Alignment of mixed-modality data sets for reduction and removal of imaging artifacts

A system for removing artifacts caused by x-ray reflective materials from an x-ray image, the system comprising:

• an x-ray source;
• an x-ray detector that captures x-ray images including a structure;
• an imaging device that captures a surface scan of the structure;
• and
• an image processor that constructs a three-dimensional CT model including the structure from the x-ray images and a three-dimensional surface model including the structure from the surface scan, the image processor
• resizing and orienting at least one of the surface model and the CT model so that the surface model and the CT model are of a same scale and orientation,
• overlaying the surface model on the CT model to generate a combined data set,
• detecting data points in the combined data set that extend beyond a surface of the structure in the surface model, wherein the detected data points represent artifacts in the CT model,
• adjusting the detected data points from the CT model by interpolation of the detected data points to create an artifact-reduced CT model, and
• displaying the artifact-reduced CT model.