Agfa-gevaert Healthcare Gmbh

Agfa Healthcare Nv

Agfa-gevaert Ag

Agfa Nv

Georg Reiser

Ralph Thoma

Robert Fasbender

Andreas Bode

Marc Christian Weber

Stefan Stallmeister

Heike Minwegen

Martin Lind

Stephan Baunach

Christian Schulz

Rainer Nebosis

Herbert Gebele

Stephan Mair

Johannes Hölzl

Rupert Dedler

Johannes Hoelzl

Werner Nitsche

Juergen Mueller

Roland Reuter

Magath Niang

Michael Weinberger

Vladimir Zemanek

Bernhard Sang

Vladimír ZEMÁNEK

A radiation image capturing system includes a processing unit that determines at least three distances between at least one first distance sensor provided at a radiation generation unit and at least three second distance sensors provided at a detection unit based on one or more signals emitted by the first distance sensor, and that determines an orientation of the radiation generation unit and the detection unit relative to each other based on inclination information provided by a first sensor unit provided at the radiation generation unit and a second sensor unit provided at the detection unit. Alternatively, the processing unit determines distances between at least three first distance sensors provided at the radiation generation unit and at least three second distance sensors provided at the detection unit based on signals emitted by the at least three first distance sensors to determine an orientation of the radiation generation unit and the detection unit relative to each other.

Radiation image capturing system and method

The present invention relates to an apparatus and to a corresponding method for reading out X-ray information stored in a storage phosphor layer () comprising a light source () for generating a stimulation light beam () which can stimulate the storage phosphor layer () to emit emission light, and a deflection element () for deflecting the stimulation light beam () in such a way that the deflected stimulation light beam (') is moved over the storage phosphor layer (). In order to achieve the highest possible quality of the X-ray image obtained in the simplest and most cost-effective way possible, a drive device () is provided for driving the deflection element () by delivering drive energy to the deflection element () dependently upon a location of the deflected stimulation light beam (&#x2032;) and/or dependently upon a position, in particular an angular position, of the deflection element ().

Device and method for reading out X-ray information stored in a fluorescent storage layer

An apparatus () for erasing a storage phosphor layer () includes a drive () for producing a relative movement between the storage phosphor layer () and the radiation source (), the storage phosphor layer () lying or being moved in a holding plane (), and a reflector () for reflecting radiation. The reflector () is arranged and designed to reflect erasing radiation reflected by the storage phosphor layer () in the direction of the storage phosphor layer (). A width () of the reflector () in the direction () of the relative movement is at least ten times as great as a smallest distance () between the reflector () and the holding plane ().

Storage phosphor layer and system and method for erasing same

In a method for reading out information stored in a phosphor layer whereby the phosphor layer is stimulated into emitting emission light by stimulation light produced from a light source, the emission light emitted from one or several areas of the phosphor layer is collected by a detector moved relative to the phosphor layer, and then converted into corresponding emission light signals. In order to improve the signal/noise ratio, the light source is momentarily switched off at least once during the movement of the detector relative to the phosphor layer. When the light source is switched off, a background, which is caused by the ambient light and/or dark currents in the detector, is collected by the detector and converted into a corresponding background signal. The background signal is then used for correcting the emission light signals.

Method for reading out information stored in a phosphor layer

The invention relates to an imaging device for imaging a long object. The imaging device includes at least one vertical lens device which concentrates light from the long object in a vertical direction, and a plurality of lens elements which are arranged in the form of a matrix in at least one lens line behind the vertical lens device, the lens elements respectively concentrating light from the long object in a horizontal direction. In order to achieve optimum light intensity in a cost-effective manner, each lens element comprises at least one horizontal collecting layer which is transparent to the light from the long object and comprises a refractive index having a gradient in the horizontal direction.

Imaging device for imaging a long object

An apparatus () for erasing a storage phosphor layer () with a holding plane () in which the storage phosphor layer () lies or can be moved, a radiation source () for irradiating the storage phosphor layer () with erasing radiation which is suitable for erasing the storage phosphor layer (), and a reflector () for reflecting erasing radiation in the direction of the holding plane (). In order to increase the erasing efficiency, provision is made such that the reflector () is arranged and/or designed such that it reflects erasing radiation, which is reflected by the storage phosphor layer (), in the direction of the storage phosphor layer (), and the radiation source () is disposed on a base (), the base () being disposed closer to the holding plane () than at least part of the reflector ().

