Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Rolf Karl Otto Behling

Christoph Helmut Bathe

Wolfgang Chrost

Roland Proksa

Ewald Roessl

Gereon Vogtmeier

Lester Donald Miller

Thorben Repenning

Tobias Schlenk

Michael Lübcke

Thomas Koehler

Roger Steadman Booker

Werner Hufenbach

Rainer Pietig

Franz Pfeiffer

Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Jacobs

Carolina Ribbing

Stefan Hauttmann

Onno Jan Wimmers

Klaus Jürgen Engel

Astrid Lewalter

Petrus Johannes Withagen

Albert Langkamp

Anand Kumar Dokania

Marcus Walter Foellmer

Michael Luebcke

Dionys Van De Ven

Steffen Holzapfel

Thomas Behnisch

Heiko Richter

Alexander Eitel

Peter Benjamin THeodor Noel

Van-Minh Duong

Krishna Swamy

Nirmal Soni

An X-ray source () for generating X-ray radiation of first and second energy spectra is proposed, wherein the X-ray intensity imbalance between the first and second energy spectra is reduced as compared to conventional X-ray sources. The reduction of the X-ray intensity imbalance is achieved by configuring a smaller electron impact angle () onto the anode () when the higher tube voltage is applied as compared to when the lower tube voltage is applied.

Balancing X-ray output for dual energy X-ray imaging systems

The present invention relates to a radiation detector () comprising: i) a substrate (); ii) a sensor, which is coupled to the substrate, the sensor comprising a first array () of sensor pixels, a second array () of signal read-out elements, and an electronic circuitry which is configured to provide image data based on signals received from the signal read-out elements; iii) a transducer, which is coupled to the substrate and to the sensor, the transducer comprising a third array () of subpixels, wherein at least two subpixels are assigned to one sensor pixel; wherein the second array of signal read-out elements and the third array of subpixels correspond to each other; wherein each of the subpixels comprises a radiation conversion material.

Multi-piece mono-layer radiation detector

The rotatable anode of a rotating anode X-ray source has demanding requirements placed upon it. For example, it may rotate at a frequency as high as 200 Hz. X-ray emission is stimulated by applying a large voltage to the cathode, causing electrons to collide with the focal track. The focal spot generated at the electron impact position may have a peak temperature between 2000&#xb0; C. and 3000&#xb0; C. The constant rotation of the rotating anode protects the focal track to some extent, however the average temperature of the focal track immediately following a CT acquisition protocol may still be around 1500&#xb0; C. Therefore, demanding requirements are placed upon the design of the rotating anode. The present application proposes a multi-layer coating for the target region of a rotating X-ray anode which improves mechanical resilience and thermal resilience, whilst reducing the amount of expensive refractory metals required.

Rotary anode for an X-ray source

The invention proposes an insulator within an X-ray tube having a vacuum side and an ambient side and a feedthrough substantially coinciding with an axis of symmetry at the vacuum side and an axis of symmetry at the ambient side. The axis of symmetry at the vacuum side and the axis of symmetry at the ambient side have an angle of at least 5&#xb0;, preferably 90&#xb0;, with respect to each other. An X-ray source comprising such an insulator is presented as well and the present invention also extends to a medical imaging apparatus for generating X-ray images of a patient thereby using an X-ray source with such an insulator. In an embodiment, an X-ray source is provided wherein the insulator is plugged to an electrical connector at the ambient surface.

X-ray tube insulator

At least one power supply produces a voltage between a cathode and an anode. The cathode and anode are operable such that electrons emitted from the cathode interact with the anode with energies corresponding to the voltage. The electrons interact with the anode at a focal spot to generate X-rays. The power supply provides the cathode with a cathode current. An electron detector is positioned relative to the anode, and a backscatter electron signal is measured from the anode. The measured backscatter electron signal is provided to a processing unit, which determines a cathode current correction and/or a correction to the voltage between the cathode and the anode using the measured backscatter electron signal and a correlation between anode surface roughness and backscatter electron emission.

Apparatus and system configured to correct a cathode current and a voltage between a cathode and an anode for generating X-rays

An X-ray source () for generating X-rays () is provided. The X-ray source () comprises an emitter arrangement () for generating electrons or for generating X-rays, at least one feedthrough () for supplying electrical power to the emitter arrangement (), and an insulator () configured for isolating an electrical potential of the at least one feedthrough () from a ground potential. Therein, the at least one feedthrough () extends at least partly through the insulator (), and at least a part of the insulator () is in thermal contact with at least a part of the emitter arrangement (). Further, the insulator () comprises at least one cooling channel () formed completely in an interior volume () of the insulator () and configured to dissipate heat from the emitter arrangement (), wherein a distance () between an outer surface () of the insulator () and the cooling channel () is at least as large as half of a thickness () of the cooling channel ().

X-ray source and method for manufacturing an X-ray source

The present invention relates to an apparatus for generating X-rays. It is described to produce () with a power supply () at least two voltages between at least one cathode () and an anode (), wherein the at least two voltages comprises a first voltage and a second voltage. The at least one cathode is positioned relative to the anode. Electrons are emitted () from the at least one cathode. Electrons emitted from the at least one cathode are interacted () with the anode with energies corresponding to the at least two voltages. X-rays are generated () from the anode, wherein the electrons interact with the anode to generate the X-rays. First X-rays are generated when the power supply produces the first voltage and second X-rays are generated when the power supply produces the second voltage. The power supply is controlled (), such that a ratio between the first X-rays and the second X-rays is controllable.

