Apparatus for scan direction and stiching sequence determination of a plurality of x-ray images

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus () for scan direction detection and stitching sequence determination of a plurality of X-ray images, comprising: an input unit (); a processing unit (); and an output unit (). The input unit is configured to provide the processing unit with a first X-ray image acquired by an X-ray image acquisition system, and the first image comprises image data of a patient. The input unit is configured to provide the processing unit with a second X-ray image acquired by the X-ray image acquisition system after it has moved with respect to the patient, and the second image comprises image data of the patient. The processing unit is configured to determine a top similarity value comprising a comparison of at least one region of image data of the patient at and/or adjacent to a top border in the first image with at least one equivalent sized region of image data of the patient at and/or adjacent to a bottom border in the second image. The processing unit is configured to determine a right similarity value comprising a comparison of at least one region of image data of the patient at and/or adjacent to a right border in the first image with at least one equivalent sized region of image data of the patient at and/or adjacent to a left border in the second image. The processing unit is configured to determine a bottom similarity value comprising a comparison of at least one region of image data of the patient at and/or adjacent to a bottom border in the first image with at least one equivalent sized region of image data of the patient at and/or adjacent to a top border in the second image. The processing unit is configured to determine a left similarity value comprising a comparison of at least one region of image data of the patient at and/or adjacent to a left border in the first image with at least one equivalent sized region of image data of the patient at and/or adjacent to a right border in the second image. The processing unit is configured to determine a scan direction and translation distance of the X-ray image acquisition system associated with the movement of the X-ray acquisition system comprising utilization of a maximum of the top, right, bottom or left similarity values and/or determine a combined image formed from the first image and the second image comprising utilization of the maximum of the top, right, bottom or left similarity values. The output unit is configured to output the scan direction and translation distance and/or the combined image.