X-ray imaging apparatus and method for generating X-ray image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9791384-B2
Application number	US-201514930811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2015
Priority date	Jan 21, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

An X-ray imaging apparatus and a method for generating X-ray images are provided. The X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray source configured to irradiate X-rays to a subject, and an X-ray detector configured to detect X-rays penetrating the subject, and generate a frame image including pieces of X-ray data for energy bands. The X-ray imaging apparatus further includes an image divider configured to divide the frame image into images of substances, using the pieces of the X-ray data, and an image generator configured to restore the frame image by performing motion compensation on an image of a first substance of the frame image, among the images of the substances of the frame image, and an image of the first substance of a previous frame image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:
an X-ray source configured to irradiate X-rays to a subject;
an X-ray detector configured to detect X-rays penetrating the subject, and generate a pieces of X-ray data for energy bands to produce a frame image;
an image processor configured to divide the frame image into images of substances, using the pieces of the X-ray data and
restore the frame image by performing motion compensation on an image of a first substance of the frame image, among the images of the substances of the frame image, and an image of the first substance of a previous frame image.

2. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to restore the frame image by combining the motion-compensated images of the first substance, and combining the combined images of the first substance with images of a second substance that are combined among the substances.

3. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to perform motion estimation and motion compensation on the image of the first substance of the frame image and the image of the first substance of the previous frame image.

4. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to separate the images of the substances from the pieces of the X-ray data, using a difference in an attenuation property between the substances.

5. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray source is configured to irradiate X-rays having the energy bands to the subject.

6. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray source is configured to irradiate X-rays having each of the energy bands to the subject.

7. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray source is further configured to vary energy bands of the irradiated X-rays by changing at least one among a tube voltage and a filter.

8. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a filtering portion configured to filter the irradiated X-rays such that a dose of the X-rays irradiated to a background region of the subject is lower than a dose of the X-rays irradiated to a region of interest of the subject.

9. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the X-ray detector is configured to:
detect X-rays penetrating the background region;
generate a frame image of the background region comprising pieces of X-ray data of the background region for multiple energy bands;
detect X-rays penetrating the region of interest; and
generate a frame image of the region of interest.

10. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the image processor is configured to divide the frame image of the background region into images of substances, using the pieces of the X-ray data of the background region, and
restore the frame image of the background region by performing motion compensation on an image of the first substance of the frame image of the background region, among the images of the substances of the frame image of the background region, and an image of the first substance of a previous frame image of the background region, and restore the frame image of the region of interest by performing high resolution image restoration on the frame image of the region of interest.

11. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the image processor is configured to combine the restored frame images of the background region and the region of interest into a frame image of the subject.

12. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a color mapper configured to map different color channels to the images of the substances.

13. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:
an image divider configured to divide a frame image comprising pieces of X-ray data for energy bands, into images of substances; and
an image generator configured to restore the frame image by performing motion compensation on an image of a first substance of the frame image, among the images of the substances of the frame image, and an image of the first substance of a previous frame image.

14. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the image generator is configured to restore the frame image by combining the motion-compensated images of the first substance, and combining the combined images of the first substance with images of a second substance that are combined among the substances.

15. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the image generator is configured to perform motion estimation and motion compensation on the image of the first substance of the frame image and the image of the first substance of the previous frame image.

16. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the image divider is configured to separate the images of the substances from the pieces of the X-ray data, using a difference in an attenuation property between the substances.

17. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the image divider is configured to divide a frame image of a background region of a subject into images of substances, and
the image generator is configured to restore the frame image of the background region by performing motion compensation on an image of the first substance of the frame image of the background region, among the images of the substances of the frame image of the background region, and an image of the first substance of a previous frame image of the background region, and restore a frame image of a region of interest of the subject by performing high resolution image restoration on the frame image of the region of interest.

18. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the image generator is configured to combine the restored frame images of the background region and the region of interest into a frame image of the subject.

19. A method of generating X-ray images, the method comprising:
irradiating X-rays to a subject;
detecting X-rays penetrating the subject;
generating a frame image comprising pieces of X-ray data for energy bands;
dividing the frame image into images of substances, using the pieces of the X-ray data; and
restoring the frame image by performing motion compensation on an image of a first substance of the frame image, among the images of the substances of the frame image, and an image of the first substance of a previous frame image.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the restoring comprises:
combining the motion-compensated images of the first substance; and
combining the combined images of the first substance with images of a second substance that are combined among the substances.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the restoring comprises performing motion estimation and motion compensation on the image of the first substance of the frame image and the image of the first substance of the previous frame image.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the dividing comprises separating the images of the substances from the pieces of the X-ray data, using a difference in an attenuation property between the substances.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the irradiating comprises irradiating X-rays having the energy bands to the subject.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the irradiating comprises irradiating X-rays having each of the energy bands to the subject.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the generating comprises:
detecting X-rays penetrating a background region of the subject;
g

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sung Young Hun
• Kang Dong-Goo
• Choi Ji Young

Classifications

• G01N2223/401

  image processing · CPC title

• G01N23/04 Primary

  and forming images of the material · CPC title

• G01N2223/423

  multispectral imaging-multiple energy imaging · CPC title

• A61B6/5264 Primary

  due to motion · CPC title

• A61B6/5211

  involving processing of medical diagnostic data · CPC title