DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishikori et al (JP 2024048076 A) in view of Neumann et al (“An Image-Based Prior Knowledge-Free Approach for a Multi-Material Decomposition in Photon-Counting Computed Tomography”).
Regarding claim 1, Nishikori et al discloses a PCCT apparatus (photon counting type x-ray CT apparatus) (See Abstract) (1) comprising: a scanner that rotates (17) an X-ray source (11) which irradiates a subject (P) with X-rays and a photon counting detector (15) which detects X-rays transmitted through the subject (P) for each of a plurality of energy bins, around the subject (page 3); an image generation unit (image processing function (55)) (pages 8-9) that generates a tomographic image by using projection data calculated based on an output of the photon counting detector (page 9, paragraph 6); and a controller that controls each unit, wherein the controller calculates (542) a conversion expression (conversation table TBL) (page 10) for converting a projection value of the subject into a transmission length by using a plurality of projection values acquired by performing rotational imaging on a phantom (FT) (page 10). Nishikori et al does not teach performing rotational imaging on phantom, disposed to not overlap rotation center as claimed. Neumann et al discloses an photon-counting CT system comprising: performing rotational imaging on phantom which is disposed to not overlap rotation center of the scanner (phantom off-center) and of which a material, a shape, and a size are known, along with a plurality of transmission lengths of the phantom (See Fig. 2 and pages 7-10). Thus, it would have been obvious to modify Nishikori et al with the teaching of Neumann et al so as to eliminates the need to scan multiple different-sized phantoms at the isocenter, thereby reducing calibration time and maximizing the dynamic range of the conversion mathematical expression across all energy bins using a single rotational scan sequence.
Regarding claim 2, Nishikori et al in view of Neumann et al discloses wherein a cross-sectional shape of the phantom is a polygonal shape having an acute internal angle (abdominal phantom using different phantom diameters) (page 2).
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Regarding claim 3, Nishikori et al in view of Neumann et al discloses wherein a vertex of the acute internal angle of the phantom is disposed in a vicinity of the rotation center of the scanner (See Fig. 2, page 5).
Regarding claim 4, Nishikori et discloses wherein, in a case where the phantom is placed on a top plate (33), a projection value including the top plate is not used to calculate the conversion expression (page 9).
Regarding claim 5, Nishikori et discloses wherein the controller calculates a position of the phantom by using projection data of the phantom, prior to obtaining the transmission length of the phantom (page 9).
Regarding claim 6, Nishikori et discloses wherein the controller (scan control function) (56) (page 9) calculates a position of the phantom by using a tomographic image generated from projection data of the phantom, prior to obtaining the transmission length of the phantom (page 9).
Regarding claim 7, Nishikori et al discloses a control method of a PCCT apparatus(photon counting type x-ray CT apparatus) (See Abstract) (1) including a scanner that rotates (17) an X-ray source (11) which irradiates a subject (P) with X-rays and a photon counting detector (15) which detects X-rays transmitted through the subject (P) for each of a plurality of energy bins, around the subject (page 3), and an image generation unit (image processing function (55)) (pages 8-9) that generates a tomographic image by using projection data calculated based on an output of the photon counting detector (page 9, paragraph 6), the control method comprising: calculating (542) a conversion expression (conversation table TBL) (page 10) for converting a projection value of the subject into a transmission length by using a plurality of projection values acquired by performing rotational imaging on a phantom (FT) (page 10). Nishikori et al does not teach performing rotational imaging on phantom, disposed to not overlap rotation center as claimed. Neumann et al discloses an photon-counting CT system comprising: performing rotational imaging on phantom which is disposed to not overlap rotation center of the scanner (phantom off-center) and of which a material, a shape, and a size are known, along with a plurality of transmission lengths of the phantom (See Fig. 2 and pages 7-10). Thus, it would have been obvious to modify Nishikori et al with the teaching of Neumann et al so as to eliminates the need to scan multiple different-sized phantoms at the isocenter, thereby reducing calibration time and maximizing the dynamic range of the conversion mathematical expression across all energy bins using a single rotational scan sequence.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tajima et al (US 10595804 B2) discloses a control unit acquires first radiographic image data and second radiographic image data and derives bone density from an image of a derivation region of a DXA image which is a difference image between a first radiographic image and a second radiographic image. The control unit derives an evaluation value of the accuracy of derivation of the bone density, on the basis of at least one of the first radiographic image, the second radiographic image, and a bone part ES image, a soft part ES image, and a DXA image which are generated using the first radiographic image and the second radiographic image.
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/F.P.B./Examiner, Art Unit 2884
/UZMA ALAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2884
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