Development of novel statistical reconstruction algorithms for poly-energetic X-ray computed tomography

A beam-hardening effect is a common problem affecting the quantitative aspects of X-ray computed tomography (CT). We have developed two statistical reconstruction algorithms for poly-energetic X-ray CT that can effectively reduce the beam-hardening effect. Phantom tests were used to evaluate our approach in comparison with traditional correction methods. Unlike previous methods, our algorithm utilizes multiple energy-corresponding blank scans to estimate the attenuation map for a particular energy spectrum. Therefore, our algorithm is an energy-selective reconstruction. In addition to benefits over other statistical algorithms for poly-energetic reconstruction, our algorithm has the advantage of not requiring prior knowledge of the object material, the energy spectrum of the source and the energy sensitivity of the detector. The results showed an improvement in coefficient of variation, uniformity and signal-to-noise ratio; overall, this novel approach produces a better beam-hardening correction.     

快速在体光声计算层析图像重建方法

针对超声阵列式光声计算层析成像技术数据采集量大、成像速度慢的问题,为拓展该技术在血流动力学等领域的应用,提出一种基于主成分分析(PCA)的快速光声计算层析图像重建方法。该方法首先通过部分全采样数据,构建样本图像矩阵;然后,通过矩阵分解运算构建信号投影矩阵;最后,基于该投影矩阵在三倍欠采样条件下快速重建出高质量三维光声图像。在体小鼠背部血管成像实验表明:与传统反投影光声图像重建方法相比,基于主成分分析的光声图像重建方法可将数据采集规模降低约35%,三维图像重建速度提高约40%,实现了三倍欠采样条件下高精度光声图像的快速采集与重建。     

Efficient parallel implementation of iterative reconstruction algorithms for electron tomography

Electron tomography (ET) combines electron microscopy and the principles of tomographic imaging in order to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of complex biological specimens at molecular resolution. Weighted back-projection (WBP) has long been the method of choice since the reconstructions are very fast. It is well known that iterative methods produce better images, but at a very costly time penalty. In this work, it is shown that efficient parallel implementations of iterative methods, based primarily on data decomposition, can speed up such methods to an extent that they become viable alternatives to WBP. Precomputation of the coefficient matrix has also turned out to be important to substantially improve the performance regardless of the number of processors used. Matrix precomputation has made it possible to speed up the block-iterative component averaging (BICAV) algorithm, which has been studied before in the context of computerized tomography (CT) and ET, by a factor of more than 3.7. Component-averaged row projections (CARP) is a recently introduced block-parallel algorithm, which was shown to be a robust method for solving sparse systems arising from partial differential equations. It is shown that this algorithm is also suitable for single-axis ET, and is advantageous over BICAV both in terms of runtime and image quality. The experiments were carried out on several datasets of ET of various sizes, using the blob model for representing the reconstructed object.     

Projection-based metal-artifact reduction for industrial 3D X-ray computed tomography

Multi-material components, which contain metal parts surrounded by plastic materials, are highly interesting for inspection using industrial 3D X-ray computed tomography (3DXCT). Examples of this application scenario are connectors or housings with metal inlays in the electronic or automotive industry. A major problem of this type of components is the presence of metal, which causes streaking artifacts and distorts the surrounding media in the reconstructed volume. Streaking artifacts and dark-band artifacts around metal components significantly influence the material characterization (especially for the plastic components). In specific cases these artifacts even prevent a further analysis. Due to the nature and the different characteristics of artifacts, the development of an efficient artifact-reduction technique in reconstruction-space is rather complicated. In this paper we present a projection-space pipeline for metal-artifacts reduction. The proposed technique first segments the metal in the spatial domain of the reconstructed volume in order to separate it from the other materials. Then metal parts are forward-projected on the set of projections in a way that metal-projection regions are treated as voids. Subsequently the voids, which are left by the removed metal, are interpolated in the 2D projections. Finally, the metal is inserted back into the reconstructed 3D volume during the fusion stage. We present a visual analysis tool, allowing for interactive parameter estimation of the metal segmentation. The results of the proposed artifact-reduction technique are demonstrated on a test part as well as on real world components. For these specimens we achieve a significant reduction of metal artifacts, allowing an enhanced material characterization.     

