X-ray energy spectrum measurement method, X-ray energy spectrum measurement apparatus, and X-ray CT apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9488741-B2
Application number	US-201514687948-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2015
Priority date	Apr 18, 2014
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

Provided is an X-ray energy spectrum estimation method capable of reproducing, with high precision, information on an attenuation path to which an X-ray is irradiated, and performing, with high precision, reconstruction of an X-ray CT image by enabling high-precision estimation of spectrum of energy released from an X-ray source device. An energy spectrum estimation device ( 92 ) normalizes a response function, and calculates a modified efficiency matrix from the normalized response function, a detection efficiency matrix, and a measurement-system correction coefficient. The energy spectrum estimation device then calculates a particular result in accordance with a Bayesian estimation equation, without divergence, with use of the calculated modified efficiency matrix, the normalized modified efficiency matrix, and an attenuation characteristic curve obtained by a measurement circuit ( 30 ). The energy spectrum ( 92 ) calculates an X-ray energy spectrum by dividing, by the normalized modified efficiency matrix, the particular result obtained by the Bayesian estimation equation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An X-ray energy spectrum measurement method comprising:
causing an X-ray generated from an X-ray source to pass through an attenuation material whose thickness changes stepwise or continuously;
moving the attenuation material by use of a movement mechanism for changing the thickness of the attenuation material through which the X-ray generated from the X-ray source passes;
detecting the X-ray passed through the attenuation material;
calculating an attenuation characteristic curve of the detected X-ray; calculating an X-ray energy spectrum, from the attenuation characteristic curve of the X-ray, in accordance with a Bayesian estimation equation with use of at least a normalized response function and modified efficiency matrix; normalizing the modified efficiency matrix; dividing the calculated X-ray energy spectrum by the normalized modified efficiency matrix; and thereby estimating the X-ray energy spectrum of the X-ray generated by the X-ray source.

2. An X-ray energy spectrum measurement method according to claim 1 , wherein the modified efficiency matrix is calculated by use of the response function, the normalized response function, a detection efficiency matrix, and a measurement-system correction coefficient.

3. An X-ray energy spectrum measurement method according to claim 2 , wherein:
the X-ray source generates a fan-beam X-ray; and
the X-ray passed through the moving attenuation material is detected by a detector in which a plurality of detectors are arranged in a line.

4. An X-ray energy spectrum measurement apparatus comprising:
an X-ray source which generates an X-ray;
an attenuation material through which the X-ray generated from the X-ray source passes, the attenuation material changing in thickness stepwise or continuously;
a movement mechanism which moves the attenuation material for changing the thickness of the attenuation material through which the X-ray generated from the X-ray source passes;
a detector which detects the X-ray passed through the attenuation material; and
an X-ray energy computation unit configured to calculate an attenuation characteristic curve of the X-ray detected by the detector, and
estimate an X-ray energy spectrum of the X-ray generated by the X-ray source, from the attenuation characteristic curve of the X-ray, in accordance with a Bayesian estimation equation with use of at least a normalized response function and a modified efficiency matrix.

5. An X-ray energy spectrum measurement apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the X-ray energy computation unit includes:
a response function evaluation unit which outputs a response function and a normalized response function;
a detection efficiency evaluation unit which outputs a detection efficiency evaluation matrix;
a measurement-system correction-coefficient measurement unit which outputs a measurement-system correction coefficient;
an energy spectrum estimation unit which estimates an X-ray energy spectrum of the X-ray generated by the X-ray source, from the attenuation characteristic curve of the X-ray, in accordance with the Bayesian estimation equation with use of the response function, the normalized response function, the detection efficiency matrix, and the measurement-system correction coefficient; and
an output unit which displays the X-ray energy spectrum estimated by the energy spectrum estimation unit.

6. An X-ray energy spectrum measurement apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the energy spectrum estimation unit includes:
a Bayesian estimation equation computation unit which calculates an energy spectrum, from the attenuation characteristic curve of the X-ray, in accordance with the Bayesian estimation equation;
a computing-unit which computes a modified efficiency matrix from the response function, the normalized response function, the detection efficiency matrix, and the measurement-system correction coefficient; and
a dividing-unit configured to
normalize the modified efficiency matrix,
divide, the energy spectrum calculated in accordance with the Bayesian estimation computation unit, by the normalized modified efficiency matrix, and
calculate an X-ray energy spectrum of the X-ray generated by the X-ray source.

7. An X-ray energy spectrum measurement apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:
the X-ray source generates a fan-beam X-ray; and
the detector includes a plurality of detectors arranged in a line.

8. An X-ray CT apparatus comprising:
an X-ray source which generates an X-ray;
an attenuation material through which the X-ray generated from the X-ray source passes, the attenuation material changing in thickness stepwise or continuously;
a movement mechanism which moves the attenuation material for changing a thickness of the attenuation material through which the X-ray generated from the X-ray source passes;
a detector which detects the X-ray passed through the attenuation material;
an X-ray energy computation unit configured to
calculate an attenuation characteristic curve of an X-ray detected by the detector, and
estimate an X-ray energy spectrum of the X-ray generated by the X-ray source, from the attenuation characteristic curve of the X-ray, in accordance with a Bayesian estimation equation with use of at least a response function normalized and a modified efficiency matrix;
a memory which stores an energy spectrum of the X-ray generated from the X-ray source, the energy spectrum being computed by the X-ray energy computation unit;
a correction computation processing unit configured to
compare data of the X-ray obtained by the detector, the X-ray having passed through a specimen, with the X-ray energy spectrum stored in the memory,
correct attenuation path information of the specimen, and
reconstruct an image of the specimen; and
an output unit which displays the specimen image reconstructed by the correction computation processing unit.

9. An X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the X-ray energy computation unit includes:
a response function evaluation unit which outputs a response function and a normalized response function;
a detection efficiency evaluation unit which outputs a detection efficiency evaluation matrix;
a measurement-system correction-coefficient measurement unit which outputs a measurement-system correction coefficient;
an energy spectrum estimation unit which estimates an X-ray energy spectrum of the X-ray generated by the X-ray source, from the attenuation characteristic curve of the X-ray, in accordance with the Bayesian estimation equation with use of the response function, the normalized response function, the detection efficiency matrix, and the measurement-system correction coefficient; and
an output unit which displays the X-ray energy spectrum estimated by the energy spectrum estimation unit.

10. An X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the energy spectrum estimation unit includes:
a Bayesian estimation equation computation unit which calculates an energy spectrum, from the attenuation characteristic curve of the X-ray, in accordance with the Bayesian estimation equation;
a computing-unit which computes a modified efficiency matrix from the response function, the normalized response function, the detection efficiency matrix, and the measurement correction coefficient; and
a dividing-unit configured to
normalize the modified efficiency matrix,
divide, the energy spectrum calculated in accordance with the Bayesian estimation computation unit, by the normalized modified efficiency matrix, and
calculate an X-ray energy spectrum of the X-ray generated by the X-ray source.

Assignees

• Hitachi Ltd

Inventors

• Takagi Hiroyuki
• Murata Isao

Classifications

• A61B6/583

  using calibration phantoms · CPC title

• A61B6/482

  involving multiple energy imaging · CPC title

• G01N23/046

  using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/032 Primary

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• G01T1/36 Primary

  Measuring spectral distribution of X-rays or of nuclear radiation {spectrometry (pulse selection circuits per se H03K; investigation of materials by radiation diffraction G01N23/20; spectrometer tubes H01J49/00)} · CPC title