IP Library Granted Patent US 10,019,795
Granted Patent B2
US 10,019,795 · App. 15/237,203 · Granted Jul 10, 2018

Focal spot de-blurring

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,019,795
App. No.
15/237,203
Granted
Jul 10, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A radiography apparatus includes a radiation source, a radiation detector, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to obtain an X-ray image of an object, obtain a focal spot size of a radiation source used to generate the obtained X-ray image, and estimate a magnification of the obtained X-ray image. The processing circuitry is also configured to obtain, using a look-up table and the obtained focal spot size, a deconvolution kernel. The processing circuitry is also configured to generate a corrected X-ray image by performing a deconvolution operation on the obtained X-ray image using the obtained deconvolution kernel and the estimated magnification.

Claims (48)

1. A radiography apparatus, comprising:

processing circuitry configured to

obtain an X-ray image of an object,

obtain a focal spot size and distribution of a radiation source used to generate the obtained X-ray image,

estimate a magnification of the obtained X-ray image,

obtain, using a look-up table and the obtained focal spot size and distribution, a deconvolution kernel, and

generate a corrected X-ray image by performing a deconvolution operation on the obtained X-ray image using the obtained deconvolution kernel and the estimated magnification.

2. The radiography apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

adjust the magnification, and

perform the deconvolution operation on the corrected X-ray image using the obtained deconvolution kernel and the adjusted magnification.

3. The radiography apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a memory storing the look-up table.

4. The radiography apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to estimate a magnification range from a source-to-imager distance (SID), an object table height, a lateral image, and an object thickness.

5. The radiography apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

calculate a maximum magnification as a ratio of the SID to the object table height,

calculate a minimum magnification as a ratio of the SID to a sum of the object table height and the object thickness,

determine an optimum magnification, between the maximum magnification and the minimum magnification, based on at least one patient factor, and

set the estimated magnification to be the determined optimum magnification.

6. The radiography apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to estimate the magnification from an image size of an implanted device within the obtained X-ray image and from an actual known size of the implanted device.

7. The radiography apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to estimate the magnification as a ratio of the image size to the actual known size of the implanted device.

8. The radiography apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the look-up table is indexed by at least one of the available focal spots, a tube current, and a tube voltage.

9. A method of obtaining a corrected X-ray image, comprising:

obtaining an X-ray image of an object;

obtaining a focal spot size and distribution of a radiation source used to generate the obtained X-ray image;

estimating a magnification of the obtained X-ray image;

obtaining, using a look-up table and the obtained focal spot size and distribution, a deconvolution kernel; and

generating a corrected X-ray image by performing a deconvolution calculation on the obtained X-ray image using the obtained deconvolution kernel and the estimated magnification.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the estimating step further comprises:

estimating the magnification of the obtained X-ray image from a source-to-imager distance (SID), an object table height, and an object thickness.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the estimating step further comprises:

calculating a maximum magnification as a ratio of the SID to the object table height,

calculating a minimum magnification as a ratio of the SID to a sum of the object table height and the object thickness,

determining an optimum magnification, between the maximum magnification and the minimum magnification, based on at least one patient factor, and

setting the estimated magnification to be the determined optimum magnification.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the estimating step further comprises:

estimating the magnification from an image size of an implanted device within the obtained X-ray image and from an actual known size of the implanted device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the estimating step further comprises:

estimating the magnification as a ratio of the image size to the actual known size of the implanted device.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the look-up table is indexed by at least one of the focal spots, a tube current, and a tube voltage.

15. A radiography apparatus, comprising:

a radiation source;

a radiation detector; and

processing circuitry configured to

obtain an X-ray image of an object,

obtain a focal spot size and distribution of a radiation source used to generate the obtained X-ray image,

estimate a magnification of the obtained X-ray image,

obtain, using a look-up table and the obtained focal spot size and distribution, a deconvolution kernel, and

generate a corrected X-ray image by performing a deconvolution operation on the obtained X-ray image using the obtained deconvolution kernel and the estimated magnification.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2026
From: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 075315/0598 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 17, 2026
From: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
To: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 075402/0694 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2017
From: RUDIN, STEPHEN; BEDNAREK, DANIEL R.
To: THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Reel/Frame 043133/0138 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2017
From: JAIN, AMIT; MANAK, JOSEPH
To: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043133/0572 →