General Electric Company

Ge Precision Healthcare LLC

Ge Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC

Other

Sergio Lemaitre

Carey Shawn Rogers

Mark Alan Frontera

Yun Zou

John Scott Price

Kevin Shane Kruse

Uwe Wiedmann

Xi Zhang

Vasile Bogdan Neculaes

Vance Scott Robinson

Marshall Gordon Jones

Joseph Darryl Michael

Fulton Jose Lopez

Andrew Thomas Cross

Peter Andras Zavodszky

Ryan James Lemminger

Jizhong Chen

Steve Buresh

David Wagner

Antonio Caiafa

John Moore Boudry

Brian D Lounsberry

Edward Emaci

Richard Michael Roffers

Bruno Kristiaan Bernard De Man

Mark Ernest Vermilyea

Xiaoye Wu

Jean-Baptiste Thibault

Gregory Alan Steinlage

Jiahua Fan

Julin Wan

Naveen Stephan Chandra

Bruce Matthew Dunham

Jonathan Richard Schmidt

Judson Sloan Marte

Donald Robert Allen

Bradley Jay Gabrielse

Christopher David Unger

Kenneth Roger Conway

Michael John Utschig

Ron Kent Hockersmith

Floribertus Philippus Heukensfeldt Jansen

Louis Paul Inzinna

Dominique Poincloux

Thomas Dean Schaefer

Andrey Meshkov

Wayne Frederick Block

Ben David Poquette

Kalyan Koppisetty

J Scott Price

Adam Budde

Sergiy Zalyubovskiy

Anija M

Sergiy Zalyubovsky

Christian Bennett Fuller

Spencer Cutler

Peter Andras Zavodsky

Michael J Utschig

Cathode shield

Control electrode for an x-ray tube cathode

Various systems are provided for a cathode of an X-ray imaging system. In one example, a shield for a cathode comprises a cathode mask comprising a u-shaped central opening configured to receive a cathode cup, where a perimeter of the u-shaped central opening comprises a rolled over edge.

X-ray cathode shield

Various methods and systems are provided for an X-ray tube cathode focusing element. In one example, a focusing element is configured with a first side positioned adjacent to an electrode plate. An insulator having a first side is positioned adjacent the electrode plate and a second, opposite side adjacent to a cathode base. The focusing element has at least three filaments of different sizes positioned in respective channels of different widths, where each of the at least three filaments are coupled to two current feedthroughs, each current feedthrough configured with a leg extending through a central, hollow space of the focusing element, the electrode plate, the insulator, and the cathode base.

X-ray tube cathode focusing element

Methods and systems are provided for increasing a quality of computed tomography (CT) images generated by a CT system by altering a shape of a focal spot of an X-ray emitter of the CT system. In one embodiment, a method comprises controlling the CT system to focus a beam of electrons generated by a cathode of the CT system at a plurality of focal spots on a surface of an target of the CT system; generating a composite focal spot from the plurality of focal spots; and obtaining projection data of the CT system with the composite focal spot. For example, two focal spots may be combined to generate the composite focal spot. By combining focal spots to generate composite focal spots, a quality of a resulting view produced by the CT system may be increased.

Systems and methods for computed tomography

Various systems and methods are provided for a biased cathode assembly of an X-ray tube with improved thermal management and a method of manufacturing same. In one example, a cathode assembly of an X-ray tube comprises an emitter assembly including an emitter coupled to an emitter support structure, and an electrode assembly including an electrode stack and a plurality of bias electrodes. The emitter assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together. The electrode assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together, and the emitter assembly being coupled to the electrode assembly.

Biased cathode assembly of an X-ray tube with improved thermal management and a method of manufacturing same

Various methods and systems are provided for an X-ray tube cathode focusing element. In one example, a focusing element is configured with three electron emission filaments, an integrated edge focusing, and a bias voltage. The integrated edge focusing may include a continuous single architecture with rounded edges, and a voltage of the focusing element may be negatively biased relative to a voltage of the electron emission filaments.

Biased cathode assembly of an x-ray tube with improved thermal management and a method of manufacturing same

A system and method for calibrating an X-ray tube is provided in which the X-ray tube includes an electronic storage medium associated with the X-ray tube on which calibration information for the X-ray tube is stored. The calibration information includes operating parameters for the focusing elements of the X-ray tube for desired focal spots, tolerance limits for variations in the focal spots and a number of gradient coefficient values corresponding to certain modulation transfer functions (MTF) for the X-ray tube that the imaging system can employ in an iterative manner to correct the operating parameters of the focusing elements to achieve the desired focal spot. This automatic iterative process significantly reduces the time required for the calibration of the X-ray tube. The system and method also employs scan sequencing to minimize the heat generated enabling the scans to be completed in a shorter amount of time than prior calibration processes.

System and method for calibration of an X-ray tube

In the present invention, a pressure measurement device for determining the vacuum level within the evacuated housing of a vacuum electrode device is provided that includes an electrically conductive enclosure secured to an interior surface of the housing, an electrically conductive electrode extending through an aperture in the housing, the electrode having a tip at one end positioned within the interior of the housing inside the enclosure to define a gap between the tip and the enclosure and a conductive lead at a second end disposed outside of the housing, and a voltage source connected to the conductive lead to supply a voltage potential to the tip of the electrode. A voltage difference produced between the electrode and the enclosure ionizes gas within the enclosure causing a measurable current to flow between the electrode and the enclosure which can be used to determine the vacuum level in the housing.

Spark gap device and method of measurement of X-ray tube vacuum pressure

In the present invention, a computed tomography system, an X-ray tube used therein and a cathode assembly disposed in the X-ray tube, as well as an associated method of use, is provided that includes a gantry and the X-ray tube coupled to the gantry. The X-ray tube includes the cathode assembly having a pair of emitters for generating an electron beam, where the pair of emitters are disposed in the casing at angles with respect to one another. The X-ray tube further includes a focusing electrode for focusing the electron beam, an extraction electrode which electrostatically controls the intensity of the electron beam, a target for generating X-rays when impinged upon by the electron beam and a magnetic focusing assembly located between the cathode assembly and the target for focusing the electron beam towards the target.

Angled flat emitter for high power cathode with electrostatic emission control

Growing community of inventors

Whitefish Bay, WI, United States of America

Sergio Lemaitre