Method and apparatus for imaging the head area of a patient

• US 20020041652A1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palodex Group Oy (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Instrumentarium Dental Incorporated (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Suuronen, Esa
• Granted Patent: US 6,614,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/63
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/08 Auxiliary means for directing the radiation beam to a particular spot, e.g. using light beams
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/501 for diagnosis of the head, e.g. neuroimaging or craniography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/04 and forming images of the material

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for imaging the head area of a patient by taking both cephalometric X-ray and photographic images of desired objects to be imaged. The method is conducted by using a mechanism (1) applicable to cephalometric X-ray imaging, which comprises an X-ray source (5) in front of an object, an X-ray receiving element behind the object, and patient positioning implements (8-10). The apparatus is further fitted with photographic instruments (13) for taking photographs from an object to be imaged. In the method, a patient is placed by means of the patient positioning implements (8-10) in a desired imaging position and imaged in the same imaging position in both modes of imaging.

Claims

1. A method for imaging the head area of a patient by taking both cephalometric X-ray and photographic images of desired objects to be imaged, said images being converted to digital mode, if necessary, and conveyed in digital mode to a computer, characterized in that the method involves the use of a mechanism (1) applicable to cephalometric X-ray imaging, comprising an X-ray source (5) in front of an object to be imaged, an X-radiation receiving element behind the object, and patient positioning implements (8-10), in which method a patient is placed by means of the patient positioning implements (8-10) in a desired imaging position and imaged in the same imaging position in both modes of imaging.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the method involves the use of photographic instruments (13) which are integrated in the cephalometric X-ray imaging mechanism.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that first conducted is cephalometric X-ray imaging by means of an X-ray source (5) aligned in the imaging position, and then photography by moving the X-ray source out of its imaging position and by aligning the photographic instruments (13) in the imaging position thereof, the method being implemented with imaging geometries which are essentially identical in each mode of imaging.

4. A method as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that first conducted is photography by means the photographic instruments (13) aligned in the imaging position thereof, and then cephalometric X-ray imaging by moving the photographic instruments out of the imaging position thereof and by aligning an X-ray source (5) in its imaging position, the method being implemented with imaging geometries which are essentially identical in each mode of imaging.

5. A method as set forth in any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the patient positioning implements are provided with reference implements, which are imaged both in cephalometric X-ray images and photographs, the image information obtained from said reference implements being used for specifying the dimensions of cephalometric X-ray images and photographs, and/or for the superimposing (morphing) of images obtained from various modes of imaging.

6. A method as set forth in any of claims 1-5, characterized in that the photographic instruments include a digital camera.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the method involves the use of separate photographic instruments, which are attachable to a camera holder included in the cephalometric X-ray imaging mechanism.

8. A method as set forth in any of the preceeding claims, characterized in that the cephalometric X-ray images and photographs are transferred in digital mode over a wire communication (18, 19) to a computer (20).

9. An apparatus for imaging the head area of a patient for producing both cephalometric X-ray and photographic images from desired objects to be imaged, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a mechanism (1) applicable to cephalometric X-ray imaging, which is provided with an X-ray source (5) in front of an object to be imaged, an X-radiation receiving element behind the object, and patient positioning implements (8-10), and that the apparatus is further fitted with photographic instruments (13) for taking photographs of an object to be imaged, the patient being positionable by means of the patient positioning implements (8-10) in a desired imaging position and capable of being imaged in the same imaging position in both modes of imaging.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, characterized in that the patient positioning implements are further fitted with reference implements for specifying the dimensions of cephalometric X-ray images and photographs and/or for the superimposing (morphing) of images taken in various modes of imaging on the basis of image information obtained from the reference implements.