Computed tomography (ct) k-edge enhanced image reconstruction of a combination of a plurality of weighted energy bins

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• binning X-ray photons, which are detected during a CT imaging acquisition utilizing a polychromatic X-ray source and a photon counting detector, across a plurality of energy bins based on energies of the detected X-ray photons;
• applying a set of reconstruction bin weights to the plurality of energy bins, wherein the set of reconstruction bin weights are configured to enhance one or more K-edges, suppress one or more K-edges, or enhance one or more K-edges and suppress one or more K-edges;
• combining the weighted energy bins into a single set of data;
• and
• reconstructing the single set of data to generate K-edge volumetric image data that enhances at least one K-edge.

A computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

• bin X-ray photons, which are detected during a CT imaging acquisition utilizing a polychromatic X-ray source and a photon counting detector, across a plurality of energy bins based on energies of the detected X-ray photons;
• apply a set of reconstruction bin weights to the plurality of energy bins, wherein the set of reconstruction bin weights are configured to enhance one or more K-edges, suppress one or more K-edges, or enhance one or more K-edges and suppress one or more K-edges;
• combine the weighted energy bins into a single set of data;
• and
• reconstruct the single set of data to generate K-edge volumetric image data that enhances at least one K-edge.