Device and method for scatter correction in an x-ray image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10918352-B2
Application number	US-201816342696-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2018
Priority date	Jul 13, 2017
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for scatter correction in an X-ray image, the X-ray image (30, 40) having a superimposed structured pattern, the device (1) comprising: an X-ray image receiving element (10); a pattern remover (11); and a first subtraction module (12); wherein the X-ray image receiving element (10) is configured to receive an X-ray image (30, 40) comprising a superimposed structured pattern (31); wherein the pattern remover (11) is configured to remove the structured pattern (31) from the X-ray image (30, 40) resulting in a pattern corrected X-ray image (43); wherein the first subtraction module (12) is configured to subtract the pattern corrected X-ray image (33, 43) from the X-ray image (40) resulting in a structured pattern image (32, 42); and wherein a contrast measurement unit (13) is configured to apply a local structure contrast measurement function to the structured pattern image (32, 42) resulting in a structure contrast image (34, 44). The invention improves the scatter correction of an X-ray image.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for scatter correction in an X-ray image, the device comprising:
a memory that stores a plurality of instructions; and
processor circuitry that couples to the memory and is configured to execute the instructions to:
receive the X-ray image, the received X-ray image comprising a superimposed structured pattern and an object;
remove the superimposed structured pattern from the X-ray image resulting in a pattern corrected X-ray image;
subtract the pattern corrected X-ray image from the X-ray image resulting in a structured pattern image; and
apply a local structure contrast measurement function to the structured pattern image resulting in a structure contrast image that includes contrast data of the object and that includes the superimposed structured pattern,
wherein the scatter correction in the X ray image is partly based on the applying of the local contrast measurement function.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to filter the structure contrast image to provide a filtered structure contrast image.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to estimate a primary fraction of the X-ray image based on the filtered structure contrast image.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured to:
provide a filtered scatter signal based on a scatter fraction being determined from the primary fraction or a value derived from the scatter fraction; and
subtract at least a fraction of the filtered scatter signal from the pattern corrected X-ray image resulting in a scatter corrected X-ray image.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the processor circuitry is configured to apply a filter on the scatter fraction or the value derived from the scatter fraction.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the applying of the local contrast measurement function to the structured pattern image resulting in the structure contrast image includes applying, to the structured pattern image, at least one of an absolute value function, a minimum function, a maximum function, a standard deviation function, an average function, a median function, and a local Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) function for an amplitude.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein in the structure contrast image, the superimposed structured pattern overlaps with the contrast data of the object.

8. A system for scatter correction in an X-ray image, the system comprising:
an X-ray image acquisition device comprising a structure pattern element configured to provide the X-ray image with a superimposed structured pattern; and
a device comprising:
a memory that stores a plurality of instructions; and
processor circuitry that couples to the memory and is configured to execute the instructions to:
receive the X-ray image, the received X-ray image comprising the superimposed structured pattern and an object;
remove the superimposed structured pattern from the X-ray image resulting in a pattern corrected X-ray image;
subtract the pattern corrected X-ray image from the X-ray image resulting in a structured pattern image; and
apply a local structure contrast measurement function to the structured pattern image resulting in a structure contrast image that includes contrast data of the object and that includes the superimposed structured pattern,

wherein the scatter correction in the X ray image is partly based on the applying of the local contrast measurement function.

9. A method for scatter correction in an X-ray image, the method comprising:
receiving the X-ray image, the received X-ray image having a superimposed structured pattern and an object;
removing the superimposed structured pattern from the X-ray image resulting in a pattern corrected X-ray image;
subtracting the pattern corrected X-ray image from the X-ray image resulting in a structured pattern image; and
applying a local contrast measurement function to the structured pattern image resulting in a structure contrast image that includes contrast data of the object and that includes the superimposed structured pattern,
wherein the scatter correction in the X ray image is partly based on the applying of the local contrast measurement function.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising estimating a primary fraction of the X-ray image based on the structure contrast image.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a filtered scatter signal from the primary fraction or a value derived from the primary fraction; and
subtracting at least a fraction of the filtered scatter signal from the pattern corrected X-ray image resulting in a scatter corrected X-ray image.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising applying a filter on a scatter fraction or a value derived from the scatter fraction for providing the filtered scatter signal.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having one or more executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for correcting scatter in an X-ray image, the method comprising:
receiving the X-ray image, the received X-ray image having a superimposed structured pattern and an object;
removing the superimposed structured pattern from the X-ray image resulting in a pattern corrected X-ray image;
subtracting the pattern corrected X-ray image from the X-ray image resulting in a structured pattern image; and
applying a local contrast measurement function to the structured pattern image resulting in a structure contrast image that includes contrast data of the object and that includes the superimposed structured pattern,
wherein the scatter correction in the X ray image is partly based on the applying of the local contrast measurement function.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Maack Hanns-Ingo

Classifications

• A61B6/4291

  the detector being combined with a grid or grating · CPC title

• A61B6/5282 Primary

  due to scatter · CPC title

• G06T2207/10116

  X-ray image · CPC title

• G06T5/50

  using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction · CPC title

• A61B6/4035

  the source being combined with a filter or grating · CPC title