An extensible software-based platform for reconstruction and evaluation of CT images

A collection of software applications dedicated to clinical x-ray computed tomography (CT) has been developed. These tools are designed for routine and scientific work and represent a complete platform, which is called syngo Explorer. The user can reconstruct, process, and view CT images in a personal computer environment independently of specialized hardware. To manage patient data and to allow full database access, the system uses the syngo platform (Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany), which serves as a framework for the management and visualization of Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) images. Part of the philosophy behind syngo Explorer is to quickly provide specialized solutions and to be able to respond to user requests at once. Thus, syngo Explorer was built by choosing a modular setup that comprises standard and specific reconstruction algorithms as well as various artifact reduction techniques; it also helps one attain better insights into dose issues. Various raw data formats of commercial CT scanners are supported. Reconstruction algorithms equivalent to those on the manufacturer's scanner console are provided. A non-syngo Windows XP (Microsoft, Redmond, Wash) version of the application is available.