Tomographic Image Artifact Reduction via Blurring and Subtraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional X-ray fluoroscopes face challenges in acquiring high-quality tomosynthesis images due to increased artifact influence from high-contrast regions, especially when only a small number of projection images are used, leading to reduced image quality.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the acquisition of multiple projection images, followed by first and second blurring processes to maintain high-contrast regions while blurring others, and subsequent subtraction of processed images to reduce artifacts, resulting in improved image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a small number of projection images are used for tomosynthesis, then the imaging time is reduced, but the artifact information from high-contrast regions increases and image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the projection images into two groups: original projection images for reconstructing the first tomographic image (containing microstructure information), and blurring-processed projection images for reconstructing the second tomographic image (containing only artifact information). This segmentation allows selective processing to remove artifacts while preserving useful information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes artifact information from high-contrast regions by subtracting the second tomographic image (containing only artifacts) from the first tomographic image (containing both microstructure and artifacts). This extraction process isolates and eliminates the harmful artifact components while preserving the desired microstructure information.
2Loss of information
If no processing is performed on structural regions to preserve microstructure information, then the microstructure information is maintained, but artifact information from high-contrast regions remains and reduces image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality characteristics to different regions of the projection images through selective blurring. The blurring processing is applied to create a version where only artifact regions are affected while high-contrast structural regions are preserved. This local differentiation allows the subtraction process to remove artifacts from specific regions without affecting microstructure information in other regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful artifact information into a useful tool for image improvement. By deliberately creating a second tomographic image that contains only artifact information through blurring processing, the artifacts are transformed from unwanted noise into a subtractable component that, when removed from the first tomographic image, leaves behind a cleaned image with enhanced quality.
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 effectively reduces image quality degradation caused by high-contrast artifacts, enabling reliable acquisition of high-quality tomographic images even with a small number of projection images.
Implementation Method 1
acquiring a plurality of projection images including microstructure information by irradiating a subject with radiation at a plurality of different angles and detecting the radiation transmitted through the subject
Data Source
AI summary
A tomographic image generation method includes acquiring a first tomographic image (T1) including microstructure information (M) and a first ripple artifact (R1), acquiring a second tomographic image (T2) including a second ripple artifact (R2), and acquiring a subtraction tomographic image (T3) by subtracting the second tomographic image from the first tomographic image.