Bone and Soft-Tissue Images Extraction Through Derivation of Effective Atomic Number Image Using Photon-Counting Detector

X-ray examinations performed in medical and industrial fields are based on qualitative evaluation. There is the possibility to create a new diagnostic method using quantitative images produced with an energy resolving photon-counting detector (ERPCD). Because most of the objects targeted for X-ray examination are composed of soft-tissue and bone, it may be possible to perform a new quantitative analysis if corresponding X-ray images can be extracted. This study aims to develop an algorithm for generating X-ray images which can provide quantitative information using an ERPCD. Previously, we have developed an ERPCD scanner having three energy bins and succeeded to derive an effective atomic number (Z
eff
) image. In this study, we propose a methodology to extract mass thickness (ρt) images related to soft-tissue and bone. We used polychromatic X-rays for this analysis in which both the beam hardening effect and the detector response were properly corrected and then succeeded in treating the amount of measured X-ray attenuation as if it were measured using monochromatic X-rays. In order to evaluate our methodology, we measured composite substances composed of aluminum and acrylic. The methodology was also demonstrated its viability by applying it to fish images.