Microfocal X-ray computed tomography post-processing operations for optimizing reconstruction volumes of stented arteries during 3D computational fluid dynamics modeling

Restenosis caused by neointimal hyperplasia (NH) remains an important clinical problem after stent implantation. Restenosis varies with stent geometry, and idealized computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models have indicated that geometric properties of the implanted stent may differentially influence NH. However, 3D studies capturing the in vivo flow domain within stented vessels have not been conducted at a resolution sufficient to detect subtle alterations in vascular geometry caused by the stent and the subsequent temporal development of NH. We present the details and limitations of a series of post-processing operations used in conjunction with microfocal X-ray CT imaging and reconstruction to generate geometrically accurate flow domains within the localized region of a stent several weeks after implantation. Microfocal X-ray CT reconstruction volumes were subjected to an automated program to perform arterial thresholding, spatial orientation, and surface smoothing of stented and unstented rabbit iliac arteries several weeks after antegrade implantation. A transfer function was obtained for the current post-processing methodology containing reconstructed 16 mm stents implanted into rabbit iliac arteries for up to 21 days after implantation and resolved at circumferential and axial resolutions of 32 and 50 microm, respectively. The results indicate that the techniques presented are sufficient to resolve distributions of WSS with 80% accuracy in segments containing 16 surface perturbations over a 16 mm stented region. These methods will be used to test the hypothesis that reductions in normalized wall shear stress (WSS) and increases in the spatial disparity of WSS immediately after stent implantation may spatially correlate with the temporal development of NH within the stented region.     

电容层析成像图像重建算法研究

图像重建算法是电容层析成像系统的关键技术之一,是改善重建图像质量的重要因素.在正则化的基础上提出了一种基于QR分解的电容层析成像算法,该方法首先将离散化和线性化处理后的电容层析成像物理模型进行Tikhonov正则化处理,然后将QR分解的思想引入电容层析成像方程中求解出初始图像,然后再对初始图像进行优化修正提高重建图像质量.成像结果表明,图像重建结果与实际相符,图像质量得到了改善.     

C-library raft: Reconstruction algorithms for tomography. Applications to X-ray fluorescence tomography

There are many reconstruction algorithms for tomography, raft for short, and some of them are considered “classic” by researchers. The so-called raft library, provide a set of useful and basic tools, usually needed in many inverse problems that are related to medical imaging. The subroutines in raft are free software and written in C language; portable to any system with a working C compiler. This paper presents source codes written according to raft routines, applied to a new imaging modality called X-ray fluorescence tomography.

Program summary

Program title: raftCatalogue identifier: AEJY_v1_0Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEJY_v1_0.htmlProgram obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen?s University, Belfast, N. IrelandLicensing provisions: GNU General Public Licence, version 2No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 218 844No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 3 562 902Distribution format: tar.gzProgramming language: Standard C.Computer: Any with a standard C compilerOperating system: Linux and WindowsClassification: 2.4, 2.9, 3, 4.3, 4.7External routines:

•  

  raft:   autoconf 2.60 or later – http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/   GSL scientific library – http://www.gnu.org/software/gsl/   Confuse parser library – http://www.nongnu.org/confuse/

raft-fun: gengetopt – http://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/gengetopt.htmlNature of problem: Reconstruction algorithms for tomography, specially in X-ray fluorescence tomography.Solution method: As a library, raft covers the standard reconstruction algorithms like filtered backprojection, Novikov?s inversion, Hogan?s formula, among others. The input data set is represented by a complete sinogram covering a determined angular range. Users are allowed to set solid angle range for fluorescence emission at each algorithm.Running time: 1 second to 15 minutes, depending on the data size.     

Spatial resolution of few-view computed tomography using algebraic reconstruction techniques

Spatial resolution of computed tomography using two modified algebraic reconstruction algorithms is studied theoretically and experimentally for the case when several projections are recorded. A simple setup with gamma rays recording on a screened photographic film is used for registration of X-ray projections. A standard phantom with periodic spatial structures in the form of cylindrical rods is irradiated, its cross section is reconstructed, and the modulation transfer function is estimated. It is shown that the multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique optimizing the entropy provides a better resolution (about 1.5 mm for four projections).     

