X-ray diagnostic apparatus, medical image processing apparatus, and medical image processing method

An X-ray diagnostic apparatus, comprising:

• processing circuitry configured to:
• acquire a two-dimensional first X-ray image obtained from X-ray imaging using a first continuous X-ray spectrum, and acquire a two-dimensional second X-ray image obtained from X-ray imaging using a second continuous X-ray spectrum different from the first continuous X-ray spectrum;
• generate a two-dimensional virtual third X-ray image that simulates an X-ray image using a third continuous X-ray spectrum different from the first continuous X-ray spectrum and the second continuous X-ray spectrum, based on the first X-ray image and the second X-ray image, wherein the first continuous X-ray spectrum corresponds to a high tube voltage, the second continuous X-ray spectrum corresponds to a low tube voltage, and the third continuous X-ray spectrum corresponds to an intermediate tube voltage between the high and low tube voltages;
• and
• display the generated virtual third X-ray image, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
• determine respective thicknesses of a first material and a second material based on the first X-ray image and the second X-ray image;
• generate the virtual third X-ray image, by performing virtual projection processing using a spectrum corresponding to the third continuous X-ray spectrum, based on the determined thicknesses of the first material and the second material;
• generate a first material discrimination image and a second material discrimination image based on the first X-ray image and the second X-ray image;
• cause a display to display the virtual third X-ray image in parallel with at least one of the first material discrimination image and the second material discrimination image, display the virtual third X-ray image superimposed on at least one of the first material discrimination image and the second material discrimination image, or display the virtual third X-ray image superimposed on an image based on at least one of the first material discrimination image and the second material discrimination image:
• generate the first material discrimination image and the second material discrimination image such that pixels of the first material discrimination image and the second material discrimination image respectively have luminance values corresponding to the thicknesses of the first material and the second material;
• generate a virtual first material discrimination image and a virtual second material discrimination image simulating an X-ray imaging of the first material and the second material using the third continuous X-ray spectrum, based on the thicknesses of the first material and the second material;
• and
• cause the display to display the virtual third X-ray image in parallel with at least one of the virtual first material discrimination image and the virtual second material discrimination image, display the virtual third X-ray image superimposed on at least one of the virtual first material discrimination image and the virtual second material discrimination image, or display the virtual third X-ray image superimposed on an image based on the at least one of the virtual first material discrimination image and the virtual second material discrimination image.

A medical image processing apparatus, comprising:

• processing circuitry configured to:
• acquire a two-dimensional first X-ray image obtained from X-ray imaging using a first continuous X-ray spectrum, and acquire a two-dimensional second X-ray image obtained from X-ray imaging using a second continuous X-ray spectrum different from the first continuous X-ray spectrum;
• generate a two-dimensional virtual third X-ray image that simulates an X-ray image using a third continuous X-ray spectrum different from the first continuous X-ray spectrum and the second continuous X-ray spectrum, based on the first X-ray image and the second X-ray image, wherein the first continuous X-ray spectrum corresponds to a high tube voltage, the second continuous X-ray spectrum corresponds to a low tube voltage, and the third continuous X-ray spectrum corresponds to an intermediate tube voltage between the high and low tube voltages;
• and
• display the generated virtual third X-ray image,
• wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
• acquire a two-dimensional actual third X-ray image based on X-ray imaging using the third continuous X-ray spectrum;
• and
• generate a corrected virtual third X-ray image based on the actual third X-ray image and the virtual third X-ray image.

A medical image processing method, comprising:

• acquiring a two-dimensional first X-ray image obtained from X-ray imaging using a first continuous X-ray spectrum, and acquire a two-dimensional second X-ray image obtained from X-ray imaging using a second continuous X-ray spectrum different from the first continuous X-ray spectrum;
• and
• generating a two-dimensional virtual third X-ray image that simulates an X-ray image using a third continuous X-ray spectrum different from the first continuous X-ray spectrum and the second continuous X-ray spectrum, based on the first X-ray image and the second X-ray image, wherein the first continuous X-ray spectrum corresponds to a high tube voltage, the second continuous X-ray spectrum corresponds to a low tube voltage, and the third continuous X-ray spectrum corresponds to an intermediate tube voltage between the high and low tube voltages;
• and
• displaying the generated virtual third X-ray image,
• wherein the method further comprises
• acquiring a two-dimensional actual third X-ray image based on X-ray imaging using the third continuous X-ray spectrum;
• and
• generating a corrected virtual third X-ray image based on the actual third X-ray image and the virtual third X-ray image.