A new algorithm is suggested to compute one or several virtual projection images directly from cone-beam data acquired in a tomosynthesis geometry. One main feature of this algorithm is that it does not involve the explicit reconstruction of a 3D volume, and a subsequent forward-projection operation, but rather operates using solely 2D image processing steps. The required 2D processing is furthermore based on the use of pre-computed entities, so that a significant speed-up in the computations can be obtained. The presented algorithm can be applied to a variety of CT geometries, and is here investigated for a mammography application, to simulate virtual mammograms from a set of low-dose tomosynthesis projection images. A first evaluation from real measured data is given.

Date Published: 6 March 2013
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 8668, Medical Imaging 2013: Physics of Medical Imaging, 86680W (6 March 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2008011

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8668:
Medical Imaging 2013: Physics of Medical Imaging
Robert M. Nishikawa; Bruce R. Whiting; Christoph Hoeschen, Editor(s)