Method and apparatus for reducing cone beam artifacts using spatially varying weighting functions

A method for combining computed tomography (CT) images acquired using cone beam geometry, comprising:

• identifying first and second datasets comprising at least a portion of like anatomical data, the first and second datasets being acquired within first and second cycles, respectively;
• applying lower weighting functions to first areas of the first and second datasets and higher weighting functions to second areas of the first and second datasets, the first areas being closer to x-ray tube locations corresponding to the first and second datasets and the second areas being further from the x-ray tube locations;
• and
• forming a combined image by combining the first and second datasets with the lower and higher weighting functions.

A system for combining images comprising like anatomical structure acquired using helical half-scan imaging, the system comprising:

• a computer for receiving image data comprising at least two cycles of data, the computer configured to:
• identify an image plane within an overlap region comprising data from first and second view streams representative of first and second cycles of image data, the image plane comprising substantially the same anatomical structure;
• calculate first and second weighting functions for first and second images based on first and second tube positions of an x-ray tube, the first and second images corresponding to the image plane and being from the first and second view streams, respectively, the first and second tube positions corresponding to the image plane;
• and
• form a weighted image based on the first and second weighting functions and the first and second images.