COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY SCANNING TARGET DETECTION USING NON-PARALLEL SLICES

A nutating slice CT image reconstruction apparatus and method generates a set of projection data using helical cone-beam scanning. The three-dimensional projection data is used to reconstruct a series of planar image slices. The slices are selected such that they define a tilt angle and a rotation angle with respect to the longitudinal axes of the object being scanned. Successive slices have equal tilt angles but changing rotation angles such that normal axes of successive slices define a nutation and precession about the longitudinal axis of the object. Projection data for the tilted slices are formed of selected one-dimensional fan-beam data. As such, the projection data can be applied to conventional two-dimensional reconstruction approaches to generate an image. The projection data can also be used to generate two-dimensional projection images at one or more stationary projection angles through an object being scanned. The nutation or tilt of image volume elements can be compensated for to provide a more accurate image and more accurate target assessment such as accurate total mass determination. A parallel processing architecture can be used to generate and process the nutated slices with improved efficiency.