US 12,266,100 B2
Generating X-ray image data on the basis of a weighting of basis materials varying depending on location
Bernhard Schmidt, Fuerth (DE); and Thomas Allmendinger, Forchheim (DE)
Assigned to SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG, Forchheim (DE)
Filed by Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Erlangen (DE)
Filed on Feb. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/677,216.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2021 201 809.2 (DE), filed on Feb. 25, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0270251 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. G06T 7/00 (2017.01); A61B 6/03 (2006.01)
CPC G06T 7/0012 (2013.01) [A61B 6/032 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10081 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An X-ray imaging method for generating image data of an examination region of an object that is to be examined, said method comprising:
acquiring first X-ray projection measurement data of the examination region using a first X-ray energy spectrum and at least second X-ray projection measurement data of the examination region using a second X-ray energy spectrum which is different from the first X-ray energy spectrum;
reconstructing a priori image data on the basis of at least the first X-ray projection measurement data;
determining a location-dependent distribution of X-ray attenuation values in the examination region on the basis of the a priori image data;
performing a basis material decomposition on the basis of the first X-ray projection measurement data and the at least second X-ray projection measurement data;
determining a location-dependent weighting of the basis materials as a function of the location-dependent distribution of the X-ray attenuation values, wherein the determining the location-dependent weighting includes,
determining a location-dependent third X-ray energy spectrum with a location-dependent third mean energy as a function of the determined location-dependent distribution of X-ray attenuation values, and
determining the location-dependent weighting on the basis of the determined location-dependent third X-ray energy spectrum; and
generating an overall image for the examination region by reconstructing virtual basis-material-weighted image data weighted differently depending on location.