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: There is provided a PCCT apparatus capable of correcting a band artifact of one material decomposition image and a band artifact of another material decomposition image. The PCCT apparatus obtains projection data divided into plural energy bins by irradiating a subject with X-rays, and includes: a first correction unit that corrects a band artifact of a first material decomposition image among plural material decomposition images created on the basis of the projection data, and calculates a first correction amount that is a correction amount for the band artifact; an energy calculation unit that calculates an average energy of X-rays that transmit the subject; and a second correction unit that corrects the band artifact of a second material decomposition image using a second correction amount that is a correction amount calculated on the basis of the first correction amount and the average energy.

Abstract: There are provided a medical image processing apparatus and a medical image processing method making it possible to reduce metal artifacts with no loss of a detailed structure in a metallic region. The medical image processing apparatus is configured to reconstruct a tomographic image from projection data of a subject in which metal material is included and includes a projection space correction section which corrects the projection data and thereby generates corrected projection data, an image space correction section which corrects the tomographic image by using the corrected projection data, and a coefficient setting section which sets a projection space coefficient which is used in the projection space correction section and an image space coefficient which is used in the image space correction section.

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: There are provided a medical image processing apparatus and a medical image processing method making it possible to reduce metal artifacts with no loss of a detailed structure in a metallic region. The medical image processing apparatus is configured to reconstruct a tomographic image from projection data of a subject in which metal material is included and includes a projection space correction section which corrects the projection data and thereby generates corrected projection data, an image space correction section which corrects the tomographic image by using the corrected projection data, and a coefficient setting section which sets a projection space coefficient which is used in the projection space correction section and an image space coefficient which is used in the image space correction section.

Abstract: To provide an image processing device and an image processing method capable of controlling contrast of a diagnosed part without greatly changing the characteristic of the entire image, and improving the diagnosis efficiency, an image processing device 100 sets a search pixel range and a search region to search for a representative pixel value as reference upon emphasis on the contrast of a diagnostic image as image data of a diagnosis object, calculates the representative pixel value for emphasis processing based on the set search pixel value range and the search region, and generates an emphasized image where the contrast of the entire diagnostic image is emphasized with the representative pixel value as reference.

Abstract: To provide an X-ray CT apparatus capable of correcting a difference of scattered radiation quantities contained in the projection data even in a case where a plurality of detection elements are disposed between collimator plates. The X-ray CT apparatus includes: an X-ray irradiation section for X-ray radiation; an X-ray detector including a plurality of detection elements for detecting the X-ray; a plurality of collimator plates disposed between the X-ray irradiation section and the X-ray detector so as to reduce scattered radiation; a reconstruction portion for reconstructing a tomographic image by using projection data generated based on an output from the X-ray detector; and a correction portion for correcting the projection data by using different correction functions according to the positions of the plural detection elements disposed between the collimator plates.

Abstract: In order to provide an X-ray CT apparatus which can reconstruct a tomographic image with less unevenness in image quality at a high speed on the basis of projection data which is obtained by irradiating an object with X-rays, the X-ray CT apparatus of the invention includes an inverse projection phase width setting unit that sets an inverse projection phase width which is an angular width of projection data used for reconstruction, for each tomographic image, and a view weight calculation unit that calculates a view weight which is a weight coefficient multiplied by projection data within the inverse projection phase width and is a function of a view angle, for each position of a pixel of a tomographic image.

Abstract: To provide an image processing device and an image processing method capable of controlling contrast of a diagnosed part without greatly changing the characteristic of the entire image, and improving the diagnosis efficiency, an image processing device 100 sets a search pixel range and a search region to search for a representative pixel value as reference upon emphasis on the contrast of a diagnostic image as image data of a diagnosis object, calculates the representative pixel value for emphasis processing based on the set search pixel value range and the search region, and generates an emphasized image where the contrast of the entire diagnostic image is emphasized with the representative pixel value as reference.

