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Adaptive noise correction of dual-energy computed tomography images

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International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Noise reduction in material density images is a necessary preprocessing step for the correct interpretation of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) images. In this paper we describe a new method based on a local adaptive processing to reduce noise in DECT images

Methods

An adaptive neighborhood Wiener (ANW) filter was implemented and customized to use local characteristics of material density images. The ANW filter employs a three-level wavelet approach, combined with the application of an anisotropic diffusion filter. Material density images and virtual monochromatic images are noise corrected with two resulting noise maps.

Results

The algorithm was applied and quantitatively evaluated in a set of 36 images. From that set of images, three are shown here, and nine more are shown in the online supplementary material. Processed images had higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) than the raw material density images. The average improvements in SNR and CNR for the material density images were 56.5 and 54.75 %, respectively.

Conclusion

We developed a new DECT noise reduction algorithm. We demonstrate throughout a series of quantitative analyses that the algorithm improves the quality of material density images and virtual monochromatic images.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada

    Rafael Simon Maia & Christian Jacob

  2. Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 13400 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ, 85259, USA

    Amy K. Hara, Alvin C. Silva, William Pavlicek & J. Ross Mitchell

Authors
  1. Rafael Simon Maia
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  2. Christian Jacob
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  3. Amy K. Hara
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  4. Alvin C. Silva
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  5. William Pavlicek
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  6. J. Ross Mitchell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rafael Simon Maia.

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Conflicts of interest

Rafael Simon Maia, Christian Jacob, Amy K. Hara, Alvin C. Silva, William Pavlicek and J.Ross Mitchell declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Supplementary material 1 (pdf 33092 KB)

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Maia, R.S., Jacob, C., Hara, A.K. et al. Adaptive noise correction of dual-energy computed tomography images. Int J CARS 11, 667–678 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-015-1297-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-015-1297-8

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