Spot-size effect reduction
AssigneeSiemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
InventorsWolf-Ekkehard Blanz, Ali Bani-Hashemi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A radiographic imaging device includes an X-ray source having a finite focal spot characterized by a determined intensity distribution. The X-ray source emits a beam of X-ray radiation toward an object. A detector assembly receives at least part of the X-ray radiation after it passes through the object. The detector assembly produces a signal in response to the received radiation. An image processor constructs an image from the signal generated by the detector assembly using the determined intensity distribution of the X-ray source. By inverse filtering the aggregated detector image from the detector assembly, the effects of the finite focal spot size of the X-ray source are mitigated, improving the quality of the resulting image.
Claims16
A radiographic imaging device, comprising:
- an X-ray source for emitting a beam of X-ray radiation toward an object, the X-ray source having a finite focal spot characterized by an X-ray intensity distribution;
- a detector assembly for receiving at least part of the X-ray radiation after the X-ray radiation passes through the object and producing a signal in response thereto;
- and
- an image processor configured to construct an image from the signal generated by the detector,
- wherein the image processor constructs the image by:
- scaling the intensity distribution for a first object layer;
- scaling the intensity distribution for a second object layer;
- aggregating the first and second scaled intensity distributions;
- and applying a filter to the aggregated scaled intensity distributions.
A method for mitigating the effect of finite focal spot size in a radiographic imaging device, the radiographic imaging device having an X-ray source having a finite focal spot for emitting X-ray radiation toward an object so that at least part of the X-ray radiation passes through the object, comprising:
- determining an intensity distribution for the X-ray source;
- receiving at least part of a beam of X-ray radiation emitted by the X-ray source after the beam of X-ray radiation passes through the object and producing a signal in response thereto;
- constructing an image from the signal generated by the detector by:
- scaling the intensity distribution for a first object layer;
- scaling the intensity distribution for a second object layer;
- aggregating the first and second scaled intensity distributions;
- and
- filtering the aggregated scaled intensity distributions, and
- displaying the image on a display console.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.