Low dose CT image statistical reconstruction algorithms based on discrete shearlet

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Reducing number of projection angles and lowering current intensity of X-ray tube are two common ways for reducing CT dose. Though reduced radiation dose of CT...     

一种具有迭代约束的最小二乘 ECT图像重建算法 *

针对电容层析成像系统中的 “软场 ”效应和病态问题 ,将最小二乘法和迭代法相结合 ,提出了一种最小二乘约束迭代的图像重建算法。给出了算法的数学模型 ,完成了算法的收敛性分析和证明 ,算法在图像重建中使迭代步长在保证收敛的情况下达到最优。仿真和实验结果表明 ,该方法与最小二乘法相比 ,具有更稳定、成像效果好等特点 ,为 ECT图像重建提供了一种新的有效方法。     

A novel framework for rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 on computed tomography scans

Pattern Analysis and Applications - Since the emergence of COVID-19, thousands of people undergo chest X-ray and computed tomography scan for its screening on everyday basis. This has increased the...     

Multi-objective GA optimization of fuzzy penalty for image reconstruction from projections in X-ray tomography

This paper concerns X-ray tomography image reconstruction of an object function from few projections in Computed Tomography (CT). The problem is so ill-posed that no classical method can give satisfactory result. We have investigated a new combined method for penalized-likelihood image reconstruction that combines the fuzzy penalty function (FP) and GA (genetic algorithm) optimization. The proposed algorithm does not suffer from the same problem as that of ML EM (maximum likelihood expectation maximization) algorithm, and it converges rapidly to a low noisy solution even if the iteration number is high, and gives global estimation not a local one like in classical algorithm such as gradient, to the problem of determining object parameters. The method was tested and validated on datasets of synthetic and real image.     

Correction to a novel framework for rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 on computed tomography scans

Pattern Analysis and Applications - A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10044-021-00969-x     

Classification and recognition of computed tomography images using image reconstruction and information fusion methods

In this paper, we propose a diagnosis and classification method of hydrocephalus computed tomography (CT) images using deep learning and image reconstruction methods. The proposed method constructs pathological features differing from the other healthy tissues. This method tries to improve the accuracy of pathological images identification and diagnosis. Identification of pathological features from CT images is an essential subject for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. However, it is difficult to accurately distinguish pathological features owing to the variability of appearances, fuzzy boundaries, heterogeneous densities, shapes and sizes of lesions, etc. Some study results reported that the ResNet network has a better classification and diagnosis performance than other methods, and it has broad application prospectives in the identification of CT images. We use an improved ResNet network as a classification model with our proposed image reconstruction and information fusion methods. First, we evaluate a classification experiment using the hydrocephalus CT image datasets. Through the comparative experiments, we found that gradient features play an important role in the classification of hydrocephalus CT images. The classification effect of CT images with small information entropy is excellent in the evaluation of hydrocephalus CT images. A reconstructed image containing two channels of gradient features and one channel of LBP features is very effective in classification. Second, we apply our proposed method in classification experiments on CT images of colonography polyps for an evaluation. The experimental results have consistency with the hydrocephalus classification evaluation. It shows that the method is universal and suitable for classification of CT images in these two applications for the diagnosis of diseases. The original features of CT images are not ideal characteristics in classification, and the reconstructed image and information fusion methods have a great effect on CT images classification for pathological diagnosis.

     

基于片相似性和最大似然期望最大化的低剂量CT重建算法

针对低剂量计算机断层成像(CT)重建的图像产生严重退化的问题,提出一种基于片相似性各项异性扩散和最大似然期望最大化(MLEM)的低剂量CT重建算法.首先,采用基本的MLEM算法对低剂量投影数据进行重建;然后,由于片相似性在降噪的同时,也能较好地保持图像的边缘和细节信息的特点,对重建后的图像使用基于非局部理论思想的片相似性降噪方法处理;最后,由于低剂量投影数据还存在脉冲噪声点,使用中值滤波对图像进行处理.采用Sheep-Logan体模作为实验模型进行低剂量CT图像重建的仿真,与BI-MART、BI-MLEM、基于方差的ELEM和基于结构相似性的MLEM算法进行了对比.实验结果表明,所提算法的信噪比(SNR)高达10.216 308 dB,与对比算法相比,视觉效果更优,且有更小的归一化均方误差(NMSE)、均方绝对误差(MAE)和归一化均方距离(NMSD).所提算法重建出来的图像能在光滑去噪的同时有效地保持图像的细节和边缘信息,既能有效地保持弱梯度和纹理,又不存在各项异性扩散存在的明显阶梯效应.     

