Patent ID: 8630473

Claim:
A method for filtering a first 2-D x-ray projection image of a subject for use in a 3-D image reconstruction, comprising: obtaining the first 2-D projection image data and identifying a central pixel of a detector; obtaining projection image data for a second 2-D projection image at an offset angle in relation to the first 2-D projection; arranging the 2-D projection image data for at least the first and second 2-D projection images in an electronic memory to form a 3-D data set; applying a diffusive filtering process to at least a first pixel of the first 2-D projection image data and weighting the diffusive filtering process for the first pixel, relative to an out-of-plane pixel of the second 2-D projection image, according to the distance between the first pixel and the central pixel; reconstructing the diagnostic 3-D image using the processed 2-D image projection data; and transmitting, storing, or displaying the reconstructed diagnostic 3-D image.