Patent ID: 7473900

Claim:
A method of correcting a linear attenuation coefficient map obtained from anatomical image data, said map being used in nuclear medical image reconstruction, comprising the steps of: obtaining a set of linear attenuation coefficient correction factors based on different acquisition energy windows used for acquisition of nuclear medical projection data, wherein each of said correction factors are computed based on an emission energy of a radioisotope, and a width of an energy window used to detect radiation photons emitted from said radioisotope; storing said set of linear attenuation coefficient correction factors together with said map; and applying a particular stored linear attenuation coefficient correction factor to a linear attenuation coefficient retrieved from said map for correction of projection data used in a reconstruction process, according to the emission energy of a radioisotope used for generation of said projection data and a width of an acquisition energy window used to acquire said projection data, wherein said set of linear attenuation coefficient correction factors are computed based additionally on at least one of a collimator type and collimator angular resolution.