Adaptix Limited

Begbroke Science Park, Cie

Gil Travish

Mark Evans

Martin Holden

Raphael Hauser

Paul Betteridge

Steve Wells

Abdul Sami Mughal

Robert Stevens

Kristin Schmiedehausen

Sami Mughal

Wes McKean

Kishan Patel

Kristen Schmiedehausen

Maria Klodt

Ian Mitchell

Wes Mckean

An x-ray imaging apparatus comprises a panel including individually energisable x-ray emitters, a detector and a processor, wherein the emitters and detector remain relatively stationary. The first set of x-ray emitters of the panel is energised to direct x-rays at the first object and surrounding area. The detector detects x-rays passing through the first object and surrounding area. Detected x-rays are processed to create a first x-ray image of the first object and surrounding area. A region of interest is selected from the first image which is smaller than the image of the first object and surrounding area. A second set of x-ray emitters of the panel is energised to direct x-rays at the region of interest. The detector detects x-rays passing through the region of interest. Detected x-rays are processed to create images of the region of interest to obtain tomosynthesis data showing structure of the region of interest.

Method of obtaining x-ray images

The present invention seeks to reduce the burden of producing high-resolution tomograms by using an initial scan on a predetermined gridto obtain a minimal set of images, and then regions of interestare identified for further scanning. The further scanning locationsare determined by image entropy or gradient found in the previous iteration; such regions are indicative of edges, cracks or complex structure within the region. After each iteration, the level of information (e.g. image entropy or gradient) will decrease relative to the pixel/voxel size. In this way, a more efficient way to scan is achieved.

Apparatus and method of producing a tomogram

An x-ray imaging device () comprising at least two substantially planar panels (), each panel comprising a plurality of x-ray emitters housed in a vacuum enclosure, wherein the at least two panels each have a central panel axis () and are arranged such that their central panel axes are non-parallel to one another, the device further comprising a panel retaining means and arranged such that the panel retaining means retains the at least two panels stationary in relation to an object during x-raying of the object.

X-ray imaging device

A portable x-ray imaging source () capable of motion-free x-ray tomosynthesis, wherein said source is suitable for dental and small body-part/small area imaging.

X-ray source

To achieve high quality x-ray imaging, it is important to be able to control the production of x-rays in an x-ray generator. This is achieved by an x-ray generator comprising an array of electron field emitters for producing paths of electrons, target material comprising x-ray photon producing material configured to emit x-ray photons in response to the incidence of produced electrons upon it, an array of magnetic-field generators for affecting the paths of the produced electrons from the array of electron field emitters such that one or more paths are divertable away from the x-ray photon producing material so as to reduce the production of x-ray photons by the said one or more paths of electrons, the generator further comprising a sensing circuit arranged to measure the amount of electrical charge emitted by one or more electron emitter, and a controller for controlling the array of magnetic-field generators in response to the amount of electrical charge measured.

X-ray generator

The individual emitters are operated in multiple groups each illuminating a region of interest between the emitter array and the detector array such that the cone of radiation rays projected on the detector array from any single emitter in any one such group is substantially spatially separated from the corresponding projected cones from all other emitters in that same group. At least the ROI portion of the 3D space between the emitter panel and the detector panel is represented by 3D volume elements (voxels), wherein at least some of those voxels represent respective portions of that space that are traversed by corresponding portions of a plurality of radiation rays each extending from a respective emitter to a respective detector and are associated with respective absorption coefficients representative of the radiation absorption characteristic of a corresponding portion of the ROI. The image reconstruction process is an iterative process in which neighboring voxels having similar calculated coefficients are combined into larger voxels, neighboring voxels having dissimilar calculated coefficients are divided into smaller voxels, and new absorption coefficients are calculated.

Medical imaging system with a fixed array of x-ray detectors and a fixed array of x-ray emitters for producing a digital 3-dimensional image

The disclosed system includes an emitter array for generating x-rays, a detector array for sensing a flux of x-rays transmitted through a region of interest; apparatus for holding, moving and aligning the emitter array relative to the region of interest and the detector array; electronic means for controlling the emitters and for reading and analyzing the output from the detectors and converting it to image data, and a display for displaying and manipulating the image data. The individual emitters are operated in multiple groups each illuminating a region of interest between the emitter array and the detector array such that the cone of radiation rays projected on the detector array from any single emitter in any one such group is substantially spatially separated from the corresponding projected cones from all other emitters in that same group.

Medical imaging system having an array of distributed X-ray generators

An x-ray imaging system and method for reconstructing three-dimensional images of a region of interest from spatially and temporally overlapping x-rays using novel reconstruction techniques are provided. The x-ray imaging system may include a detector to generate a signal in response to x-rays incident upon the detector, wherein the signal indicates the intensity of the x-rays incident upon a pixel of the detector, a plurality of x-ray sources arranged to emit x-rays such that said x-rays pass through a region of interest (ROI) and spatially and temporally overlap at the pixel of the detector, and a processing unit to receive the signal indicating the intensity of x-rays incident upon the pixel of the detector and generate an estimate of the intensity attributable to each of the two or more x-rays overlapping at the pixel of the detector.

Method and system for reconstructing 3-dimensional images from spatially and temporally overlapping x-rays

A method of designing an x-ray emitter panelincluding the step of determining a pitch scale, r, to be used in placing x-ray emitter elementson the panel, thereby arriving at a specific design of x-ray emitter panelsuitable for a specific use.

Method of designing an X-ray emitter panel

An x-ray collimator that may include a substrate containing a plurality of holes, each hole being frustoconical at one end and tubular at the other end for use in an x-ray imaging system, whereby the x-ray collimator may be aligned with a two-dimensional array of x-ray sources and a two-dimensional x-ray sensor, and whereby x-ray photons from the x-ray sources may pass through the collimator holes and emerge as a beam of x-ray photons in a narrow angle cone which may pass through a subject being imaged, positioned between the output holes of the collimator and the x-ray sensor.

X-ray collimator

An x-ray generator may include a plurality of electron field emitters; a target material; a plurality of energizable solenoid coils; and an electronic power and timing circuit. The generator may provide electrical current to at least one individual solenoid coil to create a magnetic field to cause the path of electrons emitted from the emitter closest to the energized solenoid coil to be defocused and/or deflected before the electrons reach the target material. The target material may comprise a low atomic number material and a high atomic number material, the high atomic number material being arranged in a regular pattern, such that, in use, the electrons may be aimed at either the high or the low atomic number material.

Growing community of inventors

Oxford, United Kingdom

Gil Travish