Picker International, Inc.

Zhongmin Lin

Leonard F Plut

Jerome John Griesmer

Donald E Negrelli

Timothy J Crish

Virgil N Cooper, Iii

A penetrating radiation source (,) is disposed on one side of a object (,) which is on a object support (,). A flat panel radiation detector (,) is stationarily disposed on the opposite side of the object (,) than the source (,). A moving system (,) moves the source (,) with respect to the object (,). In each position (X,, Y,, Z,) of the source (,) a center ray of the x-ray beam strikes the detector (,) at a corresponding location (x,, y,, 0). For each position (X,, Y,, Z,) of the source (,), the image (x,, y,, 0) of an object located on a focal plane offsets by a vector displacement (D,) relative to a reference position (x,, y,, z,) of the image when the source is at (X,, Y,, Z,). A processor (,) shifts and interpolates each view by the different vector displacements corresponding to each of the focal planes (L,, L,, . . . ) and integrates the images to generate a series of slice image representations which are stored in a volume image memory (,). In this manner, by adjusting the view offset by an amount corresponding to each of the focal planes, (L,, L,, . . . ) the same data set is used to generate all of the slices of the resultant volume image.

2D and 3D tomographic X-ray imaging using flat panel detectors

An object (,) is positioned on an object support (,). A radiation source (,) projects a beam of radiation through a region of interest (,) of the object. A plurality of focal planes (F,, F,, . . . , F,) mark the center of selected slice images through the region of interest. A gantry (,) rotates the radiation source (,) around a circular trajectory (,) as an encoder (,) monitors a radius (r) of the trajectory and an angular position (&phgr;) of the radiation source (,) around the trajectory (,). A look-up table (,) is addressed with the selected focal plane(s) (F,, F,, . . . , F,) and (r, &phgr;) to generate a correction or shift value (S,, . . . , S,.) for each selected focal plane (F,, F,, . . . , F,). A flat panel detector (,) is read out a plurality of times to generate a plurality of electronic data views as the radiation source rotates. Each view is corrected with a corresponding correction or shift value and integrated in a summation circuit (,) with preceding views to generate an image representation of the slice(s) through the selected focal plane(s) (F,, F,, . . . , F,) or a 3D volume. The slice image or 3D volume image representation is converted into a human-readable display (,) substantially in real-time, e.g., each time a preselected number of views has been summed.

Real-time tomographic system with flat panel detectors

An object (22) is positioned on a patient support (25) between an x-ray source (10) and an x-ray detector assembly (15). The x-ray source (10) is selectively activated to transmit an x-ray beam (20) through an imaging region (32) to the x-ray detector assembly (15). Positioning of the object (22) on the patient support (25) is such that a gap 33 exists in the imaging region (32) through which x-rays may pass unattenuated. An x-ray equalization filter (30) is introduced into the gap 33 and substantially conforms to its shape. The equalization filter (30) comprises a fluid medium disposed in a flexible receptacle. The fluid medium contains x-ray attenuating material suspended in a gel base. Placement of the equalization filter (30) in the gap reduces the number of unattenuated x-rays reaching the x-ray detector assembly (15) thereby enhancing image quality.

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Twinsburg, OH, United States of America

Zhongmin Lin