A body thickness conversion unit converts a body thickness from a distance image imaged by a distance measurement camera to acquire the body thickness. A setting unit sets a gradation transformation function for use in gradation transformation processing to a radiographic image corresponding to the body thickness. A radiographic image acquisition unit acquires the radiographic image output from a radiation detector in radioscopy. A gradation transformation processing unit starts the gradation transformation processing with the gradation transformation function set by the setting unit.

A method and breast imaging system for processing breast tissue image data includes feeding image data of breast images to an image processor, identifying image portions depicting breast tissue and high density elements and executing different processing methods on input images. A first image processing method involves breast tissue enhancement and high density element suppression, whereas the second image processing method involves enhancing high density elements. Respective three-dimensional sets of image slices may be generated by respective image processing methods, and respective two-dimensional synthesized images are generated and combined to form a two-dimensional composite synthesized image which is presented through a display of the breast imaging system. First and second image processing may be executed on generated three-dimensional image sets or two-dimensional projection images acquired by an image acquisition component at respective angles relative to the patient's breast.

An image acquisition unit acquires a plurality of projection images corresponding to a plurality of radiation source positions at the time of tomosynthesis imaging, the plurality of projection images being generated by causing an imaging apparatus to perform tomosynthesis imaging. A positional shift amount derivation unit derives a positional shift amount between the plurality of projection images based on body movement of the subject with a reference projection image generated at a radiation source position where an optical axis of the radiation emitted from the radiation source is perpendicular to a detection surface of the detection unit, among the plurality of projection images, as a reference. A reconstruction unit generates a tomographic image of at least one tomographic plane of the subject by reconstructing the plurality of projection images while correcting the positional shift amount.

To produce 3D x-ray images, it is necessary to compensate for patient movement during the emission and detection of x-rays; this may be achieved by providing an x-ray sensor 20 comprising a digital x-ray detector 40, and an inertial sensor 50, 60 for providing positional information relating to changes in the relative position of the x-ray sensor during detection of x-rays.

A plurality of radiographic images are captured of a portion of a patient in periodic motion, such as cardiac images (heartbeat motion) or lungs (breathing motion). A first subset of the captured radiographic images are identified as having a common first capture time relative to a phase of the periodic motion. A first 3D image is reconstructed using the first subset of captured radiographic images. Additional subsets of the radiographic images are processed similarly based on their common capture time relative to the phase of the periodic motion.

Embodiments provide a stationary X-ray source for a multisource X-ray imaging system for tomographic imaging. The stationary X-ray source includes an array of thermionic cathodes and, in most embodiments a rotating anode. The anode rotates about a rotation axis, however the anode is stationary in the horizontal or vertical dimensions (e.g. about axes perpendicular to the rotation axis). The elimination of mechanical motion improves the image quality by elimination of mechanical vibration and source motion; simplifies system design that reduces system size and cost; increases angular coverage with no increase in scan time; and results in short scan times to, in medical some medical imaging applications, reduce patient-motion-induced blurring.

A medical image processing apparatus and a medical image processing method are provided which are capable of clearly presenting a distal end of a medical device in a tomosynthesis image of an object under examination into which the medical device is inserted. The medical image processing apparatus handles a tomosynthesis image generated using a plurality of projection images obtained by imaging an object under examination in an angle range of less than 180 degrees, and includes: a storage section for pre-storing blur data at individual imaging space coordinates; and a correction section for correcting the tomosynthesis image using the blur data.

An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray generator including a plurality of X-ray sources, an X-ray detector configured to detect X-rays radiated from the plurality of X-ray sources and generate a plurality of pieces of projection data, and a processor configured to apply log projection to each of the plurality of pieces of projection data, to apply weighted projection to the log-projected projection data, to apply a bidirectional ramp filter to the weighted-projected projection data, and to generate a tomographic image reconstructed based on each of the projection data to which the bidirectional ramp filter is applied.

A processor detects a structure of interest from a plurality of tomographic images indicating a plurality of tomographic planes of an object. The processor selects a tomographic image from the plurality of tomographic images according to a type of the structure of interest in a region in which the structure of interest has been detected and generates a composite two-dimensional image using the selected tomographic image in the region in which the structure of interest has been detected and using a predetermined tomographic image in a region in which the structure of interest has not been detected.

Disclosed is a digital breast tomosynthesis system including: an X-ray tube configured to generate X-rays; a C-arm configured to receive the X-ray tube and rotate about a first rotation axis during an X-ray exposure period; an X-ray detector configured to convert the X-ray, which is emitted from the X-ray tube and passes through a breast, into image information; and a focal spot controller configured to operate in conjunction with a movement of the X-ray tube caused by a rotation of the C-arm, in which the focal spot controller controls a position of a focal spot of the X-ray with various methods. As a result, the position of the focal spot of the X-ray tube may be controlled by the simple structure and method, thereby eliminating blurring of a projection image that affects the determination of quality of a three-dimensional image, and thus significantly improving sharpness.