X-ray CT apparatus and data compression/restoration method
View Patent ↗In one embodiment, an X-ray CT apparatus includes an X-ray tube that radiates, an X-ray, a detector that outputs a plurality of pieces of pre-compression data on a basis of the X-ray first processing circuitry and second processing circuitry. The first processing circuitry groups the plurality of pieces of pre-compression data to generate grouped data corresponding to the pre-compression data in each group, and generates data for restoration for restoring the pre-compression data, wherein the first processing circuitry transmits the grouped data and the data for restoration to the second processing circuitry. And the second processing circuitry selects any of a first reconstruction mode in which image reconstruction is performed based on the plurality of pieces of pre-compression data; and a second reconstruction mode in which image reconstruction is performed based on the data for restoration, and generates an image, and in a case of performing image reconstruction in the first reconstruction mode, the second processing circuitry restores the pre-compression data based on the grouped data and the data for restoration.
1. An X-ray CT apparatus, comprising:
an X-ray source configured to radiate an X-ray;
a detector configured to output a piece of first data corresponding to a first resolution based on detecting the X-ray;
first processing circuitry; and
second processing circuitry, wherein
the first processing circuitry is configured to
integrate pieces of the first data
generate a piece of second data corresponding to the pieces of the first data, the piece of the second data corresponding to a second resolution lower than the first resolution,
generate restoration data for restoring the pieces of the first data by taking a difference between each of the pieces of the first data and the piece of the second data, and
transmit the piece of the second data and the restoration data to the second processing circuitry, and
the second processing circuitry is configured to
select any of: a first reconstruction mode in which image reconstruction is performed based on the pieces of the first data; and a second reconstruction mode in which image reconstruction is performed based on the piece of the second data, and
(A) restore the pieces of the first data based on the transmitted piece of the second data and the restoration data, and generate a higher resolution image based on the restored pieces of the first data when the first reconstruction mode is selected, and (B) generate a lower resolution image based on the transmitted piece of the second data when the second reconstruction mode is selected.
2. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the detector includes X ray detecting elements, and
the pieces of the first data are respectively outputted from the X ray detecting elements.
3. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first processing circuitry is configured to integrate a different number of pieces of the first data in accordance with image quality in the second reconstruction mode.
4. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first processing circuitry is configured to integrate the pieces of the first data in a square matrix with a same number of rows and columns in a slice direction and a channel direction, respectively, to generate the piece of the second data.
5. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the piece of the second data generated by the first processing circuitry is data generated by performing at least any of an averaging process, a coding process, and a statistical process on the pieces of the first data, the piece of the second data having a smaller data amount than the integrated pieces of the first data.
6. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising input circuitry configured to selectively receive any operation mode of the first reconstruction mode and the second reconstruction mode, wherein
the second processing circuitry is configured to select whether to perform image reconstruction in the first reconstruction mode using the pieces of the first data or perform image reconstruction in the second reconstruction mode using the piece of the second data, in accordance with the received operation mode.
7. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first processing circuitry is further configured to
compress the difference data, defined as the difference between each of the pieces of the first data and the piece of the second data, and
the second processing circuitry is configured to
restore, in the case of performing the image reconstruction in the first reconstruction mode, the compressed difference data, and
restore the pieces of the pieces of the first data using the restored difference data and the piece of the second data.
8. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the first processing circuitry is configured to
obtain a compression ratio of the compressed difference data to the difference data; and
generate, when the compression ratio is more than a predetermined threshold, the compressed difference data and the piece of the second data, and generate, when the compression ratio is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold, the difference data before compression and the piece of the second data, and
the second processing circuitry is configured to
restore, when the compression ratio is more than the predetermined threshold, the pieces of the first data using the restored difference data and the piece of the second data, and restore when the compression ratio is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold, the pieces of the first data using the difference data before compression and the piece of the second data.
9. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first processing circuitry is configured to determine whether or not to compress the pieces of the first data, based on a compression condition.
10. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first processing circuitry is further configured to determine whether or not to compress the pieces of the first data, in accordance with a variance in sinogram data generated from the pieces of the first data.
11. A data compression/restoration method, comprising:
outputting a piece of first data corresponding to a first resolution based on data from a detector resulting from detecting an X-ray radiated by an X-ray tube;
integrating pieces of pre the first data;
generating a piece of second data corresponding to the pieces of the first data, the piece of the second data corresponding to a second resolution lower than the first resolution;
generating restoration data for restoring the pieces of the first data by taking a difference between each of the pieces of the first data and the piece of the second data;
transmitting the piece of the second data and the restoration data to an image reconstruction apparatus;
selecting any of: a first reconstruction mode in which image reconstruction is performed based on the pieces of the first data; and a second reconstruction mode in which image reconstruction is performed based on the piece of the second data; and
(A) restoring the pieces of the first data based on the transmitted piece of the second data and the restoration data, and generating a higher resolution image based on the restored pieces of the first data when the first reconstruction mode is selected, and (B) generating a lower resolution image based on the transmitted piece of the second data when the second reconstruction mode is selected.