Radiographic Image Compositing for Noise Reduction and Dose Control

Solution Overview

Problem

Time-resolved spectral imaging requires capturing multiple images quickly, leading to increased radiation exposure for the examinee due to higher doses per image, which also increases noise and reduces image quality when attempting to reduce radiation exposure.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus and method that composites multiple images with different energy radiation to enhance low-frequency and high-frequency components, reducing quantum noise while maintaining image contrast and reducing radiation exposure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If multiple images are captured with high radiation dose to maintain image quality, then image quality is improved, but radiation exposure dose increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidradiation exposure dose

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple images captured at different radiation doses through composite processing. Specifically, it merges a first image captured at a first radiation dose with a second image captured at a second radiation dose, creating a composite image that achieves quality comparable to single-shot high-dose imaging while distributing and reducing the total radiation exposure to the examinee.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If radiation dose is reduced per image to lower total exposure, then radiation exposure dose decreases, but noise intensity increases and image quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradiation exposure doseVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple images captured at different radiation doses through composite processing. Specifically, it merges a first image captured at a first radiation dose with a second image captured at a second radiation dose, creating a composite image that achieves quality comparable to single-shot high-dose imaging while distributing and reducing the total radiation exposure to the examinee.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies composite processing that involves frequency domain transformation (Fourier transform), filtering operations, and inverse transformation. These parameter changes in the signal processing domain allow the system to optimize the combination of images captured at different doses, reducing noise while maintaining image quality in the final composite image.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Speed

If multiple images are captured quickly for time-resolved spectral imaging, then imaging speed is improved, but radiation exposure dose increases due to higher doses per image

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging speedVSAvoidradiation exposure dose

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple images captured at different radiation doses through composite processing. Specifically, it merges a first image captured at a first radiation dose with a second image captured at a second radiation dose, creating a composite image that achieves quality comparable to single-shot high-dose imaging while distributing and reducing the total radiation exposure to the examinee.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11756176B2Image processing apparatus and control method for same

Publication Date: 2023.09.12 CANON KK

AI summary

An image processing apparatus comprises an obtaining unit that obtains a plurality of images obtained by irradiating radiation having different energies, a generating unit that generates a processed image by compositing the plurality of images, and a compositing unit that generates a composite image by compositing one image among the plurality of images and the processed image so as to enhance a low-frequency component of the one image and enhance a high-frequency component of the processed image.