Dark-field enhanced virtual x-ray colonoscopy

1. A method of a virtual X-ray colonoscopy, the method comprising:

scanning a dark-field contrast insufflated colon lumen with an X-ray scanner configured for dark-field-contrast, which generates dark-field-contrasted projection data and attenuation projection data, wherein the attenuation projection data includes an intravenous contrast which contrasts vascularized colon tissue in the attenuation projection data;

reconstructing the dark-field-contrasted projection data and the attenuation projection data into one or more dark-field-contrasted images;

identifying an imaged colon lumen and imaged colon tissue in the one or more dark-field-contrasted images based on the dark-field contrast from the reconstructed dark-field-contrasted images and/or reconstructed attenuation projection data; and

identifying polyps based on the imaged colon lumen as a negative projection or depression in the imaged colon lumen of the imaged colon tissues.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the scanning includes computed tomography (CT) dual energy or spectral scanning.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further including:

segmenting an imaged colon lumen in the one or more dark-field-contrasted images based on the dark-field contrast.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further including:

segmenting imaged colon tissue in the one or more dark-field-contrasted images based on the intravenous contrast.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further including:

displaying on a display at least one of the one or more dark-field-contrasted images, a segmented colon lumen, and a segmented colon tissue.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dark-field contrast includes spherical particles between 1-1000 microns in diameter.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dark-field contrast includes a shell formed from at least one of a lipid, a protein or a polymer, and filled with at least one of air, an inert gas, and a perfluorocarbon.

8. A virtual computed x-ray colonoscopy system, the system comprising:

an x-ray scanner configured to generate dark-field-contrasted projection data and attenuation projection data of a colon lumen filled with a fluid of dark-field contrast;

an injection device for injecting an intravenous contrast that contrasts a vascularized colon tissue in the attenuation projection data;

processing circuitry configured to:

reconstruct the dark-field-contrasted projection data and the attenuation projection data into one or more dark-field-contrasted images;

identify an imaged lumen and imaged colon tissue in the one or more dark-field-contrasted images based on the dark-field contrast from the reconstructed dark-field-contrasted images and/or reconstructed attenuation projection data; and

identify polyps based on the imaged colon lumen a negative projection or depression in the imaged colon lumen of the imaged colon tissue.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the X-ray scanner is configured for computed tomography (CT) spectral imaging.

10. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to segment at least one an imaged colon lumen in the one or more dark-field-contrasted images based on the dark-field contrast or segment imaged colon tissue in the one or more dark-field-contrasted images based on the intravenous contrast.

11. The system according to claim 8 , further including:

a display configured to display at least one of the one or more dark-field-contrasted images, a segmented colon lumen, and a segmented colon tissue.

12. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to identify polyps based on structure and contrast.

13. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the dark-field contrast includes spherical particles between 1-1000 microns in diameter.

14. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the dark-field contrast includes a shell formed from at least one of a lipid, a protein, and a polymer.

15. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the dark-field contrast includes particles filled with at least one of air, an inert gas, and a perfluorocarbon.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the polyps are identified as contrasted protrusions into the colon lumen of an expanded and/or unfolded colon tissue and/or using an automated segmentation algorithm configured to identify the polyps based on a structure and/or vascularization.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reconstructing comprises unwrapping a phase wrapping in the dark-field contrasted projection data.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the unwrapping corrects phase wrapping artifacts in the dark-field contrasted image.

19. The method according to claim 16 , the unfolded colon lumen dark-field contrasted is used to separate the colon lumen from the colon tissue including the polyps and/or a residual stool based on the structure and the dark-field contrast.