Abstract: Provided are an X-ray CT apparatus and a tomographic image generation method capable of reducing a difference in a sum of weights for each projection angle in a tomographic image. There is provided an X-ray CT apparatus including: a projection data acquisition unit configured to acquire projection data of a subject; a reconstruction weight calculation unit configured to calculate a reconstruction weight based on the projection data; and an image generation unit configured to generate a tomographic image while weighting the projection data with the reconstruction weight, in which the reconstruction weight calculation unit is configured to calculate a reconstruction weight, which includes a reliability weight indicating a degree of reliability of the projection data, through standardization using a sum of weight coefficients obtained for each projection angle.

Abstract: To reduce an unnatural distortion of an image that occurs in a case in which a high absorption body of X-rays is included in movement correction image reconstruction processing of a CT image. High absorption body presence or absence determination processing of determining whether or not a high absorption body of X-rays is included is added to movement correction image reconstruction processing, and processing of limiting pixel values of an image pair used for movement correction or processing of selecting an image pair used for calculating a movement vector is performed based on a result of the determination. An X-ray CT apparatus includes a high absorption body determination unit or a pixel value adjustment unit to perform these pieces of processing.

Abstract: A push wave transmission unit transmits a push wave to a biological tissue of a subject. A tracking wave transmission/reception unit transmits a tracking wave to the biological tissue and receives a reflected ultrasound wave reflected by the biological tissue. An elasticity analysis unit measures a propagation velocity of a shear wave generated in the biological tissue by the push wave and measures an elastic property of the biological tissue based on the propagation velocity, and measures the propagation velocity of the shear wave based on a measurement signal obtained by the reflected ultrasound wave received by the tracking wave transmission/reception unit. A controller determines whether to re-measure the elastic property according to an unnecessary component included in the measurement signal. When determining to re-measure the elastic property, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus re-measures the elastic property by changing an acoustic property of the push wave according to the unnecessary component.

Abstract: Provided are an image processing apparatus, a medical imaging apparatus, and an image processing program that remove noise from an image having different noise levels depending on regions in the image at a low calculation cost, and enable high quality according to a preference of a reader. A plurality of image generators receive measurement data or a captured image obtained by an image data acquisition apparatus and generate different images for a same imaging range. An image selection and combination unit selects different image regions from a plurality of images generated by the plurality of image generators according to a predetermined region selection pattern, and generates one image by combining the images of the selected image regions.

Abstract: Provided are a PCCT apparatus and a control method of the same capable of detecting an abnormality occurring in a photon counting type detector. There is provided a PCCT apparatus including a photon counting type detector that counts X-ray photons, the PCCT apparatus including: a spectrum generation unit that generates a spectrum which is a distribution of photon counts for each energy bin; a calculation unit that calculates a photon count change rate for each energy bin from a spectrum at a first time and a spectrum at a second time; and a determination unit that determines presence or absence of an abnormality in the photon counting type detector based on the photon count change rate.

Abstract: Provided are an X-ray CT apparatus and a control method of the same capable of reducing focal blur even in a case where an X-ray focal spot is moved. There is provided an X-ray CT apparatus including: an X-ray tube including a cathode that generates an electron beam and an anode that collides with the electron beam to radiate an X-ray; an X-ray detector configured to detect the X-ray; a rotating plate configured to rotate the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector around a subject; and an image processing unit configured to generate a tomographic image of the subject based on projection data acquired by the X-ray detector during rotation of the rotating plate, in which the cathode, which has a plurality of electron sources that are arranged within a plane facing the anode and emit the electron beam, is configured such that a position of an electron source, from which an electron beam is to be emitted, is selectively controlled based on a target position of an X-ray focal spot in the anode.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a transducer part is mechanically scanned in a chamber for a medium. A pair of diaphragms are provided to the two sides of the transducer part (one side and the other side in the mechanical scanning direction). Each of the diaphragms has a hollow membrane and a base. The hollow membrane has a pair of longitudinal lateral surfaces extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to the center axis of rotation. An attachment hole is formed in a partition wall, and a projecting part provided on the base is inserted into the attachment hole.

Abstract: A material decomposition apparatus for performing decomposition of a material in an object. The apparatus includes a data storage section for storing correction data preliminarily generated by decomposing one of three or more materials into the other two materials, a data input section to which radiation data of the object is inputted, the radiation data being divided into a plurality of energy levels, and a decomposition processing section for repeatedly performing two-material decomposition for decomposition of the other two materials of the three or more materials using the radiation data at different energy levels and the correction data to perform decomposition of the inside of the object into the three or more materials.

Abstract: For a complex image to be complexly added, appropriate phase correction is executed by a simple method to prevent occurrence of an artifact in a signal region and to reduce noise in a background region. Two or more types of smoothing processing with different smoothing degrees are executed on a phase image of the complex image to obtain two or more types of smoothed phase images having different smoothing degrees. A weight for each of these smoothed phase images is calculated based on a signal value (SNR) of an intensity image, and addition is performed by a weight for each signal value to obtain a smoothed phase image for correction. After a phase of the complex image is corrected using the smoothed phase image, a phase-corrected complex image is complexly added. As a result, phase correction equivalent to phase correction in which a smoothing degree is weakened in the signal region and a smoothing degree is strengthened in the background region is realized.

