Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing system

An image processing apparatus to reduce a scattered-ray component from a radiographic image, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a memory storing a program;
• one or more processors configured to execute the program;
• a scattered-ray estimating unit configured to estimate a scattered-ray component contained in a radiographic image acquired using a radiation detector that detects a radiation through an object, wherein the scattered-ray component originates from a scattered ray which is a radiation scattered in the object;
• a scattered-ray reducing unit configured to reduce the scattered-ray component from the radiographic image;
• an identifying unit configured to attach identification information for identifying data of the scattered-ray component to the radiographic image;
• an output unit configured to output the scattered-ray component and the radiographic image to a non-volatile memory;
• and
• an acquiring unit configured to acquire the radiographic image output from the output unit from the non-volatile memory and to acquire the data of the scattered-ray component output from the output unit from the non-volatile memory based on the identification information,
• wherein, in a case where a reduction process performed by the scattered-ray reducing unit for reducing the scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information is different from a reduction process performed by the scattered-ray reducing unit for reducing the scattered-ray component from a radiographic image newly acquired by the acquiring unit, the scattered-ray estimating unit newly estimates a scattered-ray component contained in the radiographic image without using the estimated scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information, and
• wherein the scattered-ray estimating unit, the scattered-ray reducing unit, the identifying unit, the output unit, and the acquiring unit are implemented by the one or more processors.

A method for an image processing apparatus to reduce a scattered-ray component from a radiographic image, the method comprising:

• acquiring, by an identifying unit implemented by one or more processors, a radiographic image using a radiation detector that detects a radiation through an object;
• estimating a scattered-ray component contained in the radiographic image, wherein the scattered-ray component originates from a scattered ray which is a radiation scattered in the object;
• reducing the scattered-ray component from the radiographic image;
• and
• attaching identification information for identifying the scattered-ray component to the radiographic image,
• wherein, in a case where a reduction process performed for reducing the scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information is different from a reduction process performed for reducing the scattered-ray component from a newly acquired radiographic image, estimating includes newly estimating a scattered-ray component contained in the radiographic image without using the estimated scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information.

A method for an image processing apparatus to reduce a scattered-ray component from a radiographic image, the method comprising:

• estimating a scattered-ray component contained in a radiographic image acquired using a radiation detector that detects a radiation through an object, wherein the scattered-ray component originates from a scattered ray which is a radiation scattered in the object;
• reducing the scattered-ray component from the radiographic image;
• attaching identification information for identifying data of the scattered-ray component to the radiographic image;
• outputting the scattered-ray component and the radiographic image to a non-volatile memory;
• and
• acquiring, by an acquiring unit implemented by one or more processors, the output radiographic image from the non-volatile memory and acquiring the data of the output scattered-ray component from the non-volatile memory based on the identification information,
• wherein, in a case where a reduction process performed for reducing the scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information is different from a reduction process performed for reducing the scattered-ray component from a newly acquired radiographic image, estimating includes estimating a scattered-ray component contained in the radiographic image without using the estimated scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information.

A method for an image processing apparatus, the image processing method comprising:

• estimating a scattered-ray component contained in a radiographic image acquired using a radiation detector that detects a radiation through an object, wherein the scattered-ray component originates from a scattered ray which is a radiation scattered in the object;
• outputting data of the estimated scattered-ray component;
• acquiring a processed image by performing an image process on the radiographic image;
• attaching identification information for identifying the output data of the estimated scattered-ray component to the processed image;
• receiving an operation input for changing an image process to be performed on the radiographic image;
• acquiring, by an acquiring unit implemented by one or more processors, the output data of the estimated scattered-ray component based on the identification information;
• and
• changing the image process by using the acquired output data of the estimated scattered-ray component,
• wherein, in a case where a reduction process performed for reducing the scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information is different from a reduction process performed for reducing the scattered-ray component from a newly acquired radiographic image, estimating includes estimating a scattered-ray component contained in the radiographic image without using the estimated scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information.

