Automatic Parameter Estimation for the Discrete Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (DART)

• Published in: IEEE transactions on image processing 2012-11, Vol.21 (11), p.4608-4621
• Main Authors: van Aarle, W., Batenburg, K. J., Sijbers, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Automatic parameter optimization; computed tomography; Detection, estimation, filtering, equalization, prediction; discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART); discrete tomography; Exact sciences and technology; Image processing; Image reconstruction; Image segmentation; Information, signal and communications theory; Minimization; Optimized production technology; projection distance minimization; segmentation; Signal and communications theory; Signal processing; Signal, noise; Telecommunications and information theory; Tomography; Vectors
• ISSN: 1057-7149; 1941-0042
• DOI: 10.1109/TIP.2012.2206042

Computed tomography (CT) is a technique for noninvasive imaging of physical objects. In the discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART), prior knowledge about the material's densities is exploited to obtain high quality reconstructed images from a limited number of its projections. In practice, this prior knowledge is typically not readily available. Here, a fully automatic method, called projection distance minimization DART (PDM-DART), is proposed in which the optimal grey level parameters are adaptively estimated during the reconstruction process. To apply PDM-DART, only the number of different grey levels should be known in advance. Simulation as well as real μCT experiments show that PDM-DART is capable of computing reconstructed images of which the quality is similar to reconstructions computed by conventional DART based on exact prior knowledge, thereby eliminating the need for tedious and error-prone user interaction.