Enhancing signal detectability in learning-based CT reconstruction with a model observer inspired loss function.

Deep neural networks used for reconstructing sparse-view CT data are typically trained by minimizing a pixel-wise mean-squared error or similar loss function over a set of training images. However, networks trained with such pixel-wise losses are prone to wipe out small, low-contrast features that are critical for screening and diagnosis. To remedy this issue, we introduce a novel training loss inspired by the model observer framework to enhance the detectability of weak signals in the reconstructions.

Iterative Shrinkage Algorithm for Patch-Smoothness Regularized Medical Image Recovery.

We introduce a fast iterative shrinkage algorithm for patch-smoothness regularization of inverse problems in medical imaging. This approach is enabled by the reformulation of current non-local regularization schemes as an alternating algorithm to minimize a global criterion. The proposed algorithm alternates between evaluating the denoised inter-patch differences by shrinkage and computing an image that is consistent with the denoised inter-patch differences and measured data.

Accelerated MRI using iterative non-local shrinkage.

We introduce a fast iterative non-local shrinkage algorithm to recover MRI data from undersampled Fourier measurements. This approach is enabled by the reformulation of current non-local schemes as an alternating algorithm to minimize a global criterion. The proposed algorithm alternates between a non-local shrinkage step and a quadratic subproblem.