An image processing system to reduce a scattered-ray component from a radiographic image, the image processing system comprising:

• a memory storing a program;
• one or more processors configured to execute the program;
• an acquiring unit configured to acquire a radiographic image using a radiation detector that detects a radiation through an object;
• a scattered-ray estimating unit configured to estimate a scattered-ray component contained in the radiographic image, wherein the scattered-ray component originates from a scattered ray which is a radiation scattered in the object;
• and
• a scattered-ray reducing unit configured to perform an image process on the radiographic image in accordance with an instruction,
• wherein, in a case where an instruction to perform the image process is received again, the scattered-ray reducing unit is configured to perform an image process based on a radiographic image acquired by the acquiring unit and a scattered-ray component acquired by the acquiring unit,
• wherein, in a case where a reduction process performed by the scattered-ray reducing unit for reducing the scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information is different from a reduction process performed by the scattered-ray reducing unit for reducing the scattered-ray component from a radiographic image newly acquired by the acquiring unit, the scattered-ray estimating unit newly estimates a scattered-ray component contained in the radiographic image without using the estimated scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information, and
• wherein the acquiring unit, the scattered-ray estimating unit, and the scattered-ray reducing unit are implemented by the one or more processors.

An image processing system to reduce a scattered-ray component from a radiographic image, the image processing system comprising:

• a memory storing a program;
• one or more processors configured to execute the program;
• a scattered-ray estimating unit configured to estimate a scattered-ray component contained in a radiographic image acquired using a radiation detector that detects a radiation through an object, wherein the scattered-ray component originates from a scattered ray which is a radiation scattered in the object;
• a scattered-ray reducing unit configured to reduce the scattered-ray component from the radiographic image;
• an identifying unit configured to attach identification information for identifying data of the scattered-ray component to the radiographic image;
• an output unit configured to output the scattered-ray component and the radiographic image to a non-volatile memory;
• and
• an acquiring unit configured to acquire the radiographic image output from the output unit from the non-volatile memory and to acquire the data of the scattered-ray component output from the output unit from the non-volatile memory based on the identification information,
• wherein, in a case where a reduction process performed by the scattered-ray reducing unit for reducing the scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information is different from a reduction process performed by the scattered-ray reducing unit for reducing the scattered-ray component from a radiographic image newly acquired by the acquiring unit, the scattered-ray estimating unit newly estimates a scattered-ray component contained in the radiographic image without using the estimated scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information, and
• wherein the scattered-ray estimating unit, the scattered-ray reducing unit, the identifying unit, the output unit, and the acquiring unit are implemented by the one or more processors.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to cause an image processing apparatus to perform a method to reduce a scattered-ray component from a radiographic image, the method comprising:

• estimating a scattered-ray component contained in a radiographic image acquired using a radiation detector that detects a radiation through an object, wherein the scattered-ray component originates from a scattered ray which is a radiation scattered in the object;
• reducing the scattered-ray component from the radiographic image;
• attaching identification information for identifying data of the scattered-ray component to the radiographic image;
• outputting the scattered-ray component and the radiographic image to a non-volatile memory;
• and
• acquiring, by an acquiring unit implemented by one or more processors, the output radiographic image from the non-volatile memory and acquiring the data of the output scattered-ray component from the non-volatile memory based on the identification information,
• wherein, in a case where a reduction process performed for reducing the scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information is different from a reduction process performed for reducing the scattered-ray component from a newly acquired radiographic image, estimating includes estimating a scattered-ray component contained in the radiographic image without using the estimated scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information.

An image processing apparatus to reduce a scattered-ray component from a radiographic image, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a memory storing a program;
• one or more processors configured to execute the program;
• an acquiring unit configured to acquire a radiographic image using a radiation detector that detects a radiation through an object;
• an scattered-ray reducing unit configured to perform a first image process on the radiographic image;
• a scattered-ray estimating unit configured to estimate a scattered-ray component contained in a first radiographic image performed by the first image process, wherein the scattered-ray component originates from a scattered ray which is a radiation scattered in the object;
• and
• a scattered-ray reducing unit configured to reduce the scattered-ray component estimated by the scattered-ray estimating unit from a second radiographic image performed by a second image process different from the first image process,
• wherein, in a case where a reduction process performed by the scattered-ray reducing unit for reducing the scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information is different from a reduction process performed by the scattered-ray reducing unit for reducing the scattered-ray component from a radiographic image newly acquired by the acquiring unit, the scattered-ray estimating unit newly estimates a scattered-ray component contained in the radiographic image without using the estimated scattered-ray component corresponding to the identification information, and
• wherein the acquiring unit, the scattered-ray reducing unit, the scattered-ray estimating unit, and the scattered-ray reducing unit are implemented by the one or more processors.