Research project

Application of Raw Data Consistency Conditions in Cone-Beam CT

X-ray Computed Tomography scanning is a standard procedure in medical imaging. Though the fundamentals of reconstructing the density of an object from lower dimensional projection images is well understood, real systems have to deal with additional sources of corruption. These can either be of geometric nature, from imperfect calibration or patient movement or physical effects like beam hardening and scatter. Many methods have been proposed to correct for these problems. Most of them rely on prior knowledge or additional equipment. However the inconsistency introduced by those corruptions can be quantified using redundancies in CT raw data. By numerically minimizing this inconsistency using appropriate compensation models, artifact reduction can be achieved without using prior knowledge or external equipment. The goal of this project is to develop novel artifact compensation algorithms for cone-beam CT, based on raw- data consistency conditions and to extend and improve existing compensation algorithms for calibration and motion compensation. A particular sub-goal for extension is, to extend the applicability of consistency-condition-based algorithms to trajectories required for theoretically exact reconstruction, like helix or circle-line trajectories.

Project manager:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Andreas Maier, Dr.-Ing. Frank Dennerlein, Dr. rer. biol. hum. Nicole Maaß

Project participants:
Dr.-Ing. Tobias Würfl

Keywords:
Computed Tomography, 3D-reconstruction, Consistency Conditions

Duration: 1.5.2016 - 30.4.2019

Sponsored by:
Siemens AG, Healthcare Sector, Erlangen

Contact:
Würfl, Tobias
Phone +49 9131 85 27799, Fax +49 9131 85 27270, E-Mail: tobias.wuerfl@fau.de

Publications

Würfl, Tobias ; Maaß, Nicole ; Dennerlein, Frank ; Maier, Andreas: A new calibration-free beam hardening reduction method for industrial CT. In: University of applied sciences upper austria (Ed.) : Proceedings of the 8th Conference on Industrial Computed Tomography (iCT) 2018 (8th Conference on Industrial Computed Tomography (iCT) 2018 Wels, Austria 6.-9.02.2018). 2018, pp tbd.

Hoffmann, Mathis ; Würfl, Tobias ; Maaß, Nicole ; Dennerlein, Frank ; Aichert, André ; Maier, Andreas: Empirical Scatter Correction using the Epipolar Consistency Condition. In: Frederic Noo (Ed.) : Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Image Formation in X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT-Meeting) (Fifth International Conference on Image Formation in X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT-Meeting) Salt Lake City, USA 20.05.2018). 2018, pp 193-197.

Würfl, Tobias ; Maaß, Nicole ; Dennerlein, Frank ; Aichert, André ; Maier, Andreas: Physical Constraints for Beam Hardening Reduction using Polynomial Models. In: Frederic Noo (Ed.) : Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Image Formation in X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT-Meeting) (Fifth International Conference on Image Formation in X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT-Meeting) Salt Lake City, USA 20.05.2018). 2018, pp 356-359.

Würfl, Tobias ; Maaß, Nicole ; Dennerlein, Frank ; Huang, Xiaolin ; Maier, Andreas: Epipolar Consistency Guided Beam Hardening Reduction - ECC². In: Ge Wang and Xuanqin Mou (Ed.) : Proceedings of the 14th International Meeting on Fully Three-Dimensional Image Reconstruction in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (14th International Meeting on Fully Three-Dimensional Image Reconstruction in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Xi'an, Shaanxi, China 18.06.2017-23.06.2017). 2017, pp 181-185.