Techniques for imaging a scanned object
A technique for enhancing an image includes manipulating a base image to highlight pixels showing a particular material based on the energy absorption information of each pixel. In another technique, pixels in a base image are each converted to an output value to produce a converted image. Another technique allows imaging an obstructed object within a base image which is made of pixels, each representing a captured signal from a source emitting a source signal I 0 . An obstruction region contains pixels representing a combined signal I 3 having traversed the obstructed object and an obstructive layer. Knowing a layer signal I 2 representing a signal having traversed the obstructive layer outside of the obstruction region, the layer signal I 2 may be removed from the combined signal I 3 , in order to reveal the original signal I 1 representing an image of the obstructed object.
1. A method for detecting one or more user-selected types of metal material in an object, the method comprising:
receiving, via an input port, a base image of the object in which the one or more types of metal material are to be detected, the base image being composed of pixels, each pixel comprising energy absorption information;
providing in a memory, at least one reference value, each reference value representing an energy absorption of a reference metal material;
receiving, via a user input device, one or more user-selected types of metal material to be detected;
transforming the base image, by means of a material detection module embedded in a processor, by highlighting each of said pixels of which the energy absorption information correlates with the absorption information of the reference metal material stored in the memory corresponding to the one or more user-selected types of metal material, based on a comparison of the energy absorption information of each pixel of the base image with the at least one reference value stored in the memory, in order to produce a detection-enhanced image; and
displaying, on a display screen, the detection-enhanced image having highlighted pixels corresponding to the one or more user-selected types of metal material.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the base image is generated by capturing a source emission having traversed the object and converting said source emission to a pixel value.
3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the source emission comprises X-Ray emission.
4. A method according to claim 2 , wherein each of said at least one reference value is set for a given signal level of the source emission and wherein said comparison between the energy absorption information of each pixel of the base image with the at least one reference value in the transforming step, takes into account said signal level.
5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the source emission to which the object is subjected to, corresponds to said signal level.
6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the energy absorption information comprises an atomic number.
7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the energy absorption information of each pixel comprises a low energy absorption component and a high energy absorption component.
8. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the low energy absorption and the high energy absorption components are converted into a corresponding grey scale value for the pixel.
9. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one reference value comprises a low energy reference value and a high energy reference value for each of said reference material and wherein said comparison between the energy absorption information of each pixel of the base image and the at least one reference value in the transforming step, comprises: comparing the low energy absorption information with the low energy reference value; and comparing the high energy absorption information with the high energy reference value.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said low energy reference value and the low energy absorption information correspond to an energy signal within a lower range spanning between about 10 kV to about 70 kV.
11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said high energy reference value and the high energy absorption information correspond to an energy signal within a higher range spanning between about 60 kV to about 250 kV.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one reference metal material is a particular metal.
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one reference value represents energy absorptions of a plurality of said reference metal materials.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the highlighting step comprises coloring the pixel to be highlighted in a contrasting color, in relation to other pixels in the detection-enhanced image.
15. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium for detecting one or more user-selected types of metal material in an object, the processor-readable storage medium comprising data and instructions for execution by a processor, to execute the steps of the method, in accordance with claim 1 .
16. A system for detecting-a one or more user-selected types of metal material in an object, the system comprising:
an input port for receiving a base image of the object in which the one or more types of metal material are to be detected, the base image being composed of pixels, each pixel comprising energy absorption information;
a memory for providing at least one reference value, each reference value representing an energy absorption of a reference metal material;
a user input device for receiving one or more user-selected types of metal material to be detected;
a material detection module embedded in a processor, the processor being in communication with the input port and the memory, for transforming the base image by highlighting each of said pixels of which the energy absorption information correlates with the absorption information of the reference metal material stored in the memory corresponding to the one or more user-selected types of metal material, based on a comparison of the energy absorption information of each pixel of the base image with said at least one reference value stored in the memory, in order to produce a detection-enhanced image; and
a display screen being in communication with the processor, for displaying the detection-enhanced image having highlighted pixels corresponding to the one or more user-selected types of metal material.