Xoran Technologies, Inc.

University of Michigan

Predrag Sukovic

Neal H Clinthorne

Miodrag Rakic

Joseph Webster Stayman

James A Bertolina

Nathaniel C Bair

William Van Kampen

Neal Clinthome

A motion tracker including a head band and laser devices that direct laser beams having non-concentric axes to a charge coupled device is used to determine movement of a patient during a CT scan. When the patient is motionless, the laser devices each direct a laser beam along a line, and the laser beams contact the charge coupled device at a contact location. If the patient moves, the laser devices, and therefore the contact locations, move. The charge coupled device detects the movement of the contact locations to determine the movement of the patient. A computer adjusts the x-ray image taken at the time of the movement to accommodate for this movement.

Motion tracker to detect and correct for movement of a patient in a CT scanner

An imaging system includes a source and a detector that can be quickly and easily moved out of the way after scanning. During scanning, the actual paths that the source and detector travel are tracked, such as by an associated surgical navigation system tracking system. The actual locations of the source and detector during each x-ray image are used in the image reconstruction algorithm. Since the actual locations are used in the algorithm, the locations do not have to be as precisely controlled. In one embodiment, the source and detector are mounted proximate outer ends of first and second c-arm sections. The first and second c-arm sections are extendable to form a complete c-arm and retractable to a collapsed position when not in use. In the disclosed embodiment, the c-arm sections are mounted to a base or carriage under the patient support surface (such as the surgical table).

Intraoperative collapsable CT imaging system

A CT scanner includes a pair of shields to protect an operator from x-rays from the CT scanner. The CT scanner has a gantry that provides structural support and housing for the components including an x-ray source and a detector arranged on the gantry to face one another. Lead shields are located on opposing sides of the x-ray source and extend between the x-ray source and the detector. The CT scanner further includes a computer located on an opposing side of the gantry from the x-ray source and the detector. The lead shields rotate with the gantry and prevent the x-ray from reaching the operator while the CT scanner is in operation.

Self-shielded CT scanner

A CT scanner is reconfigurable to multiple orientations and positions. The scanner includes a gantry on which the x-ray source and x-ray detector are mounted. The gantry is mounted on a support and is rotatable about a scan axis relative to the support. The support is movable and/or pivotable relative to a frame, such that the scan axis can be vertical or horizontal.

Reconfigurable computer tomography scanner

A surgical navigation system includes a CT scanner that takes a plurality of x-ray images of a patient. A patient tracker including locators is attached to the patient, and a registration appendage is removably secured to the patient tracker in a known position and orientation. The registration appendage includes radio-opaque markers arranged in a predetermined geometric pattern. The registration appendage is viewable in a CT scan in situations where the locators of the patient tracker are outside of a field of view of the CT scanner.

Surgical navigation system including patient tracker with removable registration appendage

A high spatial resolution X-ray computed tomography (CT) system is provided. The system includes a support structure including a gantry mounted to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation. The system further includes a first assembly including an X-ray source mounted on the gantry to rotate therewith for generating a cone X-ray beam and a second assembly including a planar X-ray detector mounted on the gantry to rotate therewith. The detector is spaced from the source on the gantry for enabling a human or other animal body part to be interposed therebetween so as to be scanned by the X-ray beam to obtain a complete CT scan and generating output data representative thereof. The output data is a two-dimensional electronic representation of an area of the detector on which an X-ray beam impinges. A data processor processes the output data to obtain an image of the body part.

High spatial resolution X-ray computed tomography (CT) method and system

A CT scanner system provides projection-like images of a patient volume. After a CT scan is obtained and a three-dimensional model of the patient is created, any synthetic view can be generated by choosing any array of projection lines, e.g. between a point and a surface (a flat plane, curved plane, spherical, etc) or between two surfaces (parallel or not) and summing across the projection lines. The synthetic projections can mimic certain traditional views, such as a ceph scan, Water's view, Caldwell's projection, etc or can provide a new view that is impossible or impractical with traditional x-ray equipment, such as a perfect parallel projection, or a projection that does not pass all the way through the patient.

