Maximum-likelihood estimation of scatter components algorithm for x-ray coherent scatter computed tomography of the breast

Coherent scatter computed tomography (CSCT) is a reconstructive x-ray imaging technique that yields the spatially resolved coherent-scatter cross section of the investigated object revealing structural information of tissue under investigation. In the original CSCT proposals the reconstruction of images from coherently scattered x-rays is done at each scattering angle separately using analytic reconstruction. In this work we develop a maximum likelihood estimation of scatter components algorithm (ML-ESCA) that iteratively reconstructs images using a few material component basis functions from coherent scatter projection data. The proposed algorithm combines the measured scatter data at different angles into one reconstruction equation with only a few component images. Also, it accounts for data acquisition statistics and physics, modeling effects such as polychromatic energy spectrum and detector response function. We test the algorithm with simulated projection data obtained with a pencil beam setup using a new version of MC-GPU code, a Graphical Processing Unit version of PENELOPE Monte Carlo particle transport simulation code, that incorporates an improved model of x-ray coherent scattering using experimentally measured molecular interference functions. The results obtained for breast imaging phantoms using adipose and glandular tissue cross sections show that the new algorithm can separate imaging data into basic adipose and water components at radiation doses comparable with Breast Computed Tomography. Simulation results also show the potential for imaging microcalcifications. Overall, the component images obtained with ML-ESCA algorithm have a less noisy appearance than the images obtained with the conventional filtered back projection algorithm for each individual scattering angle. An optimization study for x-ray energy range selection for breast CSCT is also presented. (paper)