An X-ray CT system and a method of processing medical images are provided that enable combining of images with reduced effect of the differences in coordinates of the pixels in the overlapped areas of a plurality of constituent images. The X-ray CT system includes a processor and a synthesizer. Based on coordinates of first pixels in a first image of a first three-dimensional region of the subject and coordinates of second pixels in a second image of a second three-dimensional region of the subject, the processor combines the first pixels with the second pixels on a one-for-one basis within a predetermined range in the rostrocaudal direction. The synthesizer generates third pixels relative to the first pixels and the second pixels and generates a third image that includes the third pixels.

A first imaging unit obtains a first radiation image, which is imaged under first imaging conditions. A second imaging unit obtains a plurality of projection images by tomosynthesis imaging under second imaging conditions. A reconstructing unit reconstructs a plurality of projection images to generate a plurality of tomographic images of cross sectional planes of a subject. An image synthesizing unit generates a second radiation image employing the plurality of tomographic images. A subtraction processing unit administers a subtraction process on the first and second radiation images, to generate a subtraction image.

A radiographic imaging apparatus includes an image generator configured to generate a plurality of first images and a plurality of second images, and an image processor configured to align common regions between the plurality of first images and generate a difference long image by splicing images obtained by subtracting a plurality of corrected images from the plurality of second images.

An image processing apparatus includes a processor programmed to obtain a first radiation image of a subject captured from a first direction, obtain a second radiation image of the subject captured from a second direction that intersects the first direction, and either correct one of the first radiation image and the second radiation image based on positional information of a device for capturing the one of the first radiation image and the second radiation image, or correct another one of the first radiation image and the second radiation image based on information on a position of a specific region of the subject obtained from the one of the first radiation image and the second radiation image.

A processor acquires a first radiographic image and a second radiographic image that include the same subject and have different S/N ratios. The processor derives a processing content of a first graininess suppression process on the first radiographic image having a higher S/N ratio of the first radiographic image and the second radiographic image and derives a processing content of a second graininess suppression process on the second radiographic image on the basis of the processing content of the first graininess suppression process. The processor performs a graininess suppression process on the second radiographic image on the basis of the processing content of the second graininess suppression process.

3D image data of a skeletal portion within a subject's body is acquired. Subsequently, one or more radiopaque elements are positioned with respect to the body and first and second x-rays of the radiopaque elements and the skeletal portion are acquired from respective views. Based upon an identified location of the radiopaque elements within the x-rays, and registration of the x-rays to the 3D image data, the location of the radiopaque elements with respect to the 3D image data is determined. An optical image of the body and the radiopaque elements is acquired and the location of the radiopaque elements within the optical image is identified. The 3D image data is overlaid upon the optical image by aligning (a) the location of the radiopaque elements within the 3D image data with (b) the location of the radiopaque elements within the optical image. Other applications are also described.

Disclosed herein is an image sensor comprising: a plurality of radiation detectors; a mask with a plurality of radiation transmitting zones and a radiation blocking zone; and an actuator configured to move the plurality of radiation detectors from a first position to a second position and to move the mask from a third position to a fourth position; wherein while the radiation detectors are at the first position and the mask is at the third position and while the radiation detectors are at the second position and the mask is at the fourth position, the radiation blocking zone blocks radiation from a radiation source that would otherwise incident on a dead zone of the image sensor and the radiation transmitting zones allow at least a portion of radiation from the radiation source that would incident on active areas of the image sensor to pass through.

An X-ray imaging device and method of operation is capable of acquiring a long-length image and is naturally connected. A configuration data of the signal intensity depending on the position along a moving direction of the long-length imaging is acquired by acquiring a model data prior to the long-length imaging, in order to obtain an approximate configuration. Next, the long-length imaging as to the subject is conducted and a brightness difference (difference of pixel values) takes place along the data line in the overlapping pixel regions relative to two X-ray images adjacent each other. According to the configuration data of the signal intensity, the offset correction value C in pixels (pixel coordinate) in the region other than the pixel regions from the difference Δ of pixel values in such overlapping pixel regions, the slot width D and the overlapping width d. An offset correction is conducted based on such offset correction value C and the X-ray images following the offset correction are connected to generate the long-length imaging so that the long-length image naturally connected can be obtained.

A medical imaging apparatus is provided. The medical image apparatus includes an output unit; and a controller configured to control the output unit to display an image obtained by photographing an object and to display, over the image, a top indicator for setting a top limit for an area to be X-rayed and at least one guideline indicating a bottom limit for the area to be X-rayed according to the top indicator and the number of partial photographing operations.

There is provided a method of image reconstruction based on energy-resolved image data from a photon-counting multi-bin detector or an intermediate storage. The method comprises processing (S1) the energy-resolved image data by performing at least two separate basis decompositions using different number of basis functions for modeling linear attenuation, wherein a first basis decomposition is performed using a first smaller set of basis functions to obtain at least one first basis image representation, and wherein a second basis decomposition is performed using a second larger set of basis functions to obtain at least one second basis image representation. The method also comprises reconstructing a first image based on said at least one first basis image representation obtained from the first basis decomposition, and combining the first image with information representative of said at least one second basis image representation.