Method and apparatus for metal artifact reduction in 3D X-ray image reconstruction using artifact spatial information

• US 20060039591A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker European Operations Holdings, LLC (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Zettel, Hubert A., Groszmann, Daniel E., Kapur, Tina
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5258 involving detection or reduction of artifacts or noise
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10081 Computed x-ray tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10121 Fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/70 Denoising; Smoothing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing metal artifact in image reconstruction. In at least one embodiment, the method for reducing metal artifacts in image reconstruction comprises collecting at least one uncalibrated image (an X-ray or fluoroscopic image for example) and calibrating the at least one uncalibrated image, forming at least one calibrated fluoroscopic image. A patient to transmitter transform is computed using at least the at least one calibrated image. A reconstructed volume is formed using at least a patient to transmitter transform. At least two of the at least one calibrated fluoroscopic image, the patient to transmitter transform and the reconstructed volume may be combined, forming at least one display image. This image may then be displayed, using a display device for example.

Claims

1. A method for conducting X-ray image reconstruction comprising:

collecting at least one uncalibrated image; and

calibrating said at least one uncalibrated image, forming at least one calibrated image.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein calibrating said at least one uncalibrated comprises locating at least one artifact.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising displaying said at least one image.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising computing patient to transmitter transform.

5. The method of claim 4 comprising computing said patient to transmitter transform using at least said at least one uncalibrated image.

6. The method of claim 4 comprising forming a reconstructed volume.

7. The method of claim 6 comprising forming said reconstructed volume using at least said at least one uncalibrated image.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising combining at least two of said at least one calibrated image, said patient to transmitter transform and said reconstructed volume.

9. A method for reducing metal artifacts in 3D X-ray reconstruction comprising:

collecting at least one uncalibrated image;

calibrating said at least one uncalibrated image forming at least one calibrated image;

computing patient to transmitter transform using at least said at least one calibrated image;

forming a reconstructed volume using at least said patient to transmitter transform;

combining at least two of said at least one calibrated image, said patient to transmitter transform and said reconstructed volume forming at least one display image; and

displaying said at least one display image.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said at least one uncalibrated image comprises at least one uncalibrated fluoroscopic image and said at least one calibrated image comprises at least one calibrated fluoroscopic image.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein calibrating said at least one uncalibrated image comprises performing at least one C-arm sweep.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein calibrating said at least one uncalibrated image comprises locating at least one artifact.

13. The method of claim 9 comprising transmitting said at least one uncalibrated image across at least one local network.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein calibrating said at least one uncalibrated image comprises removing at least one marker.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein forming said reconstructed volume comprises rotating at least one fluoroscopic image, undoing any C-arm settings.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising inverting an intensity of said at least one rotated fluoroscopic image.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising filtering said at least one inverted fluoroscopic image for apriori spatially known metal artifacts.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising back projecting at least one filtered fluoroscopic image to form said reconstructed volume.

19. An apparatus for reducing metal artifacts in image reconstruction, comprising:

a module adapted to collect at least one uncalibrated image; and

a module adapted to calibrate said at least one uncalibrated image, forming at least one calibrated image.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 comprising a display device adapted to display at least one image having reduced metal artifacts.