Photon counting CT apparatus and method of correcting material decomposition map

1. A photon counting computed tomography (CT) apparatus comprising:

an X-ray tube that radiates X-rays to an imaging range;

an X-ray detector that counts a plurality of X-ray photons passing through the imaging range in each of a plurality of energy bands according to energy levels of the respective X-ray photons;

a map storage unit that stores a material decomposition map indicating measurement values in a plurality of energy bands previously obtained about combinations of two or more types of materials made to have a plurality of respective different thicknesses;

a material decomposition unit that obtains, by referring to the material decomposition map, a combination of thicknesses of two or more types of materials corresponding to measurement values obtained by the X-ray detector performing counting about a plurality of energy bands in a state in which a subject is arranged in the imaging range; and

a map correction unit that corrects the material decomposition map,

wherein the map correction unit actually measures corrective measurement values by radiating X-rays from the X-ray tube and counting X-ray photons in each of a plurality of energy bands in a state in which no subject is arranged in the imaging range and/or in a state in which one or more types of corrective materials are arranged at a position through which X-rays radiated from the X-ray tube pass, and corrects the measurement values in the material decomposition map based on the corrective measurement values.

2. The photon counting CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the map correction unit actually measures the corrective measurement values at timing before image capturing of the subject or after image capturing thereof with the X-ray detector.

3. The photon counting CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the map correction unit includes a reference detector that detects X-ray photons, located at a position at which X-rays radiated from the X-ray tube and passing outside the imaging range arrive, and actually measures the corrective measurement values at any one of timing before image capturing of the subject, timing during image capturing thereof, and timing after image capturing thereof.

4. The photon counting CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more types of corrective materials are one or more types of materials different in element or composition or one or more types of materials different in shape.

5. The photon counting CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the corrective material and a material in the material decomposition map are different from each other, and

wherein the map correction unit uses a previously obtained relationship between corrective measurement values counted in each of the plurality of energy bands about the corrective material and measurement values counted in each of the plurality of energy bands about the two or more types of materials in the material decomposition map to correct the measurement values in the material decomposition map based on the corrective measurement values.

6. The photon counting CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the map correction unit actually measures corrective measurement values by radiating X-rays from the X-ray tube and performing counting in each of the plurality of energy bands in each of three conditions including a vacant state in which no subject is arranged in the imaging range, a state in which a first corrective material with a predetermined thickness is arranged between the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector, and a state in which a second corrective material with a predetermined thickness is arranged between the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector, and corrects the measurement values in the material decomposition map with use of the corrective measurement values actually measured in each of the three conditions.

7. The photon counting CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the material decomposition map is generated with use of measurement values obtained by radiating X-rays from the X-ray tube and performing counting in each of the plurality of energy bands in a vacant state in which no subject is arranged in the imaging range and measurement values obtained by radiating X-rays from the X-ray tube and performing counting in each of the plurality of energy bands in a state in which a combination of the two or more types of materials made to have a plurality of respective different thicknesses is arranged between the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector.

8. The photon counting CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein thicknesses of the two or more types of materials in the material decomposition map include a thickness of zero.

9. The photon counting CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the map correction unit uses measurement value data actually measured in each of a vacant state in which no subject is arranged in the imaging range and a state in which one or more types of corrective materials are arranged at a position through which X-rays pass, as measurement value data in a map about combinations of two or more types of corrective materials made to have respective different thicknesses, and obtains measurement value data by interpolation and/or extrapolation with regard to combinations of thicknesses about which there is no measurement value data, thus generating the map.

10. The photon counting CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the map correction unit uses a cylindrical phantom made of resin as the one or more types of corrective materials.

11. The photon counting CT apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the map correction unit includes a trained learning model, inputs the corrective measurement values as input data to the learning model, and acquires the corrected material decomposition map as output data.

12. A method of correcting a material decomposition map for a photon counting computed tomography (CT) apparatus, the method comprising:

actually measuring corrective measurement values by radiating X-rays from an X-ray tube and counting X-ray photons in each of a plurality of energy bands in a vacant state in which no subject is arranged in an imaging range of the photon counting CT apparatus and/or in a state in which one or more types of corrective materials are arranged at a position through which X-rays radiated from the X-ray tube pass; and

correcting measurement values in a material decomposition map based on the actually measured corrective measurement values.