Apparatus and method for count loss calibration of photon-counting detectors in spectral computed tomography imaging

1. A method for photon count-loss calibration in a computed-tomography (CT) scanner, comprising:

capturing incident X-ray photons via a plurality of energy-discriminating detectors;

determining photon counts of the captured incident X-ray photons in a plurality of energy windows at each energy-discriminating detector; and

adjusting the determined photon counts in each energy window for each energy-discriminating detector based on a pre-determined photon count-loss look-up table and a basis material decomposition obtained from the determined photon counts.

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

defining, for a specific energy window of a specific energy-discriminating detector, a first photon count to be equal to a photon count among the determined photon counts corresponding to the specific energy window of the specific energy-discriminating detector;

obtaining the basis material decomposition based on the first photon count;

determining an estimated true photon count based on the pre-determined photon count-loss look-up table and the obtained basis material decomposition, the specific energy window, and a plurality of scan parameters;

calculating a difference between the estimated true photon count and the first photon count; and

changing the first photon count to be equal to the estimated true photon count and repeating the obtaining, determining, calculating, and changing steps when an absolute value of the calculated difference is greater than a pre-determined threshold.

3. A computed-tomography (CT) apparatus, comprising:

a CT scanner including an X-ray source;

a detector including a plurality of energy-discriminating detectors capturing incident X-ray photons emitted from the X-ray source; and

a processor configured to

determine photon counts of the captured incident X-ray photons in a plurality of energy windows at each energy-discriminating detector, and

adjust the determined photon counts in each energy window for each energy-discriminating detector based on a pre-determined photon count-loss look-up table and a basis material decomposition obtained from the determined photon counts.

4. The CT apparatus of claim 3 , wherein, in adjusting the determined photon count, the processor is further configured to:

define, for a specific energy window of a specific energy-discriminating detector, a first photon count to be equal to a photon count among the determined photon counts corresponding to the specific energy window of the specific energy-discriminating detector;

obtain the basis material decomposition based on the current first photon count;

determine an estimated true photon count based on the pre-determined photon count-loss look-up table and the obtained basis material decomposition, the specific energy window, and a plurality of scan parameters;

calculate a difference between the estimated true photon count and the first photon count; and

change the first photon count to be equal to the estimated true photon count, and repeat the obtaining, determining, calculating, and changing steps when an absolute value of the calculated difference is greater than a pre-determined threshold.

5. A method to determine a photon count-loss look-up table for calibrating photon counts detected at a plurality of energy-discriminating detectors in a computed-tomography (CT) apparatus, the method comprising:

emitting X-ray photons, under pre-determined scan parameters, from an X-ray source, to a phantom arranged within the CT apparatus, the phantom including a pre-determined basis material and having a pre-determined thickness;

capturing incident X-ray photons at the plurality of energy-discriminating detectors;

detecting the photon counts of the captured incident X-ray photons in a plurality of energy windows at each energy-discriminating detector;

determining estimated true photon counts based on the pre-determined basis material, the pre-determined thickness, and the pre-determined scan parameters; and

storing, in the photon count-loss look-up table, the determined estimated true photon counts and the detected photon counts in association with parameters representing the pre-determined basis material and the pre-determined thickness, and in association with the pre-determined scan parameters.

6. An apparatus to determine a photon count-loss look-up table for calibrating photon counts detected in a computed-tomography (CT) apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

an X-ray source configured to emit X-ray photons, under pre-determined scan parameters, from an X-ray source, to a phantom arranged within the CT apparatus, the phantom including a pre-determined basis material and having a pre-determined thickness;

a plurality of energy-discriminating detectors configured to capture incident X-ray photons and to detect the photon counts of the captured incident X-ray photons in a plurality of energy windows;

a processor configured to determine estimated true photon counts based on the pre-determined basis material, the pre-determined thickness, and the pre-determined scan parameters; and

a memory configured to store, in the photon count-loss look-up table, the determined estimated true photon counts and the detected photon counts in association with parameters representing the pre-determined basis material and the pre-determined thickness, and in association with the pre-determined scan parameters.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-determined photon count-loss look-up table includes estimated true photon counts corresponding to the obtained basis material decomposition, the specific energy window, and a plurality of scan parameters.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting step comprises:

calculating a difference between an estimated true photon count and a first photon count; and

changing the first photon count, and repeating the calculating and changing steps when the calculated difference is greater than a pre-determined threshold.

9. The CT apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the pre-determined photon count-loss look-up table includes estimated true photon counts corresponding to the obtained basis material decomposition, the specific energy window, and a plurality of scan parameters.

10. The CT apparatus of claim 3 , wherein, in adjusting the determined photon count, the process is further configured to:

calculate a difference between an estimated true photon count and a first photon count; and

change the first photon count, and repeat the calculating and changing steps when the calculated difference is greater than a pre-determined threshold.