Optimal scan design for time-varying tomographic imaging

The tomographic reconstruction of objects with spatially localized temporal variation, such as the heart, is considered. Theoretical analysis, which includes tight performance bounds, shows that, by using an optimally scrambled angular sampling order, the required temporal scan rate can be lowered as much as four times while still preserving image quality. A design procedure is presented for the optimum choice of angular sampling pattern, and demonstrated by simulations. The technique permits graceful degradation of performance over a wide range of temporal sampling rates.<>