auxiliary channel is formed of a uni-directional back channel configured to carry information from the sink device to the source device and a uni-directional forward channel included as part of the main channel for carrying information from the source device to the sink device in concert with the back channel.
12. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the main link unit further comprises:
a number of virtual links each being associated with a particular one of the multi media data packet streams wherein each of said virtual links has an associated virtual link bandwidth and a virtual link rate.
13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein a main link bandwidth is at least equal to an aggregate of the virtual link bandwidths.
14. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the source data stream is packetized over the respective virtual link based upon a mapping definition.
15. Computer program product for coupling a multimedia source device to a multimedia sink device, comprising:
computer code for receiving source video data in accordance with a native video data rate;
computer code for transferring the video data in the form of a number of main link characters at a link character clock rate that is independent of the native stream rate such that video data and the link character clock are asynchronous to each other; and
computer readable medium for storing the computer code.
16. Computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the multimedia data packet stream is one of a number of multimedia data packet streams each having an associated adjustable data stream link rate that is independent of the native stream rate.
17. Computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the link unit further comprises:
a unidirectional main link arranged to carry the multimedia data packets from the transmitter unit to the receiver unit; and
a bi-directional auxiliary channel arranged to transfer information between the transmitter unit and the receiver unit and vice versa.
18. Computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the bi-directional auxiliary channel is formed of a uni-directional back channel configured to carry information from the sink device to the source device and a uni-directional forward channel included as part of the main channel for carrying information from the source device to the sink device in concert with the back channel.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method, comprising:
performing a contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan of tissue of interest of a subject, with an imaging system having a radiation source and a detector array, in which a peak contrast enhancement of the tissue of interest, a full range of motion of the tissue of interest, and an entire volume of interest of the tissue of interest are concurrently imaged during a single rotation of the radiation source and the detector array of the imaging system.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scan is a zero pitch helical scan.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the scan is performed without having to synchronize a timing of the scan with contrast administration in order to image the peak contrast enhancement of the tissue of interest.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging system also includes a patient support for supporting the patient during the scan, wherein the scan is performed with the patient support and hence the patient at a same relative location with respect to the imaging system during the scan.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein a z-axis scan coverage of the detector array for the rotation is at least as large as the volume of interest of the tissue of interest.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein a z-axis scan coverage of the detector array for the rotation is in a range of about five centimeters to about twenty centimeters.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
monitoring a motion cycle of the patient;
determining a location of the tissue of interest with respect to the motion cycle, wherein the tissue of interest moves in coordination with the motion cycle;
positioning the patient in an examination region of the imaging system based on the location of the tissue of interest so as to maintain the tissue of interest in the examination region during scanning as the tissue of interest moves in coordination with the motion cycle for the single rotation.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising;
translating the patient, via a patient support, during scanning such that peak contrast uptake in the volume of interest of the tissue of interest is concurrently imaged along with imaging the entire volume of interest of the tissue of interest over the full range of motion of the tissue of interest during the single rotation of the radiation source and the detector array of the imaging system.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising;
determining patient support translation timing for imaging the entire volume of interest of the tissue of interest over the full range of motion of the tissue of interest during the single rotation;
estimating a time to peak contrast uptake for the tissue of interest; and
determining contrast administration timing based on both the determined patient support translation timing and the estimated time to peak.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
reconstructing a four dimensional contrast enhanced data set based on an output of the scan; and
planning a treatment procedure based on the four dimensional contrast enhanced data set.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
reconstructing a four dimensional perfusion data set that provides visual information indicative of a perfusion of the contrast material through the tissue of interest during the rotation.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the scan is a multi-energy scan in which the radiation source is switched between at least two different peak voltages during the rotation, and further comprising:
generating at least one spectral image based on data corresponding to only one of the peak voltages.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one spectral image provides a contrast material map.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
simulating a response to treatment based on the contrast material map.
15. An imaging system, comprising:
a radiation source that rotates around an examination region about a z-axis and emits radiation that traverses the examination region;
a detector array located across the examination region, opposite the radiation source, that detects radiation traversing the examination region;
wherein the detector array includes a plurality of rows of detectors along the z-axis direction providing a z-axis coverage;
wherein the coverage is such that an entire volume of interest of moving tissue of interest is scanned during a single revolution of the source;
wherein the scan is performed during the single revolution and covers a complete moving cycle of the tissue of interest; and
wherein the scan images a peak contrast uptake of contrast material by the tissue of interest during the revolution; and
a reconstructor that reconstructs a four dimensional contrast enhanced data set based on the scan.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the z-axis scan coverage of the detector array for the revolution is in a range of about five centimeters to about twenty centimeters and the scan is a zero pitch scan.
17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:
a subject support which supports the patient in the examination region, wherein the subject support is maintained at substantially a same location with respect to the examination region for the scan.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein movement of the subject support is not synchronized with administration of the contrast material.
19. The system of claim 15, wherein the z-axis scan coverage of the detector array for the revolution is in a range of about one to four centimeters.
20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:
a subject support which supports the patient in the examination region, wherein the subject support translates, with respect to the examination region, for the scan.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein movement of the subject support is synchronized with administration of the contrast material.
22. The system of claim 15, further comprising:
a source controller that controls a peak voltage of the source, where the controller switches the peak voltage between at least two different peak voltages for the scan.
23. The system of claim 15, further comprising:
a treatment planning system which utilizes the reconstructed four dimensional contrast enhanced data set to generate a treatment plan for the patient for treating the tissue of interest.
24. The system of claim 15, wherein the tissue of interest is a tumor.
25. A method, comprising:
localizing a scan around a region of interest;
scanning, with zero pitch, the region of interest during peak contrast uptake of a tumor within the region of interest such that the tumor is maintained within a scan field of view during its full range of motion; and
obtaining a four dimensional contrast enhanced image of the region of interest, including the tumor.
26. A method, comprising:
synchronizing translation of a subject support carrying a patient being scanned and an estimated time to peak contrast enhancement of tissue of interest of the patient so that peak contrast enhancement occurs in the tissue of interest when the tissue of interest is being scanned and the tissue of interest is imaged over a full range of motion of the tissue of interest with respect to the patient.