Method and apparatus for advanced X-ray imaging systems
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8774351-B2
Publication Date
2014-07-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for X-ray imaging a human patient. A vacuum bell bonded to an X-ray radiation-permeable window that can emit X-ray radiation from a plurality of spots located 1 cm from its edge, a collimator, and a detector are used. A ring of stationary X-ray sources can also be used with a stationary collimator and a rotating slot collimator and detector. An X-ray beam can be aligned in an X-ray system by establishing a position of the beam with respect to a moving collimator at a number of points in time, monitoring the velocity of the collimator, navigating the beam to a calculated position of a hole in the collimator, and correcting the alignment of the beam based on the location of the beam on the detector.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an X-ray imaging system for imaging a human patient that creates a vacuum envelope in an X-ray source using a vacuum bell and includes an X-ray radiation-permeable window configured to emit X-ray radiation from a plurality of spots located 1 cm from an edge of the window. The system further includes a bonded connection between the window and the vacuum bell, and a collimator located between the X-ray source and the human patient for projecting the X-ray radiation through the human patient. An X-ray detector measures the amount of X-ray radiation passing through the human patient and striking the detector.
The system uses a second vacuum bell in contact with the vacuum bell to create a second vacuum envelope in a second X-ray source, and includes a second X-ray radiation-permeable window configured to emit X-ray radiation from a second plurality of spots located 1 cm from a second edge of the second window. A second bonded connection is provided between the second window and the second vacuum bell. The document describes an advanced inverse-geometry X-ray/CT imaging architecture using this configuration with multi-spot emission from defined window edge distances.
The invention also includes a computed tomography X-ray imaging system in which a plurality of stationary X-ray sources form a ring for producing X-ray radiation, together with a stationary collimator located between the stationary X-ray sources and the human patient and a rotating collimator located between the stationary X-ray sources and the human patient with a plurality of slots. A rotating X-ray detector positioned within the ring measures the amount of X-ray radiation passing through the human patient and striking the detector. The document further describes aligning an X-ray beam by establishing the position of the X-ray beam with respect to a moving collimator at a plurality of time points, monitoring velocity of the collimator, navigating the beam to a calculated position of a hole in the collimator, and correcting alignment based on location of the X-ray beam on the detector.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides three independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive focus is on (i) multi-spot X-ray emission through bonded radiation-permeable windows with vacuum bells, (ii) a CT geometry with stationary ring sources and a stationary-plus-rotating slot collimator and rotating detector, and (iii) beam alignment to a calculated hole position in a moving collimator with monitoring, navigation, and detector-based correction.
Bonded vacuum-bell multi-spot radiation-permeable window system
An X-ray imaging system for imaging a human patient comprising a vacuum bell for creating a vacuum envelope in an X-ray source; an X-ray radiation-permeable window configured to emit X-ray radiation from a plurality of spots located 1 cm from an edge of said window; and a bonded connection between said window and said vacuum bell.
Ring CT with stationary sources and rotating detector using stationary and rotating slot collimators
A computed tomography X-ray imaging system for imaging a human patient comprising a plurality of stationary X-ray sources forming a ring for producing X-ray radiation; a rotating X-ray detector positioned within said ring for measuring amount of said X-ray radiation passing through said human patient and striking said detector; a stationary collimator located between said plurality of X-ray sources and said human patient; and a rotating collimator located between said plurality of X-ray sources and said human patient with a plurality of slots.
Moving-collimator beam alignment via navigation to calculated hole position
A method of aligning an X-ray beam in an X-ray imaging system comprising establishing a position of said X-ray beam with respect to a moving collimator at a plurality of time points; monitoring velocity of said collimator; navigating said X-ray beam to a calculated position of a hole in said collimator; and correcting alignment of said X-ray beam based on location of said X-ray beam on said detector.
Taken together, the claims cover (1) an inverse-geometry-capable X-ray imaging system using bonded vacuum-bell multi-spot radiation-permeable windows, (2) a CT architecture with stationary ring-arranged sources, a rotating detector, and stationary and rotating slot collimators, and (3) a beam alignment method that uses time-sampled beam position relative to a moving collimator, collimator velocity monitoring, navigation to a calculated hole position, and detector-location-based correction.
Stated Advantages
Reduced scatter, enabling omission of anti-scatter grids.
Photon-counting detector benefits.
Adaptive exposure and dose modulation.
Iterative reconstruction.
Reported dose-efficiency/dose-savings targets, including dose savings of about 4-fold and patient-study dose-savings of up to about 5-fold, with additional savings using adaptive exposure.
Documented Applications
Inverse-geometry X-ray/CT imaging architecture for imaging a human patient.
Computed tomography X-ray imaging of a human patient.
Alignment of an X-ray beam in an X-ray imaging system by navigating the beam to a calculated position of a hole in a moving collimator.
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