US-12626339-B2 - Image processing method and image processing device

US12626339B2US 12626339 B2US12626339 B2US 12626339B2US-12626339-B2

Abstract

A plurality of pixel values n H , n M , and n L acquired from a target region include one reference pixel value and the other pixel value, and an image processing method includes: a correction pattern determination step of setting in advance a plurality of correction patterns and determining the correction pattern to be applied to the target region on the basis of the reference pixel value; a correction step of correcting the reference pixel value and the other pixel value by determined correction patterns A, B, and C; and a generation step of generating an image of an imaging target on the basis of the corrected pixel values of a plurality of target regions.

Inventors

Shuichiro Yamamoto
Natsumi KIMOTO
Hiroaki Hayashi
Daiki Kobayashi

Assignees

JOB CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231212
Priority Date: 20231102

Claims (10)

1 . An image processing method for acquiring a plurality of pixel values from a target region constituting a part of an imaging target, including one reference pixel value and another pixel value, determining a synthesis of the plurality of pixel values as a pixel value of the target region, and generating an image of the imaging target on the basis of a plurality of the target regions for which the pixel values are determined, the method comprising: a correction pattern determination step performed by a correction pattern determination unit for setting in advance a plurality of correction patterns and determining the correction pattern to be applied to the target region on the basis of the reference pixel value; a correction step performed by a correction unit for correcting the reference pixel value and the other pixel value by the determined correction pattern; and a generation step performed by a generation unit for generating the image of the imaging target on the basis of the corrected pixel values of the plurality of target regions.
2 . The image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the reference pixel value includes pixel values acquired in the same condition for the plurality of the target regions.
3 . The image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the correction pattern determination step includes: a range setting step of setting a predetermined range centering around the target region; an average calculation step of calculating an average pixel value within the range; a comparison step of comparing the pixel value of the target region with the average pixel value; and a selection step of selecting the correction pattern in accordance with a comparison result.
4 . The image processing method according to claim 2 , wherein the correction pattern determination step includes: a range setting step of setting a predetermined range centering around the target region; an average calculation step of calculating an average pixel value within the range; a comparison step of comparing the pixel value of the target region with the average pixel value; and a selection step of selecting the correction pattern in accordance with a comparison result.
5 . The image processing method according to claim 3 , wherein the correction pattern includes: a non-correction pattern that adopts the pixel value of the target region in a case where the pixel value of the target region is included inside a predetermined numerical range set with reference to the average pixel value; a decrease correction pattern that adopts an average value of a predetermined number of pixel values on a smaller side among the pixel values within the range set in the range setting step in a case where the pixel value of the target region is smaller than the numerical range; and an increase correction pattern that adopts an average value of a predetermined number of pixel values on a larger side among the pixel values within the range set in the range setting step in a case where the pixel value of the target region is larger than the numerical range.
6 . An image processing device acquiring a plurality of pixel values from a target region constituting a part of an imaging target, determining a synthesis of the plurality of pixel values as a pixel value of the target region, and generating an image of the imaging target on the basis of a plurality of the target regions for which the pixel values are determined, the device comprising: an acquisition mechanism acquiring one reference pixel value and the other pixel value for each target region; a processing mechanism processing the pixel value acquired by the acquisition mechanism; and a storage mechanism storing a plurality of correction patterns used by the processing mechanism, wherein the processing mechanism includes: a correction pattern determination unit determining the correction pattern to be applied to the target region on the basis of the reference pixel value; a correction unit correcting the reference pixel value and the other pixel value by the determined correction pattern; and a generation unit generating the image of the imaging target on the basis of the corrected pixel values of the plurality of target regions.
7 . The image processing device according to claim 6 , wherein the reference pixel value includes pixel values acquired in the same condition for the plurality of the target regions.
8 . The image processing device according to claim 6 , wherein the correction pattern determination unit includes: a range setting unit setting a predetermined range centering around the target region; an average calculation unit calculating an average pixel value within the range; a comparison unit comparing the pixel value of the target region with the average pixel value; and a selection unit selecting the correction pattern in accordance with a comparison result.
