Reconstruction of computed tomography images using combined third-generation and fourth-generation projection data

1. An apparatus to reconstruct an image using combined third-generation energy-integrating computed tomography projection data and fourth-generation spectrally resolved computed tomography projection data, the apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry configured to

obtain first projection data from an energy-integrating detector;

obtain second projection data from a photon-counting spectrally discriminating detector;

perform a beam-hardening correction to the first projection data based on the second projection data; and

reconstruct an image by solving a combined-system matrix equation formed by combining the corrected first projection data and the second projection data and using a combined-system matrix.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

calculate a first basis image of a first material using the second projection data;

calculate a second basis image of a second material using the second projection data; and

correct the first projection data to remove effects of beam hardening by calculating a beam-hardening correction using the first basis image and the second basis image.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

calculate a basis image using the second projection data; and

correct the first projection data to remove effects of beam hardening by calculating a beam-hardening correction using the basis image.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to solve the combined-system matrix equation by an iterative computed tomography image reconstruction method.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to solve the combined-system matrix equation by calculating a pseudoinverse matrix of a combined-system matrix.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

correct the first projection data to remove effects of beam hardening by calculating a beam-hardening correction using at least one basis image calculated by using the second projection data.

7. A computed tomography apparatus, comprising:

a polychromatic X-ray source;

an energy-integrating X-ray detector configured to generate first projection data;

a photon-counting X-ray detector configured to generate second projection data; and

processing circuitry configured to

perform a beam-hardening correction to the first projection data based on the second projection data; and

reconstruct an image by solving a combined-system matrix equation formed by combining the corrected first projection data and the second projection data and using a combined-system matrix.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

calculate a first basis image of a first material using the second projection data;

calculate a second basis image of a second material using the second projection data; and

correct the first projection data to remove effects of beam hardening by calculating a beam-hardening correction using the first basis image and the second basis image.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

calculate a basis image using the second projection data; and

correct the first projection data to remove effects of beam hardening by calculating a beam-hardening correction using the basis image.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to solve the combined-system matrix equation by calculating a weighted pseudoinverse matrix of the combined-system system matrix.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to solve the combined-system matrix equation by an iterative computed tomography image reconstruction method.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to solve the combined-system matrix equation by calculating a pseudoinverse matrix of the combined-system matrix.

13. A method of image reconstruction using combined third-generation energy-integrating computed tomography projection data and fourth-generation spectrally resolved computed tomography projection data, the method comprising:

obtaining first projection data from an energy-integrating detector;

obtaining second projection data from a photon-counting spectrum-resolving detector;

performing a beam-hardening correction to the first projection data based on the second projection data; and

reconstructing an image by solving a combined-system matrix equation formed by combining the corrected first projection data and the second projection data and using a combined-system matrix.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

calculating a first basis image of a first material using the second projection data;

calculating a second basis image of a second material using the second projection data; and

correcting first projection data to remove effects of beam hardening by calculating a beam-hardening correction using the first basis image and the second basis image.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the reconstruction step comprises solving the combined-system matrix equation by calculating a pseudoinverse matrix of the combined-system system matrix.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the reconstruction step comprises solving the combined-system matrix equation by calculating a weighted pseudoinverse matrix of the combined-system system matrix.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the reconstruction step comprises solving the combined-system matrix equation by an iterative computed tomography image reconstruction method.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the reconstruction step comprises solving the combined-system matrix equation by a total-variation-minimization iterative computed tomography image reconstruction method.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the reconstruction step comprises solving the combined-system matrix equation by a Kamara iterative computed tomography image reconstruction method.

20. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

respectively setting the first basis image and the second basis image equal to the corresponding first combined-system basis image and second combined-system basis image;

correcting the first projection data to remove the effects of beam hardening by calculating another beam-hardening correction using the first basis image and the second basis image; and

reconstructing another first combined-system basis image and another second combined-system basis image by solving the combined-system matrix equation using the corrected first projection data and the second projection data.