An apparatus () for erasing a storage phosphor layer () includes a radiation source () for producing and emitting erasing radiation, a drive () for producing a relative movement between the storage phosphor layer () and the radiation source (), the storage phosphor layer () lying or being moved in a holding plane (), and a reflector () for reflecting radiation. The reflector () is arranged and designed to reflect erasing radiation reflected by the storage phosphor layer () in the direction of the storage phosphor layer (). A further reflecting surface () is provided for reflecting erasing radiation which is positioned opposite the reflector (), as considered in a direction at right angles to the direction () of the relative movement.

The invention relates to an apparatus for capturing information contained in a phosphor layer, comprising an irradiation device () for irradiating the phosphor layer () with stimulation light () which is adapted to stimulate emission light () in the phosphor layer (), the irradiation device () including with the normal (L) on the phosphor () layer a first angle of inclination (&#x3b1;), and comprising a detection device () for capturing emission light () stimulated in the phosphor layer (), the detection device () including with the normal (L) on the phosphor layer () a second angle of inclination (&#x3b1;). To reduce losses of intensity and definition it is provided according to the invention that the first angle of inclination (&#x3b1;) of the irradiation device () and the second angle of inclination (&#x3b1;) of the detection device () are selected such that components of the stimulation light () reflected by the phosphor layer () and then by the detection device () impinge on zones () of the phosphor layer () in which emission light () has already been stimulated.

Apparatus for capturing information contained in a phosphor layer

Device for detecting information which is contained in a phosphor layer, with multiple individual radiation sources for emitting stimulation light incident upon the phosphor layer along a stimulation line and suitable for stimulating emission light in the phosphor layer, and a detector for detecting the emission light which is stimulated in the phosphor layer. To ensure the highest possible quality of the detected image, an elongated concave mirror is provided, for focusing the stimulation light emitted by the individual radiation sources onto the phosphor layer.

Device for detecting information contained in a phosphor layer

A device for acquiring information contained in a phosphor layer comprises a light source () for irradiating the phosphor layer () with excitation light () that is suitable for exciting emission light () in the phosphor layer (), a detector () for detecting the emission light () that has been excited in the phosphor layer (), and a filter device (), arranged between the phosphor layer () and the detector (), that is substantially transparent in a first wavelength range (W) of the emission light () and substantially non-transparent in a second wavelength range (W) of the excitation light (). To increase the reliability during the acquisition of the emission light, the filter device () is made substantially non-transparent in at least a third wavelength range (W) having longer wavelengths than the second wavelength range (W) of the excitation light ().

Device for acquiring information contained in a phosphor layer

The present invention reduces the influences of electromagnetic fields during reading out of image signals from memory phosphor films. This is done by pre-amplifying the detection signals obtained from a detection device, in particular a CCD array, before further processing, for example by an analog-to-digital converter. An amplification register for electron multiplying can be used for the amplification. In this way individual photon sensitivity can be achieved when reading out X-ray images.

Phosphor read-out device and phosphor read-out process

Device for detecting information which is contained in a phosphor layer, with a light source for emitting stimulation light incident upon the phosphor layer along a stimulation line is suitable for stimulating emission light in the phosphor layer, and a detector for detecting the emission light which is stimulated in the phosphor layer. To ensure the highest possible quality of the detected image, an elongated concave mirror is provided, for focusing the stimulation light emitted by the light source onto the phosphor layer. The light source is projected onto the phosphor layer at a scale of 1:M, where M takes a value between 0.5 and 2.

A device for acquiring information that is contained in a phosphor layer which includes a light source () for irradiating and exciting the phosphor layer () to produce emission light () containing the information, a detector () for acquiring the emission light () produced in the phosphor layer () and a filter device (), which is arranged between the phosphor layer () and the detector () and/or between the phosphor layer () and the light source (). To increase the reliability in the acquisition of the emission light (), the filter device () includes at least two filter elements structured as absorption filters and joined to each other.

An X-Ray cassette ( ) and a device ( ) for reading information stored in a memory layer ( ) are disclosed. This device ( ) contains a radiation source ( ) to excite a row ( ) of the memory layer ( ). The row ( ) emits an emission radiation ( ) because of this excitation. The device ( ) based on the invention contains a receptor ( ) to receive the emission radiation ( ). The receptor ( ) includes a number of light-sensitive surfaces ( ) that are arranged in adjacent rows. According to the invention, the dimension of the light-sensitive surfaces ( ) of the receptor ( ) arranged perpendicular to the orientation (A) of the rows ( ) is greater than that oriented along the row direction (B). Alternatively or additionally, the device can include an optical projector ( ) by means of which the emission radiation ( ) is projected onto the receptor ( ). The numerical aperture of the optical projector ( ) with respect to the excited row ( ) arranged perpendicular to the orientation (A) of the rows ( ) is larger than along direction (B).

Growing community of inventors

Munich, Germany

Georg Reiser