[Program system for quantitative evaluation of computed tomograms using a digital masking technic for isolation of...

A program system for the quantitative analysis of CT images is described and its versatile applicability is demonstrated by practical examples. Using a semi-automatic digital masking technique, the system allows to isolate single organs or regions of organs with good reproducibility and to process their CT values separately. For processing of the complete image matrix or of isolated areas of the matrix, evaluation programs have been developed, which--in addition to the standard image evaluation functions available in modern CT systems--provide the possibility for various CT value transformations and special statistical analyses of original and transformed CT values. The demonstrated applications of the program system include determination of the venous capacity of the lower extremities by CT, separation of different components of the brain from a cranial CT, ventilation analyses of the respiratory lung parenchyma, calculation of the fat content in a fatty liver and approximate measurement of the iodine concentration in a contrast-enhanced kidney.