A radiographic phantom comprises: a body comprising a wax material or a wax-like material, wherein the body has an x-ray attenuation value that is approximately the same as that of a human tissue; and a plurality of crystalline test objects positioned on or within the body. A method comprises: obtaining a radiographic phantom comprising a body and a plurality of crystalline test objects positioned on or within the body, wherein the body comprises a wax material or a wax-like material, and wherein the body has an x-ray attenuation value that is approximately the same as that of a human breast tissue; performing an operation of the radiographic phantom and using a device; and assessing a performance of the device based on the operation.

Data in X-ray images of a medical device is processed in order to reduce vibration artifacts in differential phase contrast imaging. A proportionality factor between an object induced phase shift for a first x-ray energy bin and an object induced phase shift for a second x-ray energy bin is provided. At least one of a dark field signal and an object induced phase shift is determined from a detected intensity value of a pixel for the first energy bin and a detected intensity value of the pixel for the second energy bin using the proportionality factor.

A dynamic imaging quality control device that performs quality control regarding dynamic imaging in which a dynamic state of a subject is captured by sequentially emitting radiation to the subject, the dynamic imaging quality control device including: an obtainer that obtains dynamic image data including multiple pieces of frame image data obtained by the dynamic imaging; and a hardware processor that: generates information on quality control regarding smoothness of a dynamic image based on a movement distance of a predetermined object of the subject in the dynamic image data, and outputs the information on the quality control regarding the smoothness of the dynamic image.

There are provided a phantom capable of reducing the time required to acquire calibration data even if a radiation field is large, a radiographic imaging device, and a method for calibrating a photon counting detector. A phantom, which is used in acquisition of calibration data for a photon counting detector that outputs an electric signal based on photon energy of incident radiation, includes a first basis material and a second basis material that are known materials. The first basis material has a smaller attenuation coefficient for the radiation than that of the second basis material. The first basis material varies in thickness in a stepwise fashion in a direction perpendicular to a radiation field of the radiation and, in each step, the step decreases in thickness with distance from a center of the radiation field in a direction of arrangement of detection elements of the photon counting detector.

A system and method is provided for performing material decomposition using a computed tomography (CT) system. The method includes acquiring CT imaging data of an object including data subsets corresponding to at least two different energy spectral bins and using the CT imaging data at each of the at least two different energy spectral bins to form a series of equations for basis material decomposition. The method also includes using a general physical constraint, which quantifies how each basis material in the object is mixed together to form the object, within the series of equations. The method also includes determining at least one basis material density of the object using the physical constraint and the CT imaging data and generating an image of the object using the CT imaging data and the mass densities of at least one basis material.

A method is for generating image data of an examination object via a computed tomography system including a data processing unit; an X-ray radiation source and an X-ray radiation detector suspended on a support and mounted to be rotatable about a z-axis; and an examination table for supporting the examination object and a reference object arranged in a fixed position relative to the examination table. The method includes generating a raw data set by displacing the X-ray radiation source and the X-ray radiation detector relative to the examination object. During generation of the raw data set, at least one part of the examination object is sampled together with at least one part of the reference object. The sampling of the at least one part of the reference object is used to compensate at least in part for the influence of movement errors during the displacement.

The present application discloses a method for detecting an abnormity in a ray source in a CT system, comprising obtaining scanning data obtained from at least two scans that are performed by a medical device, the medical device including a ray source configured to generate a plurality of rays and a detector configured to detect the plurality of rays; determining, based on a difference of the scanning data, a status characteristic index of the ray source; and determining whether abnormity exists in the ray source based on the status characteristic index.

A multi-modality phantom is provided. The multi-modality phantom includes a container and an insert. The container defines an exterior that is separated from an interior space and designed to receive a tissue-mimicking medium for an ultrasound imaging process. The container further includes at least one access port formed in the container to perform the ultrasound imaging process of the interior space. The insert can be dimensioned to be selectively arranged within the interior space of the container. The insert includes imaging features arranged to simulate an environment and constructed to yield simultaneous imaging results when performing the ultrasound imaging process and at least one non-ultrasound imaging process.

Volume data is generated by performing a CT scan with a spherical calibration jig having known dimensions in contact with an object. A profile of the surface shape of the object in the volume data is obtained, and a boundary surface of the spherical calibration jig is calculated from the center coordinates of the spherical calibration jig. A correction value for adjusting a boundary surface of the object determined from the gradient of the profile to the boundary surface of the spherical calibration jig is determined, and the boundary surface of the object is corrected by using the correction value. The shape of the object is determined by using the corrected boundary surface. The precision of measurement X-ray CT can thus be increased by accurately detecting the boundary surface of the object.

The invention relates to a system for determining an optimal position of a surgical instrument relative to a patient's bone tracker, the system comprising:—a medical imaging system configured to acquire at least one cone beam computed tomography intraoperative image of the patient;—a localization device;—a computer configured to receive images from the medical imaging system and localization data from the localization device and to implement the following method: the method comprising: ⋅(a) receiving at least one preoperative 2D X-ray image of the bone while the patient is in a position of interest; ⋅(b) acquiring an intraoperative 3D medical image of the bone by cone beam computed tomography while the patient is in an operative position different from the position of interest, the 3D image being registered with the coordinate system of the bone tracker; ⋅(c) registering the intraoperative 3D medical image onto the at least one preoperative 2D X-ray image, so as to obtain a registered 3D image representing the bone in the position of interest; ⋅(d) planning a surgical procedure on the registered 3D medical image taking into account said position of interest; ⋅(e) determining an optimal position of the surgical instrument relative to the patient's bone tracker for implementing said planned surgical procedure.