Adaptix Limited

Steve Wells

Gil Travish

Mark Evans

Martin Holden

Kristin Schmiedehausen

Wes McKean

Ian Mitchell

Wes Mckean

Alignment of tomosynthesis systems requires operator skill, particularly where regions of interest are internal structures with limited surface features. Reconstruction of an entire 3D tomosynthesis image may require seconds to minutes, and it can take this long before operators realize that subsequent scans are required. In this time, the patient may have moved and a second scan could also potentially miss the region of interest, requiring a third scan, etc. Multiple exposures are time-consuming and increase patient radiation dose. A digital x-ray tomosynthesis system comprises a static array of x-ray emitters and an x-ray detector and involves selecting a sub-set of x-ray emitters so no x-ray detector part is exposed to x-rays from more than nine of the sub-set and generating a composite image from non-overlapping portions of each respective image produced on the x-ray detector. A two-dimensional image of a subject may be produced using minimal radiation dose.

X-ray digital tomosynthesis system and method

The present invention seeks to reduce the burden of producing high-resolution tomograms by using an initial scan on a predetermined gridto obtain a minimal set of images, and then regions of interestare identified for further scanning. The further scanning locationsare determined by image entropy or gradient found in the previous iteration; such regions are indicative of edges, cracks or complex structure within the region. After each iteration, the level of information (e.g. image entropy or gradient) will decrease relative to the pixel/voxel size. In this way, a more efficient way to scan is achieved.

Apparatus and method of producing a tomogram

To obtain functional informationenergising a first set of x-ray emitters of the panel over a first period of time and directing the x-rays at the first object; using the detector to detect the x-raysafter passing through the first object; processing the detected x-rays to create a first set of images to obtain tomosynthesis data; energising a second set of x-ray emitters of the panel over a second period of time and directing the x-rays at the first object; using the detector to detect the x-rays after passing through the first object; processing the detected x-rays to create a second set of images to obtain tomosynthesis data, wherein the number of emitters used in the second period of time is less than used in the first period of time; and comparing at least some images from each set of images to provide functional information.

Method of obtaining x-ray images

An x-ray imaging device () comprising at least two substantially planar panels (), each panel comprising a plurality of x-ray emitters housed in a vacuum enclosure, wherein the at least two panels each have a central panel axis () and are arranged such that their central panel axes are non-parallel to one another, the device further comprising a panel retaining means and arranged such that the panel retaining means retains the at least two panels stationary in relation to an object during x-raying of the object.

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Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Steve Wells