Novel C-arm based cone-beam CT using a source trajectory of two concentric arcs

摘要

The first results from an interventional C-arm based computed tomography system where a complete source trajectory was used are presented. A scan with two arcs which are joined approximately at the center of their paths (CC trajectory) is utilized here. This trajectory satisfies Tuy's sufficiency condition for a large volume, but is not well populated with PI-lines. Therefore, a non-PI-line based reconstruction method is required. The desire for high dose efficiency led to the selection of an equal weighting based method. An FBP type reconstruction algorithm which was derived for two orthogonal concentric circles was utilized for reconstruction. The concept of a virtual image object was used to relate the projections from the two acquired non-orthogonal arcs to projections of a virtual object from two orthogonal arcs. Geometrical calibration is vital when performing tomography from an interventional system, and was incorporated here with the use of a homogeneous virtual projection matrix. The results demonstrate a significant reduction in cone-beam artifacts when the complete source trajectory is utilized.