Tomography apparatus and method of reconstructing cross-sectional image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10165989-B2
Application number	US-201615212809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2016
Priority date	Sep 9, 2015
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

A tomography apparatus includes a data obtainer configured to obtain first image data at a first point and second image data at a second point using tomography, the tomography being performed by irradiating an X-ray to an object; an image processor configured to perform noise reduction based on at least one from among the first image data and the second image data, and to obtain a first reference image corresponding to the first image data and a second reference image corresponding to the second image data using a result of the performed noise reduction; and an image reconstructor configured to reconstruct a target image representing the object based on the first reference image and the second reference image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tomography apparatus comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
obtain first image data at a first point and second image data at a second point using tomography, the tomography being performed by irradiating an X-ray to an object;
perform noise reduction based on at least one from among the first image data and the second image data, and to obtain a first reference image corresponding to the first image data and a second reference image corresponding to the second image data using a result of the performed noise reduction; and
reconstruct a target image representing the object based on the first reference image and the second reference image,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the noise reduction by adjusting a size of a voxel inside a first image obtained from the first image data and a size of a voxel inside a second image obtained from the second image data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain motion information estimating a motion of the object based on the first reference image and the second reference image, and to reconstruct the target image representing the object at a target point based on the motion information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first image data and the second image data are obtained from at least one from among an X-ray based on a first threshold dose, an X-ray based on a first threshold voltage, and an X-ray based on a first threshold current.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the noise reduction based on a dose of the X-ray detected from the at least one from among the first image data and the second image data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the noise reduction using a low pass filter.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to detect an edge region from at least one of a first image obtained from the first image data and a second image obtained from the second image data, and to perform the noise reduction based on the edge region.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to remove noise while conserving the edge region.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the noise reduction by applying a predetermined model to at least one of the first image data and the second image data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined model comprises at least one from among a model reflecting geometry information of a tomography apparatus irradiating the X-ray, a model reflecting a characteristic of the X-ray, and a model reflecting a noise characteristic.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the noise reduction by adjusting a thickness of a slice obtained from the first image data and a thickness of a slice obtained from the second image data.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a quality of the first image data and the second image data, and to determine whether to perform the noise reduction depending on the determined quality.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the quality is determined based on at least one from among a dose of the X-ray and a condition under which the X-ray is irradiated.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display configured to display at least one from among the first reference image, the second reference image, and the target image.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a user interface configured to receive a user input using a user interface screen to perform the noise reduction; and
a display configured to display the user interface screen.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a user interface configured to receive a user input for selecting the first image data and the second image data from among image data corresponding to a plurality of points based on the tomography.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first reference image differs from the second reference image in at least one from among a size of the object, a location of the object, and a shape of the object.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting of the size of the voxel inside the first image comprises increasing the size of the voxel inside the first image.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting of the size of the voxel inside the first image comprises reducing a number of voxels in the first image.

19. A method of reconstructing a cross-sectional image, the method comprising:
obtaining first image data at a first point and second image data at a second point using tomography, the tomography being performed by irradiating an X-ray to an object;
performing noise reduction based on at least one from among the first image data and the second image data;
obtaining a first reference image corresponding to the first image data and a second reference image corresponding to the second image data using a result of the performed noise reduction; and
reconstructing a target image representing the object based on the first reference image and the second reference image,
wherein the performing of the noise reduction comprises adjusting a size of a voxel inside a first image obtained from the first image data and a size of a voxel inside a second image obtained from the second image data.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the reconstructing of the target image representing the object comprises:
obtaining motion information estimating a motion of the object based on the first reference image and the second reference image; and
reconstructing the target image representing the object at a target point based on the motion information.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing a method of reconstructing a cross-sectional image, the method comprising:
obtaining first image data at a first point and second image data at a second point using tomography, the tomography being performed by irradiating an X-ray to an object;
performing noise reduction based on at least one from among the first image data and the second image data;
obtaining a first reference image corresponding to the first image data and a second reference image corresponding to the second image data using a result of the performed noise reduction; and
reconstructing a target image representing the object based on the first reference image and the second reference image,
wherein the performing of the noise reduction comprises adjusting a size of a voxel inside a first image obtained from the first image data and a size of a voxel inside a second image obtained from the second image data.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Seo Chan-Won
• Rifu Toshihiro
• Lee Duhgoon
• Kim Do-Il
• Nam Sang-Nam
• Lee Kyoung-Yong

Classifications

• G06T12/30

  Image post-processing, e.g. metal artefact correction · CPC title

• A61B6/563

  involving image data transmission via a network · CPC title

• A61B6/5205

  involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data · CPC title

• A61B6/5258

  involving detection or reduction of artifacts or noise · CPC title

• A61B6/032 Primary

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title