Dual-energy CT imaging with limited-angular-range data

Abstract

In dual-energy computed tomography (DECT), low- and high-kVp data are collected often over a full-angular range (FAR) of 360°. While there exists strong interest in DECT with low- and high-kVp data acquired over limited-angular ranges (LARs), there remains little investigation of image reconstruction in DECT with LAR data.Objective: we investigate image reconstruction with minimized LAR artifacts from low- and high-kVp data over LARs of ≤180° by using a directional-total-variation (DTV) algorithm.Methods: image reconstruction from LAR data is formulated as a convex optimization problem in which data-ℓ₂is minimized with constraints on image's DTVs along orthogonal axes. We then achieve image reconstruction by applying the DTV algorithm to solve the optimization problem. We conduct numerical studies from data generated over arcs of LARs, ranging from 14° to 180°, and perform visual inspection and quantitative analysis of images reconstructed.Results: monochromatic images of interest obtained with the DTV algorithm from LAR data show substantially reduced artifacts that are observed often in images obtained with existing algorithms. The improved image quality also leads to accurate estimation of physical quantities of interest, such as effective atomic number and iodine contrast concentration.Conclusion: our study reveals that from LAR data of low- and high-kVp, monochromatic images can be obtained that are visually, and physical quantities can be estimated that are quantitatively, comparable to those obtained in FAR DECT.Significance: as LAR DECT is of high practical application interest, the results acquired in the work may engender insights into the design of DECT with LAR scanning configurations of practical application significance.

Keywords: atomic number; directional-total-variation; dual-energy CT; iodine cocentration; limited-angular-range reconstruction.