Method and system for multi-energy tomosynthesis
Briefly in accordance with one embodiment, the present technique provides a multi-energy tomosynthesis imaging system. The system includes an X-ray source configured to emit X-rays from multiple locations within a limited angular range relative to an imaging volume. The imaging system also includes a digital detector with an array of detector elements to generate images in response to the emitted X-rays. The imaging system further includes a detector acquisition circuitry to acquire the images from the digital detector. The imaging system may also include a processing circuitry configured to decompose plurality of images based on energy characteristics and to reconstruct the plurality of images to generate a three-dimensional multi-energy tomosynthesis image.
1. A multi-energy tomosynthesis image viewing system, comprising:
processing circuitry configured to reconstruct a plurality of signals generated from X-ray projections from a limited angle relative to an imaging volume and to decompose the plurality of signals based on energy characteristics into at least a first material type and a second material type.; and
an operator workstation configured to display one or more visually coded structural features of the second material type in a three-dimensional image.
2. A method for acquiring a multi-energy tomosynthesis images, the method comprising:
decomposing a plurality of multi-energy projection images to generate a plurality of decomposed projection images, wherein the plurality of multi-energy projection images are acquired over a limited angular range;
reconstructing at least one of the plurality of decomposed projection images to generate one or more three-dimensional composition images or the plurality of multi-energy projection images to generate one or more three-dimensional energy images; and
displaying at least one of the one or more three-dimensional composition images or the three-dimensional energy images.
3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein displaying the at least one of the one or more three-dimensional composition images or the three-dimensional energy images comprises displaying structural features of a first three-dimensional image superimposed on a second three-dimensional image.
4. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein displaying the at least one of the one or more three-dimensional composition images or the three-dimensional energy images comprises concurrently displaying two or more of the three-dimensional composition or energy images.
5. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein displaying the at least one of the one or more three-dimensional composition images or the three-dimensional energy images comprises displaying a combination of the one or more three-dimensional composition or energy images.
6. A method for acquiring a multi-energy tomosynthesis images, the method comprising:
reconstructing a plurality of multi-energy projection images to generate one or more three-dimensional energy images wherein the plurality of multi-energy projection images are acquired over a limited angular range;
decomposing at least one of the three-dimensional energy images to generate one or more three-dimensional composition images; and
displaying at least one of the one or more three-dimensional composition images or the three-dimensional energy images.
7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein displaying the at least one of the one or more three-dimensional composition images or the three-dimensional energy images comprises displaying structural features of a first three-dimensional image superimposed on a second three-dimensional image.
8. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein displaying the at least one of the one or more three-dimensional composition images or the three-dimensional energy images comprises concurrently displaying two or more of the three-dimensional composition or energy images.
9. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein displaying the at least one of the one or more three-dimensional composition images or the three-dimensional energy images comprises displaying a combination of the one or more three-dimensional composition or energy images.