Spectral CT data simulation and material decomposition
Written by: Shaghayegh Afshari and Cheng-Ying Chou
Published on: Summary
The ability of gVirtualXRay to simulate spectral CT data plays a crucial role in advancing material decomposition techniques within medical imaging. By generating synthetic datasets across high-energy, low-energy, and conventional CT spectra, gVXR provides essential training data for deep learning models in material decomposition. These models leverage pairs of reconstructed CT images and material density maps created by voxelising 3D meshes from segmented phantom STL files. This approach accurately simulates the distinct attenuation characteristics of different materials, closely mimicking real spectral CT conditions. By capturing the variability and complexity of clinical data, gVXR enables the development of AI-driven material decomposition algorithms without the high costs and logistical challenges associated with acquiring large clinical datasets.
Awards
3rd place - Vidal, F. P., Afshari, S., Albiol, A., Albiol, F., Bellot, A., Brun, A. L., Chou, C.-Y., Desbarats, P., García, M., Giovannelli, J.-F., Hatton, C., Henry, A., Kelly, G., Michelet, C., Mihail, R. P., Racy, M., Rouwane, A., Seznec, H., Sújar, A., Tugwell-Allsup, J., and Villard, P.-F.: "X-ray simulations with gVirtualXray in medicine and life sciences". Dirk Bartz Prize for Visual Computing in Medicine and Life Sciences 2025 (Eurographics Medical Prize).
Best Presentation Award - Afshari, S., & Chou, C.-Y.: "Enhancing Material Decomposition in spectral CT Imaging via Deep Learning". ISMAB 2024.
Best paper award for tomography outreach tools - Vidal, F. P., Afshari, S., Ahmed, S., Atkins, C., Béchet, É., Corbí Bellot, A., ... Tugwell-Allsup, J. (2024). Müller, B., & Wang, G. (Eds.). "X-ray simulations with gVXR as a useful tool for education, data analysis, set-up of CT scans, and scanner development". Developments in X-Ray Tomography XV, SPIE Optics & Photonics 2024. DOI: 10.1117/12.3025315
Publications
- Vidal, F. P., Afshari, S., Albiol, A., Albiol, F., Bellot, A., Brun, A. L., Chou, C.-Y., Desbarats, P., García, M., Giovannelli, J.-F., Hatton, C., Henry, A., Kelly, G., Michelet, C., Mihail, R. P., Racy, M., Rouwane, A., Seznec, H., Sújar, A., Tugwell-Allsup, J., and Villard, P.-F. (2025). Meuschke, M. & Kuhlen, T. W. (Eds.). “X-ray simulations with gVirtualXray in medicine and life sciences”. Dirk Bartz Prize for Visual Computing in Medicine and Life Sciences 2025 (Eurographics Medical Prize). DOI: 10.2312/evm.20251974
- Afshari, S. and Chou, C.-Y. (2024, Sep). Enhancing Material Decomposition in CT Imaging via Deep Learning on Simulated Dual-Layer Spectral CT Data. 11th International Symposium on Machinery and Mechatronics for Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering (ISMAB 2024).
- Vidal, F. P. et al (2024, Nov). X-ray simulations with gVXR as a useful tool for education, data analysis, set-up of CT scans, and scanner development. Developments in X-Ray Tomography XV, SPIE Optics & Photonics 2024. doi:10.1117/12.3025315 .
Citations
@INPROCEEDINGS{Vidal2025DirkBartz,
author={F. P. Vidal and S. Afshari and A. Albiol and F. Albiol and
A. Corb\'i Bellot and A. L. Brun and C.-Y. Chou and P. Desbarats and
M. Garc\'ia and J.-F. Giovannelli and C. Hatton and A. Henry and
G. Kelly and C. Michelet and Radu P. Mihail M. Racy and A. Rouwane and
H. Seznec and A. S\'ujar and J. Tugwell-Allsup and P.-F. Villard},
booktitle={Dirk Bartz Prize for Visual Computing in Medicine and
Life Sciences 2025 (Eurographics Medical Prize)},
title={{X-ray simulations with gVirtualXray in medicine and life sciences}},
year=2025,
editor = {Monique Meuschke and Torsten W. Kuhlen},
publisher = {The Eurographics Association},
ISBN = {978-3-03868-281-3},
DOI = {10.2312/evm.20251974}
}
@misc{Afshari2024ISMAB,
author = {Shaghayegh Afshari and Cheng-Ying Chou},
title = {Enhancing Material Decomposition in CT Imaging via Deep Learning
on Simulated Dual-Layer Spectral CT Data},
howpublished = {Presented at the 11th International Symposium on Machinery and
Mechatronics for Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering (ISMAB 2024)},
month = sep,
year = {2024},
url = {https://ismab2024.j-sam.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/ISMAB2024_ProgramBook.pdf},
note = {Listed in the ISMAB 2024 Program Book}
}
@inproceedings{Vidal2024SPIE,
author = {Franck P. Vidal and Shaghayegh Afshari and Sharif Ahmed and
Carolyn Atkins and {\'E}ric B{\'e}chet and Alberto Corb{\'i} Bellot and
Stefan Bosse and Younes Chahid and Cheng-Ying Chou and Robert Culver and
Lewis Dixon and Johan Friemann and Amin Garbout and Cl{\'e}mentine Hatton and
Audrey Henry and Christophe Leblanc and Alberto Leonardi and
Jean Michel L{\'e}tang and Harry Lipscom and Tristan Manchester and
Bas Meere and Simon Middleburgh and Iwan Mitchell and Liam Perera and
Mart{\'i} Puig and Jenna Tugwell-Allsup},
title = {{X-ray simulations with gVXR as a useful tool for education,
data analysis, set-up of CT scans, and scanner development}},
volume = {13152},
booktitle = {Developments in X-Ray Tomography XV},
editor = {Bert M{\"u}ller and Ge Wang},
organization = {International Society for Optics and Photonics},
publisher = {SPIE},
pages = {131520W},
keywords = {X-ray imaging, Computed tomography (CT), Simulation,
Digital twinning, Graphics processor unit (GPU) programming,
Image registration, Digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR),
Machine learning},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.1117/12.3025315},
}