Image processing method for motion estimation in a sequence of images, noise filtering method and medical imaging apparatus utilizing such methods

Abstract

The invention relates to an image processing method for estimation of motion in a sequence of temporal images on the basis of a block matching algorithm, which method includes the steps of: acquiring a sequence of three successive temporal images, including an image to be processed (J.sub.t) between a preceding, so-called causal image (J.sub.t-1) and a later, so-called anti-causal image (J.sub.t+1), determining a reference block (RB.sub.t) in the image to be processed, and of a pair of blocks (CB.sub.t-1, CB.sub.t+1) which are located in the causal image and the anti-causal image, respectively, and best match the reference block (RB.sub.t) in conformity with an intensity similarity criterion, and determining a motion vector relating to the reference block on the basis of the location of the blocks of the pair with respect to the location of the reference block. The invention also relates to an image processing method for reducing the noise in a sequence of images, including steps for evaluating motion vectors between the images of the sequence and steps for the recursive temporal filtering of the noise with motion compensation by means of the vectors, and to an X-ray apparatus which includes a system for the acquisition of a sequence of images and an image processing system which has access to the data of the images and to a system for displaying the images of the sequence, and includes a processor for carrying out an image processing method.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.