X-ray scatter correction method for dedicated breast computed tomography
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, 1701 Upper Gate Drive NE, Suite 5018, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 (United States)
Purpose: To improve image quality and accuracy in dedicated breast computed tomography (BCT) by removing the x-ray scatter signal included in the BCT projections. Methods: The previously characterized magnitude and distribution of x-ray scatter in BCT results in both cupping artifacts and reduction of contrast and accuracy in the reconstructions. In this study, an image processing method is proposed that estimates and subtracts the low-frequency x-ray scatter signal included in each BCT projection postacquisition and prereconstruction. The estimation of this signal is performed using simple additional hardware, one additional BCT projection acquisition with negligible radiation dose, and simple image processing software algorithms. The high frequency quantum noise due to the scatter signal is reduced using a noise filter postreconstruction. The dosimetric consequences and validity of the assumptions of this algorithm were determined using Monte Carlo simulations. The feasibility of this method was determined by imaging a breast phantom on a BCT clinical prototype and comparing the corrected reconstructions to the unprocessed reconstructions and to reconstructions obtained from fan-beam acquisitions as a reference standard. One-dimensional profiles of the reconstructions and objective image quality metrics were used to determine the impact of the algorithm. Results: The proposed additional acquisition results in negligible additional radiation dose to the imaged breast ({approx}0.4% of the standard BCT acquisition). The processed phantom reconstruction showed substantially reduced cupping artifacts, increased contrast between adipose and glandular tissue equivalents, higher voxel value accuracy, and no discernible blurring of high frequency features. Conclusions: The proposed scatter correction method for dedicated breast CT is feasible and can result in highly improved image quality. Further optimization and testing, especially with patient images, is necessary to characterize its impact on clinical performance.
- OSTI ID:
- 22098864
- Journal Information:
- Medical Physics, Vol. 39, Issue 5; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-2405
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ALGORITHMS
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BIOPHYSICS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
CORRECTIONS
DISTRIBUTION
DOSIMETRY
FILTERS
GYNECOLOGY
IMAGE PROCESSING
MAMMARY GLANDS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
OPTIMIZATION
PHANTOMS
RADIATION DOSES
X RADIATION
X-RAY DIFFRACTION