A locally weighted linear regression look-up table-based iterative reconstruction method for dual spectral CT

Objective:

Compared with traditional computed tomography (CT), dual spectral CT (DSCT) exhibits superior material distinguishability and thus has broad prospects in industrial and medical fields. In iterative DSCT algorithms, accurately modeling forward-projection functions is crucial, but it is very difficult to analytically provide accurate functions. Methods: In this paper, we propose a locally weighted linear regression look-up table-based (LWLR-LUT) iterative reconstruction method for DSCT. First, the proposed method uses LWLR to establish LUTs for the forward-projection functions through calibration phantoms, achieving good local information calibration. Second, the reconstructed images can be iteratively obtained through the established LUTs. The proposed method not only does not require knowledge of the X-ray spectra and the attenuation coefficients, but also implicitly accounts for some scattered radiation while fitting locally the forward-projection functions in the calibration space. Results: Both numerical simulations and real data experiments demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve highly accurate polychromatic forward-projection functions and greatly improve the quality of the images reconstructed from scattering-free and scattering projections. Conclusion: The proposed method is simple and practical, and achieves good material decomposition effects for objects with different complex structures through simple calibration phantoms.