Abstract: An image analyzer detects a lesion for each frame (tomographic image). When the lesion is detected, lesion information (detection flag, position information, and size information) is produced. An indication controller causes a mark surrounding the lesion to be displayed when it is judged that a mark display condition is satisfied, based on the lesion information or the like. The indication controller causes the mark to be deleted from a screen when detection of the lesion is continued and a mark display restriction condition is satisfied.

Abstract: Appropriate processing is executed in a method for excluding body motion data and image reconstruction according to a type and a characteristic of a body motion, so as to reduce an influence of the body motion, and prevent deterioration of image quality caused by exclusion of data generated during the body motion. An MRI apparatus includes a processing determination unit that collects k-space data and acquires body motion information from a sensor capable of detecting not only a respiratory motion but also general body motions, analyzes the body motion information obtained by the sensor, and branches and executes processing for subsequent data collection and image reconstruction according to the analysis result.

Abstract: The present invention is to perform appropriate noise reduction processing on an image having different signal levels or noise levels depending on an imaging condition or a reconstruction condition. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to the invention includes: a measurement unit that receives a nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated in a subject by a receiving coil; an image reconstruction unit that processes the nuclear magnetic resonance signal received by the receiving coil and reconstructs an image of the subject; an SNR spatial distribution calculation unit that calculates spatial distribution of a signal-to-noise ratio of the image using spatial distribution of a noise level and spatial distribution of the signal of the image; and a noise reduction unit that reduces noise from the image based on the spatial distribution of the signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe including: a plurality of transducers; a plurality of low-noise amplifier circuits individually corresponding to the plurality of transducers, the plurality of low-noise amplifier circuits having a variable resistor feedback unit making a resistance value variable by an electrical signal inputted to a control terminal; and a control circuit; wherein the control circuit has a dummy circuit generating a bias voltage of a feedback unit of the low-noise amplifier circuit, and an adding circuit outputting an added signal of a bias voltage by the dummy circuit and a control signal increasing or decreasing with a lapse of time; and the plurality of low-noise amplifier circuits input an output of the adding circuit to the control terminal of the variable resistor feedback unit to perform variable control on a gain of the low-noise amplifier circuit.

Abstract: To provide an ultrasonic transmission instrument that can uniformly transmit ultrasonic waves in each direction around the instrument, even when the instrument is made of a material through which the ultrasonic waves cannot be transmitted. In an ultrasonic transmission instrument according to the invention, a light transmission member is disposed at an emission end of an optical waveguide, and an outer peripheral member covers an outer periphery of the light transmission member and is made of a light absorbing material.

Abstract: Provided is a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus with no occurrence of artifacts, even after noise removal by applying Wavelet transform to a zero-fill reconstructed image. Nuclear magnetic resonance signals acquired by the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus are processed to perform reconstruction with a reconstruction matrix extended by zero-filling an acquisition matrix, and then a zero-fill reconstructed image is produced. This reconstructed image is subjected to an iterative operation combining the Wavelet transform and L1 norm minimization to remove noise. Before the noise removal, a pre-processing is performed to change the reconstruction matrix size so that an artifact does not occur in the image after noise removal, an artifact portion appears outside the reconstruction matrix after the noise removal, or cutting out is performed so that no artifact appears after the noise removal. The matrix size is restored to its original size in the post-processing after the noise removal.

Abstract: Super-resolution processing is performed on an MRI image by using an NMR signal as a point spread function (PSF). Image processing of increasing a resolution is performed on a reconstructed image by using the point spread function. The point spread function is a signal obtained by, after a phantom disposed in an imaging space is irradiated with a high-frequency magnetic field, acquiring a nuclear magnetic resonance signal from the phantom without applying frequency encoding and phase encoding, and performing Fourier transform on the acquired nuclear magnetic resonance signal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic device is provided in an examination room, and a remote device is provided in another room. The remote device has a conversion unit that converts advice (voice) from an advisor into a character string. Data indicating the character string are transmitted from the remote device to the ultrasonic diagnostic device. The character string is displayed on a display device of the ultrasonic diagnostic device. An advisor image is also displayed on the display device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to improving an insulating property of a backing in which a lead array is buried. The method includes a coating forming process, in which insulating coatings are formed with respect to at least a plurality of lead rows included in a plurality of lead frames; after the forming of the insulating coatings, a plate manufacturing process, in which a plurality of backing plates are manufactured by pouring a backing material towards a lead row in each of the plurality of lead frames so that the lead row and the backing material are integrated with each other; and a laminating process, in which the plurality of backing plates are laminated.

Abstract: A photon counting computed tomography (CT) apparatus actually measures corrective measurement values by radiating X-rays from an X-ray tube and counting X-ray photons in each of a plurality of energy bands in a vacant state in which no subject is arranged in an imaging range of the photon counting CT apparatus and/or in a state in which one or more types of corrective materials are arranged at a position through which X-rays radiated from the X-ray tube pass, and corrects measurement values in a material decomposition map based on the actually measured corrective measurement values.

Abstract: Distortion generated in an image is effectively corrected in imaging using an EPI sequence such as DWI without extending an imaging time. After one excitation RF pulse of EPI is applied, a navigator scan in which the polarity of the phase encoding is opposite to that of the main scan is performed continuously to the main scan, and the distortion of the image by using the navigator scan data obtained by the navigator scan is corrected. In a case of multi-shot, phase information obtained from the navigator scan data for each shot is used to perform phase correction and multi-shot reconstruction on the main scan data of each shot.