Apparatus and method for generating an attenuation correction map

摘要

The invention relates to an apparatus for generating an attenuation correction map. An image providing unit (5, 6) provides an image of an object comprising different element classes and a segmentation unit (11) applies a segmentation to the image for generating a segmented image comprising image regions corresponding to the element classes. The segmentation is based on at least one of a watershed segmentation and a body contour segmentation based on a contiguous skin and fat layers in the image. A feature determination unit (12) determines features of at least one of a) the image regions and b) boundaries between the image regions depending on image values of the image and an assigning unit (13) assigns attenuation values to the image regions based on the determined features for generating the attenuation correction map. The performed image processing steps can allow for producing a high quality attenuation correction map, even if the initial image does not comprise image values related to the attenuation of radiation like a CT image.

主权项

1. A nuclear imaging system for generating a nuclear image of an object, the nuclear imaging system comprising:
a nuclear imaging system configured to generate nuclear data; one or more computer processors configured to generate an attenuation correction map for use in reconstructing the nuclear data into an attenuation-corrected nuclear image of an object, the one or more computer processors being configured to:
reconstruct the nuclear data into a non-attenuation corrected image,apply a watershed segmentation to the non-attenuation corrected image to generate a segmented image including image regions, each corresponding to an element class,determine features of at least one of a) the image regions and b) boundaries between the image regions depending on image values of the non-attenuation corrected image, andassign attenuation values to the image regions based on the determined features to generate the attenuation correction map; a nuclear image reconstruction processor configured to reconstruct the nuclear data into an attenuation corrected nuclear image using the attenuation correction map.