Apparatus for generating X-rays

The present invention relates to an apparatus () for imaging an object. It is described to position () an X-ray detector relative to at least one X-ray source such that at least a part of a region between the at least one X-ray source and the X-ray detector is an examination region for accommodating an object. In a first mode of operation, with the at least one X-ray source a first focal spot is produced (), such that at least some first X-rays produced at the first focal spot pass through a first grating of an interferometer arrangement, the first grating positioned at a first position, and such that the at least some first X-rays pass through a second grating of the interferometer arrangement, the second grating positioned at a second position. In the first mode of operation, the at least some first X-rays are detected () with the X-ray detector at a detector position. In a second mode of operation, with the at least one X-ray source a second focal spot is produced (), such that at least some second X-rays produced at the second focal spot avoid the first grating at the first position. In the second mode of operation, the at least some second X-rays are detected () with the X-ray detector at the detector position.

Apparatus for x-ray imaging an object

The present invention relates to an apparatus for determining an effective energy spectrum of an X-ray tube. It is described to provide () a temporally varying acceleration voltage of an X-ray tube for a time period. A temporally varying X-ray tube current is also provided () for the time period. At least one product of the temporally varying X-ray tube current and a time interval is determined (). An effective energy spectrum of the X-ray tube processing the X-ray tube is determined () as a function of the at least one product of the temporally varying X-ray tube current and the time interval and as a function of the voltage of the X-ray tube.

Apparatus for determining an effective energy spectrum of an X-ray tube

The present invention relates to a device () and a method () for determining a status of an X-ray tube () of an X-ray system (). Due to ageing and/or wear of the X-ray tube, the spectrum of the X-ray radiation () provided by the X-ray tube may change over the operation time of the X-ray tube. The present invention therefore suggests evaluating spectrally different values detected with an X-ray detector arrangement () of the X-ray system. A reference data set representing a reference condition of the X-ray tube by a plurality of spectrally different reference-values () and a working data set representing an aged condition of the X-ray tube by a plurality of spectrally different working-values () of detected X-ray radiation are used to determine an equivalent filtration function for an filtration material influencing a source X-ray radiation () emitted by an anode () of the X-ray tube. Accordingly, the filtration function provides the information about the material being used for the filtration and/or its length, which may provide the basis to determine the condition and thus the status of the X-ray tube.

Determining a status of an X-ray tube of an X-ray system

The invention relates to a source-detector arrangement () of an X-ray apparatus () for grating based phase contrast computed tomography. The source-detector arrangement comprises an X-ray source () adapted for rotational movement around a rotation axis (R) relative to an object () and adapted for emittance of an X-ray beam of coherent or quasi-coherent radiation in a line pattern (); and an X-ray detection system () including a first grating element () and a second grating element () and a detector element (); wherein the line pattern of the radiation and a grating direction of the grating elements are arranged orthogonal to the rotation axis; and wherein the first grating element has a first grating pitch varied dependent on a cone angle (&#x3b2;) of the X-ray beam and/or the second grating element has a second grating pitch varied dependent on the cone angle of the X-ray beam.

Source-detector arrangement

The invention relates to a modification arrangement for an X-ray generating device, a modification method, a computer program element for controlling such device and a computer readable medium having stored such computer program element. The modification arrangement comprises a cathode, an anode () and modification means, e.g. a modification device. The cathode is configured to provide an electron beam (). The anode () is configured to rotate under impact of the electron beam () and is segmented by slits () arranged around the anode's circumference. The modification means are configured to modify the electron beam () when the electron beam () is hitting one of the anode's rotating slits ().

Modification arrangement for an X-ray generating device

An X-ray emitting device () with an attenuating element () for an X-ray imaging device () is proposed. The attenuating element comprises a perforated sheet () of strongly X-ray absorbing material such as e.g. tungsten or molybdenum with a sheet thickness of e.g. less than 1 mm. The sheet () comprises multiple pinhole openings (). Therein, a density of pinhole openings is higher at a center region of the sheet than at border regions of the sheet. Accordingly, a transparency to X-rays is higher at the center region than at the border regions. The pinhole openings () have geometries such that most parts of contours of the pinhole openings are non-parallel to edges of a focal spot () of an X-ray source () comprised in the X-ray emitting device. For example, the pinhole openings may have a circular, oval or any other cross-sectional geometry with non-linear edges. In an X-ray imaging device, such attenuating element may avoid beam hardening, needs less space than a conventional bow tie filter and is relatively insensitive to focal spot shifts.

X-ray emitting device with an attenuating element for an X-ray imaging apparatus

In order to provide an increased, i.e. faster, periodic modulation of X-ray intensity, an anode disk () for a rotating anode in an X-ray tube includes a circumferential target area () with a target surface area (), a focal track center line (), and a beam-dump surface area (). The target surface area when hit by an electron beam generates X-rays. The beam-dump surface area when hit by an electron beam generates no useful X-rays Target portions and beam-dump portions are arranged alternatingly along the focal track center line. A focal spot is centered on the focal track center line. Structures on both sides of the focal track center line are arranged such that same radiation intensities are provided by the both sides when being hit by a homogenous electron beam.

Periodic modulation of the X-ray intensity

A multiple X-ray beam X-ray source includes an anode structure and a cathode structure. The anode structure includes a plurality of liquid metal jets providing a plurality of focal lines. The cathode structure provides an electron beam structure that provides a sub e-beam to each liquid metal jet. The liquid metal jets are each hit by the sub e-beam along an electron-impinging portion of the jet circumferential surface that is smaller than half of the circumference of a cross-section of the liquid metal jet.

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Norderstedt, Germany

Rolf Karl Otto Behling