Abstract: In order to provide an X-ray CT apparatus which can reconstruct a tomographic image with less unevenness in image quality at a high speed on the basis of projection data which is obtained by irradiating an object with X-rays, the X-ray CT apparatus of the invention includes an inverse projection phase width setting unit that sets an inverse projection phase width which is an angular width of projection data used for reconstruction, for each tomographic image, and a view weight calculation unit that calculates a view weight which is a weight coefficient multiplied by projection data within the inverse projection phase width and is a function of a view angle, for each position of a pixel of a tomographic image.

Abstract: To provide an X-ray CT apparatus and an image reconstruction method that can generate an image in which motion influence of a site to be scanned is reduced, the image processing device 403 of the X-ray CT apparatus 1 calculates a reconstruction data range which is a range of projection data to be used for reconstruction based on a motion direction of the site to be scanned. An image is reconstructed using the projection data in the calculated reconstruction data range. The reconstruction data range is set as the projection data in a projection range of at least 180 degrees or more including a projection direction that approximately corresponding to the motion direction of the site to be scanned.

Abstract: To provide an X-ray CT apparatus and an image reconstruction method that can generate an image in which motion influence of a site to be scanned is reduced, the image processing device 403 of the X-ray CT apparatus 1 calculates a reconstruction data range which is a range of projection data to be used for reconstruction based on a motion direction of the site to be scanned. An image is reconstructed using the projection data in the calculated reconstruction data range. The reconstruction data range is set as the projection data in a projection range of at least 180 degrees or more including a projection direction that approximately corresponding to the motion direction of the site to be scanned.

Abstract: In order to improve the tiling workability in manufacturing an X-ray detector and provide a technology for acquiring high-quality reconstruction images, when aligning a plurality of detector blocks (or detector modules) in a slice direction, a distance between adjacent X-ray detection elements between detector blocks (inter-block distance) is not matched with a distance between adjacent detector elements within a detector block (intra-block distance). Instead, between reference positions when manufacturing each detector block, output values at the positions, the number of which is the same as the number of X-ray detection elements between the reference positions and which are spaced at equal intervals, are estimated from the acquired raw data. Projection data is generated from the position and the raw data.

Abstract: In order to improve the tiling workability in manufacturing an X-ray detector and provide a technology for acquiring high-quality reconstruction images, when aligning a plurality of detector blocks (or detector modules) in a slice direction, a distance between adjacent X-ray detection elements between detector blocks (inter-block distance) is not matched with a distance between adjacent detector elements within a detector block (intra-block distance). Instead, between reference positions when manufacturing each detector block, output values at the positions, the number of which is the same as the number of X-ray detection elements between the reference positions and which are spaced at equal intervals, are estimated from the acquired raw data. Projection data is generated from the position and the raw data.

Abstract: An X-ray CT apparatus in which phase information on a moving part of an object performing periodic motions is obtained externally, projection data corresponding to desired phase information out of the above phase information is stored while being associated therewith, that tomogram of the object corresponding to the desired phase information is reconstructed using the projection data corresponding to the desired phase information thus stored, a target tomogram is constructed by supplementing signal components lacking in the tomogram of the object corresponding to the desired phase information with the signal components of the tomogram of the object stored in a tomogram storage means, and then the target tomogram is displayed.

Abstract: An X-ray CT apparatus in which phase information on a moving part of an object performing periodic motions is obtained externally, projection data corresponding to desired phase information out of the above phase information is stored while being associated therewith, that tomogram of the object corresponding to the desired phase information is reconstructed using the projection data corresponding to the desired phase information thus stored, a target tomogram is constructed by supplementing signal components lacking in the tomogram of the object corresponding to the desired phase information with the signal components of the tomogram of the object stored in a tomogram storage means, and then the target tomogram is displayed.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image processing apparatus, which forms three-dimensional image data by combining a plurality of two-dimensional data and displays the formed three-dimensional images, makes it possible to continuously output the three-dimensional images at a plurality of measurement positions. An image processing unit composes data in order to produce the three-dimensional image data. In the composition, the latest three-dimensional image data is recursively produced by combining the second latest three-dimensional image data and the latest two-dimensional image data. Every time the two-dimensional image data is acquired at each measurement position, the image processing unit produces three-dimensional image data from a measurement starting position up to the latest measurement position and displays the three-dimensional image.