Introduction of total variation regularization into filtered backprojection algorithm

In this paper we extend the state-of-the-art filtered backprojection (FBP) method with application of the concept of Total Variation regularization. We compare the performance of the new algorithm with the most common form of regularizing in the FBP image reconstruction via apodizing functions. The methods are validated in terms of cross-correlation coefficient between reconstructed and real image of radioactive tracer distribution using standard Derenzo-type phantom. We demonstrate that the proposed approach results in higher cross-correlation values with respect to the standard FBP method.