9 . The image processing device according to claim 7 , wherein the correction pattern determination unit includes: a range setting unit setting a predetermined range centering around the target region; an average calculation unit calculating an average pixel value within the range; a comparison unit comparing the pixel value of the target region with the average pixel value; and a selection unit selecting the correction pattern in accordance with a comparison result.
10 . The image processing device according to claim 8 , wherein the correction pattern includes: a non-correction pattern that adopts the pixel value of the target region in a case where the pixel value of the target region is included inside a predetermined numerical range set with reference to the average pixel value; a decrease correction pattern that adopts an average value of a predetermined number of pixel values on a smaller side among the pixel values within the range set by the range setting unit in a case where the pixel value of the target region is smaller than the numerical range; and an increase correction pattern that adopts an average value of a predetermined number of pixel values on a larger side among the pixel values within the range set in the range setting unit in a case where the pixel value of the target region is larger than the numerical range.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field The present invention relates to an image processing method and an image processing device for processing an image acquired by an X-ray device or the like, and more specifically, to an image processing method and an image processing device capable of generating a highly accurate image. 2. Description of the Related Art Various image processing methods such as an X-ray device have been proposed (for example, refer to JP 2009-164 A). JP 2009-164 A discloses an image processing method for generating an image in which an edge is emphasized by processing one image with three filters, and then, synthesizing the processed image. Such an image processing method has enabled the generation of an image in which boundary portions of different materials are clear. Since the image becomes clear, visibility has been improved. The applicant has proposed an energy discrimination type X-ray device that acquires a pixel value for each energy range of X-rays (for example, refer to WO 2019/083014 A). The X-ray device described in WO 2019/083014 A acquires an image for each energy range from an imaging target, and synthesizes a plurality of images to generate one image. In the X-ray device described in WO 2019/083014 A, there is a problem that quantitativity is lost when image processing of emphasizing an edge is performed by the method described in JP 2009-164 A. When the image processing of emphasizing the edge is performed, a deviation occurs in the estimated effective atomic number. There is a problem that the accuracy of the X-ray device as an energy analyzer is reduced. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide an image processing method and an image processing device capable of generating an image with high accuracy. An image processing method for attaining the object described above is an image processing method for acquiring a plurality of pixel values from a target region constituting a part of an imaging target, determining a synthesis of the plurality of pixel values as a pixel value of the target region, and generating an image of the imaging target on the basis of a plurality of the target regions for which the pixel values are determined, the plurality of pixel values acquired from the target region include one reference pixel value and the other pixel value, and the image processing method includes: a correction pattern determination step of setting in advance a plurality of correction patterns and determining the correction pattern to be applied to the target region on the basis of the reference pixel value; a correction step of correcting the reference pixel value and the other pixel value by the determined correction pattern; and a generation step of generating the image of the imaging target on the basis of the corrected pixel values of the plurality of target regions. An image processing device for attaining the object described above is an image processing device acquiring a plurality of pixel values from a target region constituting a part of an imaging target, determining a synthesis of the plurality of pixel values as a pixel value of the target region, and generating an image of the imaging target on the basis of a plurality of the target regions for which the pixel values are determined, the image processing device includes: an acquisition mechanism acquiring one reference pixel value and the other pixel value for each target region; a processing mechanism processing the pixel value acquired by the acquisition mechanism; and a storage mechanism storing a plurality of correction patterns used by the processing mechanism, in which the processing mechanism includes: a correction pattern determination unit determining the correction pattern to be applied to the target region on the basis of the reference pixel value; a correction unit correcting the reference pixel value and the other pixel value by the determined correction pattern; and a generation unit generating the image of the imaging target on the basis of the corrected pixel values of the plurality of target regions. According to the invention, a plurality of pixel values obtained from one target region are corrected with the same correction pattern. It is possible to avoid a state where the plurality of pixel values obtained from one target region are corrected with different correction patterns and consistency is not obtained among the plurality of pixel values. The invention is advantageous for generating a highly accurate image. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an imaging target and a plurality of acquired images; FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an image generated by synthesizing a plurality of images in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating a state of an acquired pixel value; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a