General Electric Company

Ge Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC

Ge Medical Global Technology Company, LLC

Bruce Matthew Dunham

John Scott Price

Colin Richard Wilson

Thomas L Toth

Jonathan Richard Schmidt

J Scott Price

Jiang Hsieh

Edward Henry Chao

David Michael Hoffman

Robert John Filkins

Sergio Lemaitre

Carey Shawn Rogers

Robert F Senzig

Brian Lee Lawrence

Abdelaziz Ikhlef

Jianying Li

Matthew Christian Nielsen

Clarence Lavere Gordon, Iii

Joseph Manak

Douglas J Snyder

Jason Stuart Katcha

Phil E Pearson, Jr

Fang Frank Dong

Steven Gerard Ross

Kelly Lynn Karau

Willi Walter Hampel

Tanvi Kachhy

A method for determining a change in a position of a support is described. The method includes determining the change in the position of the support used in an imaging system, where determining the change includes computing the position by operating a photodetector configured to detect laser energy that provides information regarding the position.

Systems and methods for determining a position of a support

A method and system for diagnosing an imaging system are provided. The method includes varying a system parameter of the imaging system. The method further includes obtaining a first data set at a first state of the varied system parameter and a second data set at a second state of the varied system parameter.

Method and system for diagnosing an imaging system

Methods and apparatus for an imaging system are provided. The imaging system includes a gantry having a stationary member coupled to a rotating member. The rotating member has an opened area proximate an axis about which the rotating member rotates. An x-ray source provided on the rotating member. An x-ray detector may be disposed on the rotating member and configured to receive x-rays from the x-ray source. A rotary transformer having circumferentially disposed primary and secondary windings may form part of a contactless power transfer system that rotates the rotatable portion of the gantry at very high speeds, the primary winding being disposed on the stationary member and the secondary winding being disposed on the rotating member.

Methods and apparatus for fast rotation speed scanners

A method includes performing an at least partially automated method to synchronize an x-ray source focal spot (FS) position to a FS deflection feedback signal.

X-ray source focal spot deflection methods and apparatus

A method for controlling focal spot size changes of an x-ray source in an imaging system includes measuring focal spot sizes as a function of a plurality of x-ray source operating parameters, determining a calibration table or transfer function utilizing the measured focal spot sizes as a function of the plurality of x-ray tube operating parameters, and utilizing the calibration table or transfer function to control focal spot size variations during operation of the imaging system.

Method and apparatus to control radiation tube focal spot size

A method for measuring an alignment of a detector is described. The method includes determining, by a processor, the alignment of the detector with respect to a collimated radiation beam. The determination of the alignment is based on a plurality of signals from a first cell of the detector and a second cell of the detector, and is independent of a shape of the collimated radiation beam.

Method and system for measuring an alignment of a detector

A system for generating a tunable X-ray pulse comprises a first electron beam source configured to direct a first electron pulse of predetermined energy and pulse length towards a first interaction zone, a laser beam source configured to direct a first photon pulse of predetermined energy and pulse length towards the first interaction zone to interact with the first electron pulse. The first interaction produces a substantially monochromatic second photon pulse of higher photon energy directed towards a second interaction zone, and a second electron beam source configured to direct a second electron pulse of predetermined energy and pulse length towards the second interaction zone so that the second interaction produces an X-ray pulse of predetermined energy and pulse length in a cascaded inverse Compton scattering (ICS) configuration.

System and method for X-ray generation by inverse compton scattering

An imaging system including is described. The imaging system includes a radiation source configured to generate a beam, a collimator configured to collimate the beam to generate a collimated beam, and a detector configured to detect the collimated beam. The collimator is one of a first collimator with a curved contour proportional to a contour of the detector, a second collimator with blades, where slopes of two oppositely-facing surfaces of at least one of the blades are different from each other, and a third collimator having at least two sets of plates, where the plates in a set pivot with respect to each other.

Systems and methods for reducing radiation dosage

A method for measuring focal spot shape of a radiation beam from a radiation source includes collimating the radiation beam using a collimator having a well-defined edge, measuring an intensity profile of the collimated radiation beam, determining a function of the measured intensity profile, and determining a metric of the of the focal spot using the determined function of the measured intensity profile.

Method and apparatus for measuring effective focal spot parameters of an X-ray source

An imaging tube () includes a cathode () that emits an electron beam () and an anode (). The anode () includes multiple target surfaces (). Each of the target surfaces () has a focal spot that receives the electron beam (). The target surfaces () generate multiple x-ray beams () in response to the electron beam (). Each x-ray beam () is associated with one of the target surfaces (). An x-ray imaging system () includes the cathode () and the anode (). A controller () is electrically coupled to the cathode () and adjusts emission of the electron beam () on the anode ().

Wide scanning x-ray source

An field emitter array system () includes a housing (). An emitter array () generates an electron beam and has multiple emitter elements () that are disposed within the housing (). Each of the emitter elements has multiple activation connections ().

Emitter array configurations for a stationary CT system

An electron emitter assembly and a method for generating an electron beam are provided. The electron emitter assembly includes a laser configured to emit a first light beam and a second light beam. The electron emitter assembly further includes a mirror configured to move to a first operational position to reflect the first light beam toward a first region of a photo-cathode. The mirror is further configured to move to a second operational position to reflect the second light beam toward a second region of the photo-cathode. The photo-cathode is configured to emit a first electron beam when the first light beam contacts the first region and to emit a second electron beam when the second light beam contacts the second region. The electron emitter assembly further includes an anode configured to receive the first and second electron beams from the photo-cathode.

Electron emitter assembly and method for generating electron beams

A sealed electron beam source () for an imaging tube () is provided. The beam source () includes a source housing () with a source window () having a first voltage potential and a source electrode () having a second voltage potential. The source electrode () generates electrons and emits the electrons through the source window () to a target () that is external to the source housing (). A method of supplying and directing electrons on the target () within the imaging tube () is also provided. The method includes forming the source housing () over the source electrode () and sealing the source housing (). The electrons are generated and emitted from the source electrode () and directed through the source window () to the target ().

Sealed electron beam source

An electron emitter assembly and a method for adjusting a size of electron beams are provided. The electron emitter assembly includes a laser configured to emit a first light beam. The electron emitter assembly further includes a lens assembly configured to receive the first light beam. The lens assembly is configured to adjust a size of the first light beam between a first predetermined size and a second predetermined size larger than the first predetermined size. The lens assembly emits the first light beam toward a photo-cathode. The photo-cathode is configured to emit a first electron beam having a third predetermined size when the first light beam having the first predetermined size contacts the photo-cathode. The photo-cathode is further configured to emit a second electron beam having a fourth predetermined size when the first light beam having the second predetermined size contacts the photo-cathode. The electron emitter assembly further includes an anode configured to receive the first and second electrons beams from the photo-cathode.

Electron emitter assembly and method for adjusting a size of electron beams

The present invention provides a method to detect tube spits and to reduce spit related artifacts in a computed tomography imaging system. A way of detecting tube spit is to monitor the generator kilovolt or milliamp waveforms. Changes in kV waveform follow closely with those in offset-corrected projection data. If a tube-spit event is not detected, processing proceeds without tube spit correction. If a tube-spit event is detected, a tube spit correction is performed. The objective of tube-spit correction is to remove image artifacts due to the occurrence of a tube-spit event.

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Mequon, WI, United States of America

Bruce Matthew Dunham