The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 28, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 26, 1997
Kenneth L Freeman, Stow, OH (US);
John J Barni, Mayfield Village, OH (US);
David W Hoffmeyer, Concord, OH (US);
Donald E Negrelli, Gates Mills, OH (US);
Kim S Luckner, Mentor, OH (US);
Joseph S Deucher, Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Picker International, Inc., Highland Heights, OH (US);
Abstract
A gantry (A) has a bore defining a first patient examination region (12). A first x-ray source (B) is mounted to a frame (C) for rotation around the examination region (12). An arc of first radiation detectors (14) detects x-rays which have traversed the examination region. A first image reconstruction processor (18) reconstructs a tomographic image representation from signals generated by the first radiation detectors. An angiographic device (D) is positioned remote from the gantry along a longitudinal axis (25) for generating and displaying angiographic image representations on a display monitor (46). A second examination region is defined along the longitudinal axis (25) between a second x-ray source (36) and an image intensifier tube (38). A second processor (44) reconstructs the angiographic projection image representations from signals generated by the image intensifier tube (38). A C-arm (30) can be suspended from an overhead track (50) for supporting the second x-ray source (36) and the image intensifier tube (38). A common patient support (24-28) extends along the longitudinal axis between the gantry and the angiographic device for positioning a patient within the first and second examination regions. The patient support includes a slide mechanism (60-64) which permits the patient support to be retracted from the gantry. The processors (18, 44) can be a incorporated into a single controller (E) which fuses or combines an image generated by the angiographic imaging subsystem with an image generated by the tomographic imaging subsystem.