The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 14, 2003
Filed:
Feb. 15, 2001
Idris A. Elbakri, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Jeffrey A. Fessler, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A method for statistically reconstructing an X-ray computed tomography image produced by a single X-ray CT scan having a polyenergetic source spectrum and an image reconstructor which utilize a convergent statistical algorithm which explicitly accounts for the polyenergetic source spectrum are provided. First and second related statistical iterative methods for CT reconstruction based on a Poisson statistical model are described. Both methods are accelerated by the use of ordered subsets, which replace sums over the angular index of a sinogram with a series of sums over angular subsets of the sinogram. The first method is generalized to model the more realistic case of polyenergetic computed tomography (CT). The second method eliminates beam hardening artifacts seen when filtered back projection (FBP) is used without post-processing correction. The methods are superior to FBP reconstruction in terms of noise reduction. The method and image reconstructor of the invention are effective in producing corrected images that do not suffer from beam hardening effects.