A quasiexact reconstruction algorithm for helical CT using a 3-Pi acquisition

Recently, an exact reconstruction method for helical CT was published by A. Katsevich. The algorithm is of the filtered backprojection type and is, therefore, computationally efficient. Moreover, during backprojection, only data are used which correspond to an illumination interval of 180 as seen from the object-point. We propose a new reconstruction method, which is applicable to data obtained with a 3-Pi acquisition [IEEE Trans. Med. Imaging 19, 848-863 (2000)]. The method uses the same filter types as the Katsevich algorithm, but the directions and the number of the filter lines are chosen differently. For the derivation of the new algorithm, we analyze the relationship of the Katsevich method and radon inversion. A certain radon plane can intersect with the backprojection interval related to a 3-Pi acquisition either once, three, or five times. In analogy to the definition of quasiexactness introduced by Kudo et al. for a 1-Pi acquisition, we use the term quasiexactness for algorithms on a 3-Pi acquisition, if radon planes with one or three intersections within the backprojection interval are treated correctly. Using the results on the relationship with radon inversion, we can prove that our algorithm is quasiexact in this sense. We use simulation results in order to demonstrate that the algorithm yields excellent image quality. (C) 2003 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.