Pixel-based number of energy bin material decomposition for reducing data requirements

A method for performing pixel-based energy bin number modulation in a photon-counting imaging system, the photon-counting imaging system including a photon-counting detector that acquires, from an imaging object, projection data for a plurality of projection views, the photon-counting detector having a plurality of detector pixels that are arranged in both a channel direction and a segment direction on a surface of the photon-counting detector, the method comprising:

• obtaining the projection data acquired by the photon-counting detector, the projection data including first projection data and second projection data, the first projection data being acquired by detector pixels different from detector pixels that acquired the second projection data;
• processing, with a first energy bin setting, the first projection data, the first energy bin setting indicating use of m energy bins;
• processing, with a second energy bin setting, the second projection data, the second energy bin setting indicating use of n energy bins, where n>m;
• and
• generating, based on the processed first projection data and the processed second projection data, a material decomposition image of the imaging object.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that, when executed by processing circuitry, causes the processing circuitry to execute a method for performing pixel-based energy bin number modulation in a photon-counting imaging system, the photon-counting imaging system including a photon-counting detector that acquires, from an imaging object, projection data for a plurality of projection views, the photon-counting detector having a plurality of detector pixels that are arranged in both a channel direction and a segment direction on a surface of the photon-counting detector, the method comprising:

• obtaining the projection data acquired by the photon-counting detector, the projection data including first projection data and second projection data, the first projection data being acquired by detector pixels different from detector pixels that acquired the second projection data;
• processing, with a first energy bin setting, the first projection data, the first energy bin setting indicating use of m energy bins;
• processing, with a second energy bin setting, the second projection data, the second energy bin setting indicating use of n energy bins, where n>m;
• and
• generating, based on the processed first projection data and the processed second projection data, a material decomposition image of the imaging object.