Monte-Carlo scatter correction for cone-beam computed tomography with limited scan field-of-view - art. no. 69131Y

In flat detector cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), scattered radiation is a major source of image degradation, making accurate a posteriori scatter correction inevitable. A potential solution to this problem is provided by computerized scatter correction based on Monte-Carlo simulations. Using this technique, the detected distributions of X-ray scatter are estimated for various viewing directions using Monte-Carlo simulations of an intermediate reconstruction. However, as a major drawback, for standard CBCT geometries and with standard size flat detectors such as mounted on interventional. C-arms, the scan field of view is too small to accommodate the human body without lateral truncations, and thus this technique cannot be readily applied. In this work, we present a novel method for constructing a model of the object in a laterally and possibly also axially extended field of view, which enables meaningful application of Monte-Carlo based scatter correction even in case of heavy truncations. Evaluation is based on simulations of a clinical CT data set of a human abdomen, which strongly exceeds the field of view of the simulated C-arm based CBCT imaging geometry. By using the proposed methodology, almost complete removal of scatter-caused inhomogeneities is demonstrated in reconstructed images.