Radiation Image Processing with Body-Thickness Component Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing energy subtraction processing methods in radiation imaging struggle to accurately separate multiple components in a subject, such as bone and soft tissue, due to the complexity of soft tissue compositions and variations among individuals.

Innovation Solution

A radiation image processing device and method that acquires multiple radiation images using n−1 types of radiation with different energy distributions, derives the body thickness of the subject, and calculates the thicknesses of individual components within the subject to enhance component-specific images.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If energy subtraction processing is performed using two radiation images obtained by two types of radiation having different energy distributions, then bone part and soft part can be separated, but only two components can be obtained and soft tissue cannot be accurately separated into fat and muscle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent separation accuracyVSAvoidnumber of radiation images required

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of radiation energy distribution by using n-1 types of radiation with different energy distributions to obtain n radiation images. This allows the system to separate n components (including fat, muscle, and bone) by solving a system of equations with n unknowns, thereby accurately separating soft tissue components without requiring n radiation images for n components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces body thickness as an additional dimension of information that can be acquired from the radiation images. By utilizing body thickness data in combination with the attenuation characteristics of different radiation energies, the system can derive the thicknesses of individual components (fat, muscle, bone) and generate accurate component images, effectively adding a new dimension to the separation problem

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If the attenuation coefficient of soft part is not obtained in accordance with the ratio between fat and muscle, then processing can be simplified, but accurate separation of multiple components becomes impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing simplicityVSAvoidcomponent separation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the soft tissue into distinct components (fat and muscle) and derives the thickness of each component separately using the body thickness information and radiation attenuation characteristics. By segmenting the soft tissue components and processing them individually based on their unique attenuation properties at different radiation energies, the system achieves accurate separation while maintaining processing feasibility through systematic decomposition of the problem

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If n radiation images obtained by n types of radiation having different energy distributions are used, then n component images can be obtained, but the number of required radiation images increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of separable componentsVSAvoidnumber of radiation images

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the energy distribution parameter of the radiation by using n-1 types of radiation with different energy distributions. By leveraging the different attenuation coefficients of fat, muscle, and bone at these different energy levels, combined with body thickness information, the system can solve for n component thicknesses using only n-1 radiation images, thereby reducing the quantity of radiation images required while maintaining the ability to separate n components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach allows for the accurate separation of n components in a subject by enhancing component-specific images, overcoming the limitations of previous methods in handling complex soft tissue compositions and individual variations.

Implementation Method 1

energy subtraction processing using two radiation images obtained by irradiating a subject with two types of radiation having different energy distributions by using the fact that an attenuation amount of the transmitted radiation differs in accordance with the substance constituting the subject

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadiation attenuation: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS20250288266A1Radiation image processing device, radiation image processing method, and radiation image processing program

Publication Date: 2025.09.18 FUJIFILM CORP

AI summary

A processor is configured to: acquire first to (n−1)th (n≥3) radiation images acquired by imaging a subject, which includes first to nth components each consisting of a single composition, with n−1 types of radiation having different energy distributions; acquire a body thickness of the subject; derive thicknesses of the first to nth components by using the body thickness and the first to (n−1)th radiation images; and derive first to nth component images in which the first to nth components are enhanced, respectively, based on the thicknesses of the first to nth components.