title: Statistical iterative reconstruction algorithm for X-ray phase-contrast CT.
abstract: Grating-based phase-contrast computed tomography (PCCT) is a promising imaging tool on the horizon for pre-clinical and clinical applications. Until now PCCT has been plagued by strong artifacts when dense materials like bones are present. In this paper, we present a new statistical iterative reconstruction algorithm which overcomes this limitation. It makes use of the fact that an X-ray interferometer provides a conventional absorption as well as a dark-field signal in addition to the phase-contrast signal. The method is based on a statistical iterative reconstruction algorithm utilizing maximum-a-posteriori principles and integrating the statistical properties of the raw data as well as information of dense objects gained from the absorption signal. Reconstruction of a pre-clinical mouse scan illustrates that artifacts caused by bones are significantly reduced and image quality is improved when employing our approach. Especially small structures, which are usually lost because of streaks, are recovered in our results. In comparison with the current state-of-the-art algorithms our approach provides significantly improved image quality with respect to quantitative and qualitative results. In summary, we expect that our new statistical iterative reconstruction method to increase the general usability of PCCT imaging for medical diagnosis apart from applications focused solely on soft tissue visualization.
authors.affiliation: Chair for Biomedical Physics and Institute for Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thibault
authors.affiliation: Chair for Biomedical Physics and Institute for Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fehringer
authors.affiliation: Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bech
authors.affiliation: 1] Philips Technologie GmbH, Innovative Technologies, Hamburg, Germany [2] Institute for Advanced Study, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koehler
authors.affiliation: Chair for Biomedical Physics and Institute for Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Noël
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*