Geometric Calibration and Reconstruction on a Portable X-ray Computed Tomography Device

X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a popular tool for non-destructively producing cross-sectional and volumetric images of physical objects[1]. In this technology, an X-ray source and a detector are mounted on a rotating gantry, and X-ray images from many different angles are acquired and then passed to a reconstruction program to create volumetric images. Unfortunately, the gantry and the rotational geometry can impose several onerous constraints on the production and usage of such a system: the gantry is quite heavy, it can only scan objects that fit within the inner diameter, and the technological complexity of making it both fast and stable can greatly increase the total cost of the system. There are many situations in which it would be desirable to have access to X-ray CT in locations outside the clinic, such as in rural and military locations. However, the size, weight, and cost of conventional X-ray CT systems obviates this usage. Since an X-ray CT system ultimately consists of an X-ray source and detector acquiring images at multiple orientations, and these components by themselves are amenable to substantial reductions in size [2][3], it is worthwhile to consider whether Xray CT can be achieved without a gantry.