CT system with synthetic view generation

A CT scanning system provides the ability to scan a patient's lower extremities while the patent is upright, i.e. either standing on the foot, or at least putting some load on the foot, or with the ankle at a given angle. The CT scanning system provides a generally horizontal upper support surface on which the patient's foot is supported. A gantry supporting an x-ray source and x-ray detector are rotated about a z-axis through the support surface. With the CT scanning system, the patient's lower extremities can be scanned while under load.

CT scanner for lower extremities

A CT scanner according to the present invention is particularly adapted for scanning the extremities of a patient. The CT scanner includes an x-ray source and x-ray detector mounted for rotation and translation along an axis parallel to a table for supporting the patient's extremity. The source and detector are mounted opposite one another on an inner circumference of an inner ring. The inner ring is rotatable about the axis within an outer ring mounted on at least one carriage. The carriage is movable parallel to the axis. During scanning, the inner ring rotates within the outer ring while the rings and carriage move along the axis, thereby producing a helical scan of the extremity.

CT extremity scanner

A CT scanner according to the present invention is particularly useful for scanning the spine and extremities, such as knees, and ankles, especially while the patient is in an upright position. The CT scanner generally includes a source and detector that are rotatable about a generally upright axis. The source and detector are also moved along the upright axis during rotation to perform a helical scan. The source and detector are mounted to an inner ring, which is rotatably mounted within an outer ring. The outer ring is fixedly mounted to a carriage that is movable along an upright rail.

Stand-up CT scanner

A surgical imaging system includes spaced-apart first and second x-ray sources mounted above a patient support surface. An x-ray detector mounted below the patient support surface generates first x-ray images based upon x-rays from the first x-ray source and second x-ray images based upon x-rays from the second x-ray source. These first and second x-ray images are used to generate a stereofluoroscopic image via a stereo display for a surgeon performing image-guided surgery. The stereofluoroscopic imaging system may be used in conjunction with robotic surgery. A surgical robot operatively controls a surgical tool in an area between the first x-ray source and the x-ray detector, and between the second x-ray source and the x-ray detector. The system may optionally include a first video camera mounted proximate the first x-ray source and a second video camera mounted proximate the second x-ray source. The stereo display selectively displays the first and second video images or the first and second x-ray image, and dissolves between the sources to correlate an outer view with the fluoroscopic view.

Intraoperative stereo imaging system

The CT scanning system of the present invention includes a source and detector mounted to a c-arm. The c-arm is positioned on a mounting plate and ball screw to rotate about an axis centered within the c-arm and to also translates along the axis of rotation. A computer controls the rotation of the CT scanner, the x-ray source, and collects the data from the detector to create an image. The CT scanner first takes a scout scan prior to the full acquisition of the data. The scout scan is a single two-dimension image. The CPU draws locating marks on the scout scan image to indicate the desired location. When proper alignment is verified, the processor then controls the motor to perform one complete revolution of the c-arm, during which time the computer collects multiple images from the detector.

CT scanner system and method for improved positioning

High spatial resolution X-ray computed tomography (CT) system

A method, processor and computed tomography (CT) machine for generating images utilizing high and low sensitivity data collected from a flat panel detector having an extended dynamic range. Hardware modifications for extending the dynamic range include grouping pixel rows and pixel columns into clusters of two. The sensitivity of the rows/columns is modified by positioning optical masks that have different transparencies for different rows/columns. Software modifications for extending the dynamic range include taking two correlated exposure scan measurements at each angle and combining the two data sets into one scan prior to image reconstruction. This method uses a spatially varying pixel exposure method where several adjacent pixels are clustered and each cluster has a different sensitivity. The signals of these clusters are combined to form one image effectively producing an increased dynamic range. The flat panel imager may be an a-Si:H based flat panel detector for use in X-ray imaging, including cone beam computer tomography (CBCT).

Method, processor and computed tomography (CT) machine for generating images utilizing high and low sensitivity data collected from a flat panel detector having an extended dynamic range

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Birmingham, MI, United States of America

Predrag Sukovic