X-ray imaging apparatus that displays analysis image with taken image, X-ray imaging method, and image processing apparatus

An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:

• an imaging unit that irradiates X-rays on a subject and detects X-rays penetrating the subject to generate an X-ray projection image of the subject;
• a positioning-image creating unit connected to the imaging unit for creating positioning images with a subject center being changed within a certain range, under a condition that a point of view and a projection plane are fixed, for each of a plurality of different projection conditions using volume data collected from the subject by a medical imaging apparatus;
• a projection-condition obtaining unit connected to the positioning-image creating unit for selecting an image most analogous to the X-ray projection image of the subject from the positioning images, and obtains a projection condition of the selected positioning image;
• a target-region storage unit that stores volume data of a target region, among the volume data collected, as target-region volume data;
• and
• an image display unit connected to the target-region storage unit and the projection-condition obtaining unit for creating and displaying an image of the target region based on the target-region volume data stored in the target-region storage unit and the projection condition obtained by the projection-condition obtaining unit.

An X-ray imaging method comprising:

• irradiating X-rays on a subject;
• detecting X-rays penetrating the subject;
• generating an X-ray projection image of the subject;
• creating positioning images with a subject center being changed within a certain range, under a condition that a point of view and a projection plane are fixed, for each of a plurality of different projection conditions using volume data collected from the subject by a medical imaging apparatus;
• selecting an image most analogous to the X-ray projection image of the subject from the positioning images;
• obtaining a projection condition of the selected positioning image;
• storing volume data of a target region, among the volume data collected, as target-region volume data;
• and
• creating and displaying an image of the target region based on the target-region volume data and the projection condition.