Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation

The Johns Hopkins University

Toshihiro Rifu

Miwa Okumura

Kyojiro Nambu

Tomiya Sasaki

Michito Nakayama

Kazuhiro Katada

Machiko Ono

Takuya Sakaguchi

Satoru Nakanishi

Albert Clark Lardo

Takashi Ichihara

Masahiro Ozaki

Masahiko Yamazaki

Akira Adachi

Joao A C Lima

Richard T George

Kiyoshi Nagata

Souji Miyashita

An X-ray CT apparatus comprises a blood-flow information acquisition unit, a correction value calculating unit and a blood-flow image generating unit. The blood-flow information acquisition unit obtains information of a relative blood flow rate in the myocardium of the subject based on the CT image. The correction value calculating unit obtains a correction value based on the CT image in a concentration transition period defined to be a period from immediately after start of a continuous injection of a contrast medium into the subject until the contrast medium reaching the myocardium increases and is be in a state where it can be considered that the contrast medium is saturated at a constant value. The blood-flow image generating unit generates a blood flow value image in the myocardium by correcting the information of the relative blood flow rate with the correction value.

X-ray CT apparatus and myocardial perfusion image generating system

An X-ray diagnostic apparatus includes a bed, an X-ray generating unit, an X-ray detection unit, a support which movably supports the X-ray generating unit and the X-ray detection unit, an X-ray application switch which triggers generation of X-rays from the X-ray generating unit, an operation unit for moving the X-ray generating unit and the X-ray detection unit, an image generating unit which generates an image on the basis of an output from the X-ray detection unit, a display unit which is placed near the bed and displays the image, and a simulation image generating unit which generates a simulation image from stored data during a simulation period in accordance with operation of the X-ray application switch and operation of the operation unit.

X-ray diagnostic apparatus and X-ray diagnostic system

By providing an apparatus unit replacement assisting method, in which, upon receipt of a request from a first user to replace a first unit comprising part of an apparatus with a second unit, the second unit is offered to the first user at a price after the deduction of the trade-in price of the first unit, and maintenance is performed on the first unit taken from the first user for trade-in, so that the first unit in maintenance status is offered to a second user who wishes replacement with the first unit at a price lower than the price of the first unit when newly purchased, it is possible to reduce the cost incurred when replacing a unit in a CT apparatus or the like on the part of the user, such as a hospital, and facilitate the management of the production line of the apparatus and the dispatch of service persons on the part of the manufacturer while making a contribution to environmental improvement.

Apparatus unit replacement assisting method and system

Three-dimensionally reconstructed images are not ideal due to blur or smear that is caused by various sources in an X-ray CT scanner. In order to substantially minimize the blur in the three-dimensionally reconstructed image, a known PSF is weighed according to a combination of predetermined parameters. The parameters include two types of information. One group of the parameters is related to device characteristics of the scanner device while the other is related to the scanning conditions of a particular scan. The improvement is performed in any combination of the X, Y and Z directions. The improved PSF's are used to de-convolute the three-dimensionally reconstructed CT image. As a result, the blur and smear are substantially removed from the three-dimensionally reconstructed image data for good visualization as well as accurate physical measurements in the scanned image. The improved techniques according to the current invention are applicable to two-dimensional image data.

Image enhancement or correction software, method, apparatus and system for substantially minimizing blur in the scanned image

An X-ray computer tomography apparatus includes an X-ray tube, an X-ray detector, a data collection apparatus that collects X-ray signals from the X-ray detector repeatedly, a shutter mechanism that is arranged between the X-ray tube and a subject in order to convert an X-ray into a pulse-like X-ray and is constituted such that a ratio of a shutter open period and a shutter close period is variable, a restructuring unit that restructures image data on the basis of the collected X-ray signals, and a control unit that controls the shutter mechanism in order to change the ratio of a shutter open period and a shutter close period during a helical scan.

X-ray computer tomography apparatus

A radiation detector of this invention includes a scintillator for converting an X-ray incident from a surface side into light, at least one photodiode chip having a plurality of photodiodes for converting the converted light into electrical signals, at least one switching chip having a plurality of switching elements for reading out a plurality of signals from the plurality of photodiodes, and at least one data acquisition chip having a plurality of data acquisition systems for amplifying the plurality of readout signals and converting the signals into digital signals. The photodiode chip, the switching chip, and the data acquisition chip are commonly mounted on a rigid multilayer wiring board.

Radiation detector, radiation detecting system and X-ray CT apparatus

An X-ray apparatus including an X-ray source, a rotation mechanism which rotates the X-ray source about a rotational axis, and an X-ray detector having a plurality of detection elements. A blocking member defining a slit structure is provided between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector. The slits of the blocking member include two rows aligned in a channel direction of the detector elements, and two rows staggered in the channel direction, thereby to obtain a CT image with improved spatial resolution. Alternatively, instead of using a blocking member, some of the detection elements of at least one detection segment are staggered in the channel direction with respect to detection elements of another detection segment.

X-ray CT apparatus

In an X-ray computed tomography apparatus, an X-ray tube for generating an X-ray is opposed to a main X-ray detector in order to acquire a projection data set necessary to reconstruct a tomogram. A first sub X-ray detector is arranged at the righthand of the main X-ray detector. A second sub X-ray detector is arranged at the lefthand of the main X-ray detector. Arranging the sub X-ray detectors adjacent to the respective opposite sides of the main X-ray detector enables accurate detection of the shift of an X-ray radiation field, and hence enables the reduction of errors due to the shift.

X-ray computed tomography apparatus

A patient platform of a gantry assembly is inserted into a scanning space of a housing dome. Within the dome around the space is provided an array of X-ray detectors arranged circumferentially. An X-ray tube is rotatably disposed outside the array. When the subject on the patient platform is inserted into the space, the X-ray tube irradiates X-rays in a fan shape toward the object. The X-ray detector array performs a nutation movement during the rotation of the X-ray tube so that the X-ray detectors on the X-ray irradiation path which is closer to the X-ray tube is outside the X-ray irradiation path. In this way, the object is continuously scanned in a helical manner with X-rays. The output of the detector array is supplied to an interpolation circuit. The interpolation circuit performs pre-processing on the output of the X-ray detector array, thereby providing projection data. The interpolation circuit interpolates to calculate desired projection data for a predetermined slice having a given projection angle by processing projection data for two slices located on both sides of the predetermined slice having the given projection angle and by processing the distances between the two slices and the predetermined slice.

Computerized tomographic apparatus

A computed tomograph apparatus for obtaining tomograms of a subject under examination comprises a supporting table for supporting the subject, and on which a tomogram image pick-up area is defined. The apparatus further comprises an X-ray source for radiating X-rays onto the image pick-up area. X-rays emitted from the X-ray source proceed along a slice plane intersecting with the image pick-up area. A principal detector is provided within the slice plane, and detects X-rays transmitted linearly.

Computed tomograph apparatus

An X-ray computed tomography apparatus is disclosed which includes an X-ray source for irradiating an X-ray, a main detector section for detecting the X-ray passed through a subject and a scattering ray detector for detecting its scattered component. An X-ray shield member is detachably mounted between the X-ray source and the main detector section to shield the main X-ray. The apparatus thus manufactured evaluates a ratio between an amount of scattered component incident on the main detector section when the main X-ray is shielded from the X-ray shield member and an amount of scattered component which is detected by the scattering ray detector. With this ratio placed as K, an amount of X-ray, m, to be measured is found from

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Toshihiro Rifu