Alara, Inc.

Denoptix, Inc.

Joseph R Rimsa

Edward P Donlon

Louis Hlousek

Christopher R Mitchell

Gregory A Sprehn

Ezra Van Gelder

Gary R Cantu

Iain H Hueton

Daniel B Steinberg

A method and apparatus for forming and reading a radiation image of an object is provided. The method is performed by placing an object of which a radiation image is to be taken adjacent a platform that is positioned between a storage layer radiation screen and an electromagnetic wave radiation source such that radiation from the electromagnetic wave radiation source which traverses the object is absorbed by the storage layer radiation screen; forming a latent radiation image of the object on the storage layer radiation screen by causing the electromagnetic wave radiation source to emit radiation, a portion of the emitted radiation traversing the object and being absorbed by the storage layer radiation screen; and reading the latent radiation image of the object from the storage layer radiation screen.

Method and apparatus for osteoporosis screening

A system is provided for scanning an object, the system comprising: a drive shaft having a proximal portion and a longitudinal axis; a motor including a motor shaft having a rotational axis, the motor serving to rotate the motor shaft about the rotational axis; a flexible joint coupling the drive shaft to the motor shaft by the proximal portion of the drive shaft, the flexible joint having a range of motion which allows the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft to move relative to the rotational axis of the motor shaft; and an object attached to the drive shaft which is movable along the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft in response to the drive shaft being rotated by the motor. This system may be used in a drum scanner system and may be used to read storage layer radiation screens.

Scanning system with flexible drive assembly

A system is provided for reading an image stored on a storage layer radiation screen. The system includes a carousel for holding a storage layer radiation screen and a screen scanning system. The screen scanning system includes a carousel mount on which the carousel may be mounted and a rotation mechanism for rotating the carousel mount, rotation of the carousel mount serving to rotate the carousel about a rotational axis which, in turn, causes the screens held on the carousel to move in a circular path about the rotational axis. The carousel is preferably removable from the carousel mount. The screen scanning system also includes an image acquisition optical system positioned adjacent the circular path of the screen, the image acquisition optical system including an excitation system for focusing an excitation beam on a portion of the screen to cause a light emission, and an emission collecting system for collecting the light emitted from the screen. The screen scanning system may further include an optics driver for moving the image acquisition optical system in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the carousel. A method is provided for reading images stored on multiple storage layer radiation screens. The method includes attaching multiple storage layer radiation screens to a carousel, rotating the carousel about a rotational axis such that the screens move in a circular path about the rotational axis, focusing an excitation beam at a point on the circular path such that the portions of the screens passing the point on the circular path emit light, collecting the light emitted, and moving the point on the circular path on which the excitation beam is focused in a direction parallel to the rotational axis.

Rotating scanner system for reading multiple storage layer radiation

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Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Joseph R Rimsa