The present invention relates to an apparatus 10 for feature suppression in dark field or phase contrast x-ray imaging. The apparatus comprises an input unit 20, a processing unit 30, and an output unit 40. The input unit is configured to provide an x-ray attenuated image of a region of interest of the subject to the processing unit. The input unit is also configured to provide a darkfield or phase contrast x-ray image of the region of interest of the subject to the processing unit. The processing unit further identifies a first feature in the x-ray attenuation image, a second anatomical feature in the x-ray attenuation image, and a second anatomy in the dark field or phase contrast x-ray image. Configured to identify specific features. The first feature is an obscured anatomical feature drawn with higher contrast in the x-ray attenuating image than the dark field or phase contrast x-ray image. The processing unit is further configured to register a dark-field or phase-contrast x-ray image to the x-ray attenuated image based on the identified second anatomical feature. The processing unit determines the location of the first feature in the x-ray attenuation image and relates to the first feature identified in the x-ray attenuation image by transferring the determined location to the dark field or phase contrast x-ray image. By utilizing the information, it is configured to locate the first feature in the dark field or phase contrast x-ray image. The processing unit is still further configured to suppress the first feature in the dark field or phase contrast x-ray image to produce a feature suppressed dark field or phase contrast x-ray image. The output unit is configured to output data indicative of the feature suppressed dark field or phase contrast x-ray image.
