Dental imaging with photon-counting detector
Inventors
Inglese, Jean-Marc • Bothorel, Sylvie • LOUSTAUNEAU, Vincent • Rankin-Parobek, Donna
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-11751760-B2
Publication Date
2023-09-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
An extra-oral dental imaging apparatus for obtaining an image from a patient has a radiation source; a first digital imaging sensor that provides, for each of a plurality of image pixels, at least a first digital value according to a count of received photons that exceed at least a first energy threshold; a mount that supports the radiation source and the first digital imaging sensor on opposite sides of the patient's head; a computer in signal communication with the digital imaging sensor for acquiring a first two-dimensional image from the first digital imaging sensor; and a second digital imaging sensor that is alternately switched into place by the mount and that provides image data according to received radiation.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an extra oral dental imaging apparatus for obtaining an image from a patient using an ionizing-radiation radiation source and a digital imaging sensor that performs photon counting. For each image pixel, the sensor provides per-pixel energy-resolved count values based on photons that exceed specified energy thresholds, including a first lowest energy value, a second highest energy value, and an upper threshold greater than the second highest energy value threshold.
The apparatus includes a mount that supports the radiation source in a spaced relationship relative to the first digital imaging sensor with respect to an imaging area, and a computer in signal communication with the digital imaging sensor to acquire one or more two-dimensional images. A controller electrically coupled to the radiation source, the digital imaging sensor, the mount, and the computer operates the apparatus in at least one imaging mode.
Image reconstruction is performed using only the first lowest energy value and the second highest energy value for the plurality of image pixels, enabling the formation of an image based on selected lower- and higher-energy photon-count values. The described system supports multiple imaging modes, including panoramic and cephalometric, and can be implemented with shared sensor usage across modes.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim set includes 1 independent claim (clm-00001). It centers on an extra oral dental imaging apparatus that performs per-pixel photon-counting at multiple energy thresholds and reconstructs an image using only selected threshold-defined energy count values.
Energy-threshold photon-counting per pixel with first lowest and second highest energy values
A digital imaging sensor provides, for each of a plurality of image pixels, a first lowest energy value according to a count of received photons of ionizing radiation energy that both exceed a first lowest energy value threshold and are less than an upper threshold, and a second highest energy value according to a count of photons of ionizing radiation energy that both exceed a second highest energy value threshold and are less than the upper threshold.
Reconstruction using only selected energy values for image pixels
An image is reconstructed using only the first lowest energy value and the second highest energy value for the plurality of image pixels.
Extra oral dental imaging apparatus architecture with mount, computer, and controller
An apparatus comprising a radiation source, a mount that supports the radiation source in a spaced relationship relative to the first digital imaging sensor with respect to an imaging area, a computer in signal communication with the digital imaging sensor for acquiring one or more two-dimensional images, and a controller configured to operate the extra oral dental imaging apparatus in at least one imaging mode.
Overall, the claim coverage requires an extra oral dental imaging apparatus with a photon-counting digital imaging sensor that outputs per-pixel count values defined by first lowest and second highest energy thresholds, below an upper threshold, and an image reconstruction that uses only those two threshold-defined energy values.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
Interested in licensing this patent?