Creating a resultant image for a specifiable, virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution

1. A method for creating a resultant image of a patient with an x-ray imaging device for a specifiable, virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution, the method comprising:

capturing a first image dataset of the patient, the first image dataset representing a first x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient in accordance with a first x-ray quanta energy distribution;

capturing at least one second image dataset of the patient, the at least one second image dataset representing at least one second x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient corresponding to at least one second x-ray quanta energy distribution;

specifying a virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution as a function of a predetermined clinical issue;

establishing a spatial density distribution of the patient for at least two materials based on the first image dataset and the at least one second image dataset;

creating a third image dataset of the patient based on the specified virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution and the established spatial material density distributions, wherein the third image dataset represents a third x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient corresponding to the specified virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution; and

creating the resultant image from the third image dataset.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first image dataset and the at least one second image dataset are captured with a spectrally-separating x-ray radiation detector.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first image dataset and the at least one second image dataset are captured with a quanta-counting detector or a dual-layer detector.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein specifying the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution as a function of a predetermined clinical issue comprises specifying the virtual x-ray quanta distribution as a function of desired image quality.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution is specified as a function of desired image quality with respect to an improved contrast-to-noise ratio, reduced image noise, or reduced artifacts.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution is specified after the capturing of the first image dataset and the at least one second image dataset with an x-ray imaging device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution is specified by a user.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least two materials comprise iodine and soft tissue.

9. A method for creating a resultant image of a patient with an x-ray imaging device for a specifiable, virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution, the method comprising:

capturing a first image dataset of the patient, the first image dataset representing a first x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient in accordance with a first x-ray quanta energy distribution;

capturing at least one second image dataset of the patient, the at least one second image dataset representing at least one second x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient corresponding to at least one second x-ray quanta energy distribution;

specifying a virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution;

establishing a spatial density distribution of the patient for at least two materials based on the first image dataset and the at least one second image dataset;

creating a third image dataset of the patient based on the specified virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution and the established spatial material density distributions, wherein the third image dataset represents a third x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient corresponding to the specified virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution; and

creating the resultant image from the third image dataset, wherein specifying the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution comprises specifying the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution as a function of at least one item of patient-specific, body-related information of the patient.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one item of patient-specific, body-related information comprises patient height, patient width, patient shape, patient weight, x-ray attenuation behavior of the patient, or any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising capturing, by an optical sensor, the at least one item of patient-specific, body-related information of the patient.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the optical sensor comprises a three-dimensional camera.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein specifying the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution as a function of a predetermined clinical issue comprises specifying the virtual x-ray quanta distribution as a function of an examination type.

14. In a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions executable by a computer to create a resultant image of a patient with an x-ray imaging device for a specifiable, virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution, the instructions comprising:

capturing a first image dataset of the patient, the first image dataset representing a first x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient in accordance with a first x-ray quanta energy distribution;

capturing at least one second image dataset of the patient, the at least one second image dataset representing at least one second x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient corresponding to at least one second x-ray quanta energy distribution;

specifying a virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution as a function of a predetermined clinical issue or at least one item of patient-specific, body-related information of the patient;

establishing a spatial density distribution of the patient for at least two materials based on the first image dataset and the at least one second image dataset;

creating a third image dataset of the patient based on the specified virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution and the established spatial material density distributions, wherein the third image dataset represents a third x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient corresponding to the specified virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution; and

creating the resultant image from the third image dataset.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein specifying the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution as a function of a predetermined clinical issue comprises specifying the virtual x-ray quanta distribution as a function of an examination type.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein specifying the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution as a function of a predetermined clinical issue comprises specifying the virtual x-ray quanta distribution as a function of desired image quality.

17. An x-ray imaging device for creating a resultant image of a patient for a specifiable, virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution, the x-ray imaging device comprising:

an x-ray module comprising at least one x-ray source, each x-ray source of the at least on x-ray source being operable to create and emit x-ray radiation with a specified x-ray quanta energy distribution;

a detector module comprising at least one x-ray radiation detector, each x-ray radiation detector of the at least one x-ray radiation detector being operable to detect x-ray radiation emitted by the x-ray module; and

a computer system configured to:

capture a first image dataset of the patient, the first image dataset representing a first x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient in accordance with a first x-ray quanta energy distribution;

capture at least one second image dataset of the patient, the at least one second image dataset representing at least one second x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient corresponding to at least one second x-ray quanta energy distribution;

specify a virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution as a function of a predetermined clinical issue or at least one item of patient-specific, body-related information of the patient;

establish a spatial density distribution of the patient for at least two materials based on the first image dataset and the at least one second image dataset;

create a third image dataset of the patient based on the specified virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution and the established spatial material density distributions, wherein the third image dataset represents a third x-ray attenuation distribution of the patient corresponding to the specified virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution; and

create the resultant image from the third image dataset.

18. The x-ray imaging device of claim 17 , wherein the computer system comprises:

an interface unit configured to capture the first image dataset of the patient and the at least one second image dataset of the patient;

a specification unit configured to specify the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution;

a processor configured to:

establish the spatial density distribution in the patient for the at least two materials based on the first image dataset and the at least one second image dataset; and

create a third image dataset of the patient based on the specified virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution and the established spatial material density distributions; and

a reconstruction unit configured to create the resultant image from the third image dataset.

19. The x-ray imaging device of claim 17 , further comprising an optical sensor configured to capture at least one item of patient-specific, body-related information of the patient.

20. The x-ray imaging device of claim 17 , wherein the detector module comprises a spectrally-separating x-ray radiation detector.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein specifying the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution as a function of a predetermined clinical issue comprises specifying the virtual x-ray quanta distribution as a function of an examination type.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein specifying the virtual x-ray quanta energy distribution as a function of a predetermined clinical issue comprises specifying the virtual x-ray quanta distribution as a function of desired image quality.