Picker International, Inc.

Kim S Luckner

Joseph S Deucher

Donald E Negrelli

Kenneth L Freeman

John J Barni

David W Hoffmeyer

A gantry (A) has a bore defining a first patient examination region (12). A first x-ray source (B) is mounted to a frame (C) for rotation around the examination region (12). An arc of first radiation detectors (14) detects x-rays which have traversed the examination region. A first image reconstruction processor (18) reconstructs a tomographic image representation from signals generated by the first radiation detectors. An angiographic device (D) is positioned remote from the gantry along a longitudinal axis (25) for generating and displaying angiographic image representations on a display monitor (46). A second examination region is defined along the longitudinal axis (25) between a second x-ray source (36) and an image intensifier tube (38). A second processor (44) reconstructs the angiographic projection image representations from signals generated by the image intensifier tube (38). A C-arm (30) can be suspended from an overhead track (50) for supporting the second x-ray source (36) and the image intensifier tube (38). A common patient support (24-28) extends along the longitudinal axis between the gantry and the angiographic device for positioning a patient within the first and second examination regions. The patient support includes a slide mechanism (60-64) which permits the patient support to be retracted from the gantry. The processors (18, 44) can be a incorporated into a single controller (E) which fuses or combines an image generated by the angiographic imaging subsystem with an image generated by the tomographic imaging subsystem.

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Mentor, OH, United States of America

Kim S Luckner