Computer processing techniques in digital radiography research

In the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and the Center for Medical Imaging Research, Nashville, TN, there are several activities which are designed to increase the information available from film-screen acquisition as well as from direct digital acquisition of radiographic information. Two of the projects involve altering the display of images after acquisition, either to remove artifacts present as a result of the acquisition process or to change the manner in which the image is displayed to improve the perception of details in the image. These two projects use methods which can be applied to any type of digital image, but are being implemented with images digitized from conventional x-ray film. One of these research endeavors involves mathematical alteration of the image to correct for motion artifacts or registration errors between images that will be subtracted. Another applies well-known image processing methods to digital radiographic images to improve the image contrast and enhance subtle details in the image. A third project involves the use of dual energy imaging with a digital radiography system to reconstruct images which demonstrate either soft tissue details or the osseous structures. These projects are discussed in greater detail in the following sections of this communication