Method, apparatus, and computer program product for sinogram completion

1. A method for estimating projection data outside a field of view of a scanning device, comprising:

obtaining projection data by scanning an object using the scanning device;

selecting a projection angle and a fan angle outside a field of view of the scanning device;

determining, based on the selected projection angle and fan angle, a plurality of sinogram curves, each sinogram curve corresponding to a different image point in the object;

determining a contribution value for each of the sinogram curves based on the obtained projection data;

calculating estimated projection data for the selected projection angle and fan angle based on the determined contribution values; and

storing the estimated projection data,

wherein the step of determining the contribution value includes interpolating the obtained projection data along at least one of the plurality of sinogram curves.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating comprises:

calculating the estimated projection data for the selected projection angle and fan angle based on a weighted sum of the contribution values for the plurality of sinogram curves.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each contribution value is based on a minimum value of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each contribution value is based on boundary values of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each contribution value is based on a minimum value of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve and on boundary values of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing a table including minimum values and boundary values of the obtained projection data; and

said step of calculating includes calculating the estimated projection data using data included in the table.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the boundary values are based on a slope of the corresponding sinogram curve.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the table is a minimum value table, and a peak of the minimum value table is rounded off.

9. An apparatus for estimating projection data outside a field of view of a scanning device, comprising:

means for obtaining projection data by scanning an object using the scanning device;

means for selecting a projection angle and a fan angle outside a field of view of the scanning device;

means for determining, based on the selected projection angle and fan angle, a plurality of sinogram curves, each sinogram curve corresponding to a different image point in the object;

means for determining a contribution value for each of the sinogram curves based on the obtained projection data; and

means for calculating estimated projection data for the selected projection angle and fan angle based on the determined contribution values,

wherein the means for determining the contribution value includes means for interpolating the obtained projection data along at least one of the plurality of sinogram curves.

10. A non-transmissive computer readable medium storing instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to perform the steps of:

obtaining projection data by scanning an object using the scanning device;

selecting a projection angle and a fan angle outside a field of view of the scanning device;

determining, based on the selected projection angle and fan angle, a plurality of sinogram curves, each sinogram curve corresponding to a different image point in the object;

determining a contribution value for each of the sinogram curves based on the obtained projection data;

calculating estimated projection data for the selected projection angle and fan angle based on the determined contribution values; and

storing the estimated projection data,

wherein the step of determining the contribution value includes interpolating the obtained projection data along at least one of the plurality of sinogram curves.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the step of calculating comprises:

calculating the estimated projection data for the selected projection angle and fan angle based on a weighted sum of the contribution values for the plurality of sinogram curves.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein each contribution value is based on a minimum value of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein each contribution value is based on boundary values of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein each contribution value is based on a minimum value of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve and on boundary values of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising:

storing a table including minimum values and boundary values of the obtained projection data; and

said step of calculating includes calculating the estimated projection data using data included in the table.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the boundary values are based on a slope of the corresponding sinogram curve.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the table is a minimum value table, and a peak of the minimum value table is rounded off.

18. A system for estimating projection data, comprising:

a scanning device configured to obtain projection data by scanning an object;

a selection unit configured to select a projection angle and a fan angle outside a field of view of the scanning device; and

a processor configured to

determine, based on the selected projection angle and fan angle, a plurality of sinogram curves, each sinogram curve corresponding to a different image point in the object,

determine a contribution value for each of the sinogram curves based on the obtained projection data; and

calculate estimated projection data for the selected projection angle and fan angle based on the determined contribution values,

wherein the processor is further configured to interpolate obtained projection data along at least one of the plurality of sinogram curves to determine the contribution value.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the estimated projection data for the selected projection angle and fan angle based on a weighted sum of the contribution values for the plurality of sinogram curves.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein each contribution value is based on a minimum value of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve.

21. The system of claim 18 , wherein each contribution value is based on boundary values of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve.

22. The system of claim 18 , wherein each contribution value is based on a minimum value of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve and on boundary values of the obtained projection data on the corresponding sinogram curve.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising:

a storage unit configured to store a table, the table including minimum values and boundary values of the obtained projection data,

wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the estimated projection data using data included in the table.

24. The system of claim 21 , wherein the boundary values are based on a slope of the corresponding sinogram curve.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the table is a minimum value table, and a peak of the minimum value table is rounded off.