Energy Subtraction Imaging Using Reaching Dose Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for energy subtraction processing in radiation imaging suffer from inaccuracies in estimating bone density and removing scattered ray components due to deviations in imaging conditions caused by degradation of radiation tube and detector sensitivity over time, leading to unstable image quality.
Innovation Solution
A radiation image processing device that acquires a reaching dose directly reaching the detector, derives a body thickness distribution, removes scattered rays, and corrects pixel values using a correction coefficient based on imaging conditions and actual tube voltage, to stabilize the image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If correction is performed using tube voltage and body thickness derived from reaching dose, then bone density estimation and scattered ray removal are improved, but accuracy deteriorates when tube or detector sensitivity degrades over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a feedback mechanism where the actual tube voltage is measured by a tube voltage sensor and fed back to the correction coefficient calculation process. This measured voltage replaces the assumed set voltage in deriving body thickness and correction coefficients, ensuring that corrections adapt to actual operating conditions rather than nominal values, thereby maintaining accuracy despite component degradation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter used for correction from nominal tube voltage to actual measured tube voltage. By using the measured voltage value to recalculate body thickness distribution and correction coefficients, the system adapts to real operating conditions, resolving the contradiction between initial precision and long-term reliability
2Loss of information
If energy subtraction processing is performed using two radiation images with different energy distributions, then specific tissue extraction is improved, but image quality becomes unstable due to imaging condition deviations
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from actual measured tube voltage to recalculate correction coefficients for each energy distribution image. This ensures that the weighting subtraction process uses accurate, condition-specific coefficients rather than generic ones, maintaining tissue extraction accuracy while compensating for drift in imaging conditions over time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary correction of scattered rays and body thickness compensation using measured tube voltage before performing the energy subtraction processing. This preliminary action ensures that the input images for subtraction are already corrected for actual imaging conditions, preventing error propagation and maintaining stability
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
Ensures high accuracy in estimating bone density and removing scattered rays, thereby stabilizing the image quality of energy subtraction processing.
Implementation Method 1
a radiation detector that generates the radiation image by detecting the radiation transmitted through the subject
Implementation Method 2
two types of radiation having different energy distributions by utilizing attenuation amounts of transmitted radiation different from each other depending on a substance configuring the subject
Data Source
AI summary
In a case of deriving a subtraction image in which a specific tissue in a subject is extracted, the subtraction image being derived by performing weighting subtraction on a plurality of radiation images acquired by imaging the subject with radiation having different energy distributions and being subjected to predetermined image processing, a reaching dose which is a radiation dose that directly reaches a radiation detector that acquires the radiation image is acquired, and the subtraction image is derived by performing the image processing based on the reaching dose.