Apparatus and method of processing data acquired in x-ray examination, and x-ray examination system equipped with the apparatus

An X-ray examination system comprising:

• a data processing apparatus comprising:
• count acquiring means configured to acquire a count of photons of an X-ray beam, the X-ray beam being radiated from an X-ray generator and transmitted through an object, and detected by a photon counting detector, the photons being counted every pixel of the detector and every one of n-pieces (n is a positive integer of two or more) energy ranges in a spectrum of the X-ray beam or every one of energy ranges whose number is less than n;
• image data calculating means configured to calculate image data indicative of a transmission state of the X-ray beam through the object, based on the count acquired by the count acquiring means;
• attenuation information calculating means configured to calculate attenuation information indicative of how the X-ray beam is attenuated during transmission through the object, based on the image data calculated by the image data calculating means, every one of the n-piece energy ranges or every one of the energy ranges whose number is less than n and every one of the pixels or every one of pixel groups into each of which the pixels are grouped, the attenuation information including i) inherent information inherently depending on a type or a property of the object, the inherent information being indicated by a quantity of a vector in an n-dimensional coordinate whose dimension is equal in number to the n-piece energy ranges or in a coordinate whose dimension is less in number the number n;
• and ii) associated information being associated with the inherent information and depending on a length of a path along which the X-ray beam passes though the object;
• inherent information producing means configured to produce only the inherent information which is independent of the associated information, from the attenuation information calculated by the attenuation information calculating means;
• and
• scattering point calculating means configured to calculate scattering points to be mapped in the n-dimensional coordinate or a desired coordinate which is less in dimension than the n-dimensional coordinate, the scattering points depending on the inherent information produced by the inherent information producing means, and
• analysis means configured to analyze at least one of a type or a property of the object based on data indicative of the scattering points calculated by the scattering point calculating means,
• wherein
• the inherent information producing means is configured to produce, as the inherent information, information excluding a factor indicating a length component of the vector, from the information calculated by the attenuation information calculating means;
• and
• the scattering point calculating means is configured to calculate the inherent excluding the factor indicating the length component, into scattering points mapped in the desired coordinate which is less in dimension than the n-dimensional coordinate.

A data processing method characterized in that the data processing method comprises:

• acquiring a count of photons of an X-ray beam, the X-ray beam being radiated from an X-ray generator and transmitted through an object, and detected by a photon counting detector, the photons being counted every pixel of the detector and every one of n-pieces (n is a positive integer of two or more) energy ranges in a spectrum of the X-ray beam or every one of energy ranges whose number is less than n;
• calculating image data indicative of a transmission state of the X-ray beam through the object, based on the acquired count;
• calculating attenuation information indicative of how the X-ray beam is attenuated during transmission through the object, based on the calculated image data, every one of the n-piece energy ranges or every one of the energy ranges whose number is less than n and every one of the pixels or every one of pixel groups into each of which the pixels are grouped, the attenuation information including i) inherent information inherently depending on a type or a property of the object, the inherent information being indicated by a quantity of a vector in an n-dimensional coordinate whose dimension is equal in number to the n-piece energy ranges or in a coordinate whose dimension is less in number the number n;
• and ii) associated information being associated with the inherent information and depending on a length of a path along which the X-ray beam passes though the object;
• and
• producing only the inherent information which is independent of the associated information, from the calculated attenuation information, and
• calculating scattering points to be mapped in the n-dimensional coordinate or a desired coordinate which is less in dimension than the n-dimensional coordinate, the scattering points depending on the produced inherent information,
• wherein
• the inherent information producing step produces, as the inherent information, information excluding a factor indicating a length component of the vector, from the calculated information calculated in the attenuation information calculating step;
• and
• the scattering point calculating step calculates the inherent excluding the factor indicating the length component, into scattering points mapped in the desired coordinate which is less in dimension than the n-dimensional coordinate.