Benchmarking numerical accuracy of statistical algorithms

In this paper, we discuss benchmark data sets proposed by Anscombe and Longley for measuring the numerical accuracy of statistical algorithms. We show that these benchmarks present an unduly optimistic assessment of numerical accuracy. We demonstrate that the cause of this unwarranted optimism is the use of integer values in the benchmarks. Alternative benchmarks are proposed which avoid the problems brought about by the integer values and provide a more realistic assessment of numerical accuracy under varying data conditions.     

多成分正则化约束的断层图像重建算法

压缩感知理论为低采样率下稀疏性信号的高质量重建提供理论基础和广泛的应用前景,然而现有大部分研究通常假设原始图像是分段光滑的,不适用于纹理丰富的图像。基于多成分分析理论将原始图像分为卡通和纹理两部分,并且利用各成分在不同变换下稀疏的性质,提出一种多成分正则化的断层图像重建模型。采用分裂Bregman方法将多正则项解耦合,分解成最小二乘问题和去噪问题求解,提出该模型的交替迭代算法。对MRI和CT图像进行仿真实验,并同新近的多种算法进行比较。实验结果表明,该模型能够较好地保持图像纹理等中小尺度信息,收敛速度快。     

Surfing the optimization space of a multiple-GPU parallel implementation of a X-ray tomography reconstruction algorithm

The increasing popularity of massively parallel architectures based on accelerators have opened up the possibility of significantly improving the performance of X-ray computed tomography (CT) applications towards achieving real-time imaging. However, achieving this goal is a challenging process, as most CT applications have not been designed for exploiting the amount of parallelism existing in these architectures. In this paper we present the massively parallel implementation and optimization of Mangoose++, a CT application for reconstructing 3D volumes from 2D images collected by scanners based on cone-beam geometry. The main contribution of this paper are the following. First, we develop a modular application design that allows to exploit the functional parallelism inside the application and to facilitate the parallelization of individual application phases. Second, we identify a set of optimizations that can be applied individually and in combination for optimally deploying the application on a massively parallel multi-GPU system. Third, we present a study of surfing the optimization space of the modularized application and demonstrate that a significant benefit can be obtained from employing the adequate combination of application optimizations.     

基于水平集的牙齿CT图像分割技术

牙齿的计算机断层扫描(CT)图像中存在边界模糊、相邻牙齿粘连等情况,且拓扑结构较为复杂,要实现准确的牙齿分割非常困难。对传统的牙齿CT图像分割方法,特别是近年来用于牙齿分割的水平集方法进行介绍,对其水平集函数中各能量项进行研究,并通过对比实验体现水平集方法的优越性。基于水平集的牙齿CT图像分割方法中水平集函数的能量项主要包括:竞争能量项、梯度能量项、形状约束能量项、全局先验灰度能量项、局部灰度能量项。实验结果表明基于混合模型的水平集方法分割效果最佳,切牙与磨牙分割准确率分别为88.92%和92.34%,相比自适应阈值和传统水平集方法,分割准确率总体提升10%以上。在综合利用图像信息和先验知识的基础上,通过对水平集函数中能量项进行优化和创新,有望进一步提高分割的准确率。     

Optimal state reconstruction algorithms for linear discrete-time systems

This paper deals with optimal time-invariant reconstruction of the state of a linear time-invariant discrete-time system from output measurements. The problem is analysed in two settings, depending on whether or not the present output measurement is available for the estimation of the present state. The results prove complete separation of observer and controller design for the optimal dynamic output feedback control with respect to a quadratic cost.