Feature suppression in dark field or phase contrast X-ray imaging

A system for feature suppression in dark field or phase contrast X-ray imaging, the system comprising:

• at least one image acquisition unit;
• and
• an apparatus for feature suppression in dark field or phase contrast X-ray imaging, comprising:
• an input unit;
• a processing unit;
• and
• an output unit;
• wherein the input unit is configured to provide the processing unit with an X-ray attenuation image of a region of interest of an object;
• wherein the input unit is configured to provide the processing unit with a dark field or phase contrast X-ray image of the region of interest of the object;
• wherein the processing unit is configured to identify a first anatomical feature in the X-ray attenuation image;
• and to identify a second anatomical feature in the X-ray attenuation image;
• and to identify the second anatomical feature in the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image;
• wherein the first anatomical feature is an obscuring anatomical feature depicted in the X-ray attenuation image;
• wherein the processing unit is further configured to register the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image to the X-ray attenuation image based on the identified second anatomical feature;
• wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a location of the first anatomical feature in the X-ray attenuation image;
• and to locate the first anatomical feature in the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image comprising utilization of information relating to the first anatomical feature identified in the X-ray attenuation image by transferring the determined location to the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image;
• wherein the processing unit is configured to suppress the first anatomical feature in the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image to generate a feature suppressed dark field or phase contrast X-ray image;
• wherein the at least one image acquisition unit is configured to provide the X-ray attenuation image, and to provide the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image;
• and
• wherein the output unit is configured to output the feature suppressed dark field or phase contrast X-ray image.

A method for feature suppression in dark field or phase contrast X-ray imaging, comprising:

• providing an X-ray attenuation image of a region of interest of an object;
• providing a dark field or phase contrast X-ray image of the region of interest of the object;
• identifying a first anatomical feature in the X-ray attenuation image;
• identifying a second anatomical feature in the X-ray attenuation image;
• identifying the second anatomical feature in the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image;
• registering the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image to the X-ray attenuation image based on the identified second anatomical feature;
• determining a location of the first anatomical feature in the X-ray attenuation image;
• locating the first anatomical feature in the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image comprising utilizing information relating to the first anatomical feature identified in the X-ray attenuation image by transferring the determined location to the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image;
• suppressing the first anatomical feature in the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image to generate a feature suppressed dark field or phase contrast X-ray image;
• and
• outputting data representative of the feature suppressed dark field or phase contrast X-ray image.

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 feature suppression in dark field or phase contrast X-ray imaging, the method comprising:

• providing an X-ray attenuation image of a region of interest of an object;
• providing a dark field or phase contrast X-ray image of the region of interest of the object;
• identifying a first anatomical feature in the X-ray attenuation image;
• identifying a second anatomical feature in the X-ray attenuation image;
• identifying the second anatomical feature in the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image;
• registering the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image to the X-ray attenuation image based on the identified second anatomical feature;
• determining a location of the first anatomical feature in the X-ray attenuation image;
• locating the first anatomical feature in the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image comprising utilizing information relating to the first anatomical feature identified in the X-ray attenuation image by transferring the determined location to the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image;
• suppressing the first anatomical feature in the dark field or phase contrast X-ray image to generate a feature suppressed dark field or phase contrast X-ray image;
• and
• outputting data representative of the feature suppressed dark field or phase contrast X-ray image.