Patent ID: 7818045

Claim:
A method for generating an artifact-reduced 3D-image data set of an imaging volume having an interfering element, wherein the 3D-image data set is generated by a medical imaging device that collects image data from projections through an imaged object, comprising: positioning a patient in a first imaging position in an imaging device; generating a first 3D-imaging of the patient in the first imaging position with the interfering element lying within a first illumination layer; defining an area within the imaging volume that is affected by the interfering element; calculating a first raw data set of the imaging volume based on the first 3D-imaging comprising an artifact-influenced raw data for the first illumination layer, wherein the artifacts of the first raw data set are due to the interfering element; positioning the patient in a second imaging position spatially different from the first imaging position; generating a second 3D-imaging of the patient in the second imaging position with the interfering element lying within a second illumination layer intersecting with the first illumination layer in an intersection volume where the interfering element lies; calculating a second raw data set of the imaging volume based on the second 3D-imaging comprising an artifact-influenced raw data for the second illumination layer, wherein the artifacts of the second raw data set are due to the interfering element; calculating a first 3D image data set from the first raw data set; calculating a second 3D image data set from the second raw data set; calculating a non-artifact influenced data for the first 3D image data set outside the intersection volume based on the first 3D-imaging data uninfluenced by the interfering element or a non-artifact influenced data for the second 3D image data set outside the intersection volume based on the second 3D-imaging uninfluenced by the interfering element; combining the first 3D image data set and the second 3D image data set to form a combined data set, wherein the non-artifact influenced data of one of the first or second 3D image data set is combined with the artifact influenced data of the other 3D image data set outside the intersection volume wherein a portion of the artifact-influenced data of the first or second 3D image data set is replaced by respective overlapping spatial locations of the non-artifact influenced data from the other 3D image data set; and calculating the artifact-reduced 3D-image data set of the imaging volume based on the combined data set.