Nonperiodic dynamic CT reconstruction using backward-warping INR with regularization of diffeomorphism (BIRD)

Dynamic computed tomography (CT) reconstruction faces significant challenges in addressing motion artifacts, particularly for nonperiodic rapid movements such as cardiac imaging with fast heart rates. Traditional methods struggle with the extreme limited-angle problems inherent in nonperiodic cases. Deep learning methods have improved performance but face generalization challenges. Recent implicit neural representation (INR) techniques show promise through self-supervised deep learning, but have critical limitations: computational inefficiency due to forward-warping modeling, difficulty balancing DVF complexity with anatomical plausibility, and challenges in preserving fine details without additional patient-specific pre-scans. This paper presents a novel INR-based framework, BIRD, for nonperiodic dynamic CT reconstruction. It addresses these challenges through four key contributions: (1) backward-warping deformation that enables direct computation of each dynamic voxel with significantly reduced computational cost, (2) diffeomorphism-based DVF regularization that ensures anatomically plausible deformations while maintaining representational capacity, (3) motion-compensated analytical reconstruction that enhances fine details without requiring additional pre-scans, and (4) dimensional-reduction design for efficient 4D coordinate encoding. Through various simulations and practical studies, including digital and physical phantoms and retrospective patient data, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach for nonperiodic dynamic CT reconstruction with enhanced details and reduced motion artifacts. The proposed framework enables more accurate dynamic CT reconstruction with potential clinical applications, such as one-beat cardiac reconstruction, cinematic image sequences for functional imaging, and motion artifact reduction in conventional CT scans.