Radiographic imaging apparatus, method of controlling radiographic imaging apparatus and computed tomography apparatus

1. A radiographic imaging apparatus comprising:

a radiographic image obtainer configured to acquire a first radiographic image of an object; and

a processor configured to obtain attenuation information of the object based on the first radiographic image, determine candidate tube voltages and candidate tube currents based on a quality of a second radiographic image to be obtained, and determine expected exposure doses corresponding to the determined candidate tube voltages and tube currents,

wherein the processor is configured to determine an equivalent corresponding to the object based on the attenuation information of the object, and determine the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using the determined equivalent.

2. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to select a tube voltage and a tube current, from the candidate tube voltages and tube currents, that correspond to a smallest expected exposure dose among the determined expected exposure doses, and recommend the selected tube voltage and tube current to a user, to obtain the second radiographic image.

3. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the equivalent corresponding to the object by referring to first data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, attenuation information, and the equivalent.

4. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the equivalent comprises a water equivalent object (WEO).

5. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using second data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, the equivalent, and candidate tube currents.

6. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the expected exposure doses corresponding to the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using third data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, candidate tube currents, and expected exposure doses.

7. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an input unit configured to receive a user's input related to the quality of the second radiographic image.

8. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 7 ,

wherein the processor is configured to determine a plurality of voltage-current pairs, each of the plurality of voltage-current pairs corresponding to the user's input related to the quality of the second radiographic image, and

wherein the expected exposure doses correspond to the plurality of voltage-current pairs.

9. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 8 ,

wherein the processor is configured to:

select a voltage-current pair from among the plurality of voltage-current pairs, the selected voltage-current pair corresponding to a smallest expected exposure dose from among the expected exposure doses; and

recommend the selected voltage-current pair to the user to obtain the second radiographic image.

10. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 7 ,

wherein the processor is configured to determine an equivalent corresponding to the object based on the attenuation information of the object, and determine the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using the determined equivalent,

wherein the processor is configured to determine the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using second data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, the equivalent, and candidate tube currents, the second data being determined according to the user's input related to the quality of the second radiographic image.

11. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine equivalents corresponding to portions of the object.

12. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the candidate tube voltages and tube currents based on the quality of the second radiographic image set for each of the equivalents corresponding to the portions of the object, and determine the expected exposure doses corresponding to the candidate tube voltages and tube currents based on the equivalents.

13. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to select a tube voltage and a tube current corresponding to a smallest expected exposure dose among the obtained expected exposure doses, and control an irradiation of radiographic rays corresponding to a same tube voltage and a same tube current over an entire object.

14. The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to select a tube voltage and a tube current corresponding to a smallest expected exposure dose among the obtained expected exposure doses for each of the equivalents corresponding to the portions of the object, and control a generation of radiographic rays corresponding to the selected tube voltage and tube current corresponding to the portions of the object, to irradiate the portions of the object with the radiographic rays of different intensity.

15. A method of controlling a radiographic imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

obtaining a radiographic image of an object;

obtaining attenuation information of the object based on the radiographic image;

determining candidate tube voltages and candidate tube currents based on set quality of an image; and

determining expected exposure doses corresponding to the obtained candidate tube voltages and tube currents,

wherein the determining the candidate tube voltages and tube currents comprises:

determining the attenuation information of the object using the radiographic image; and

determining an equivalent corresponding to the object based on the attenuation information.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

selecting a tube voltage and a tube current that correspond to a smallest expected exposure dose among the obtained expected exposure doses; and

recommending the selected tube voltage and tube current to a user.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the determining the equivalent comprises:

determining the equivalent corresponding to the object based on the attenuation information of the object by referring to first data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, attenuation information, and equivalent.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the equivalent comprises a water equivalent object (WEO).

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the determining the candidate tube voltages and tube currents comprises:

determining the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using second data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, equivalent, and candidate tube currents.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the determining the expected exposure doses comprises:

determining the expected exposure doses corresponding to the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using third data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, candidate tube currents, and the expected exposure doses.

21. The method of claim 15 , further comprising receiving information related to the quality of the image from a user.

22. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining equivalents corresponding to portions of the object.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the determining the candidate tube voltages and tube currents comprises determining the candidate tube voltages and tube currents based on the quality of the image set for each of the equivalents corresponding to the portions of the object, and

the determining the expected exposure doses comprises determining the expected exposure doses corresponding to the obtained candidate tube voltages and tube currents based on the equivalents.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

selecting a tube voltage and a tube current corresponding to a smallest expected exposure dose among the obtained expected exposure doses; and

irradiating an entire object with radiographic rays corresponding to a same tube voltage and a same tube current.

25. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

selecting a tube voltage and a tube current corresponding to a smallest expected exposure dose among the obtained expected exposure doses for the equivalents corresponding to the portions of the object; and

irradiating the portions of the object with radiographic rays of different intensity, corresponding to the selected tube voltage and tube current corresponding to the portions of the object.

26. A computed tomography (CT) apparatus comprising:

a gantry;

a radiation source which is installed in the gantry and configured to irradiate an object with radiographic rays;

a radiographic detector which is installed in the gantry, and is configured to receive the radiographic rays transmitted through the object and output electrical signals corresponding to the received radiographic rays;

an image processor configured to obtain a first radiographic image based on the output electrical signals; and

a processor configured to obtain attenuation information of the object based on the first radiographic image, determine candidate tube voltages and candidate tube currents based on quality of a second radiographic image to be obtained, and determine expected exposure doses corresponding to the candidate tube voltages and tube currents,

wherein the processor is configured to determine an equivalent corresponding to the object based on the attenuation information of the object, and determine the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using the determined equivalent.

27. The CT apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the processor is configured to select a tube voltage and a tube current that correspond to a smallest expected exposure dose from the determined expected exposure doses, and recommend the selected tube voltage and tube current to a user.