Blur compensation apparatus for X-ray image and medical X-ray imaging apparatus using the blur compensation apparatus

• US 20030215051A1
• Filed: 04/24/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J Morita Manufacturing
• Original Assignee: J Morita Manufacturing
• Inventors: Suzuki, Masakazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,187,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0478 Chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/51 for dentistry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/527 using data from a motion artifact sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices

Abstract

A blur compensation apparatus for X-ray image of an object to be examined used for a medical X-ray imaging apparatus, which has an X-ray generator and an X-ray imaging device opposite to the X-ray generator, said X-ray generator and said X-ray imaging device interposing therebetween said object held by an object holding means, wherein a sensor means for detecting blur movement of said object is provided near an objective projection position on said object holding means, and wherein a blur compensation process is executed for the X-ray image obtained by said X-ray imaging device, based on a positional change information which is calculated from a detection signal detected by said sensor means during X-ray radiography, said positional change information being the positional change amount with respect to said objective projection position relative to a reference position previously specified on said object holding means.

Claims

1. A blur compensation apparatus for X-ray image of an object to be examined used for a medical X-ray imaging apparatus, which has an X-ray generator and an X-ray imaging device opposite to the X-ray generator, said X-ray generator and said X-ray imaging device interposing therebetween said object held by an object holding means, wherein

a sensor means for detecting blur movement of said object is provided near an objective projection position on said object holding means, and wherein

a blur compensation process is executed for the X-ray image obtained by said X-ray imaging device, based on a positional change information which is calculated from a detection signal detected by said sensor means during X-ray radiography, said positional change information being the positional change amount with respect to said objective projection position relative to a reference position previously specified on said object holding means.

2. The blur compensation apparatus for X-ray image as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said blur compensation apparatus executes the following steps;

determining the existence of the blur movement in said X-ray image of said object, with respect to a series of X-ray image frames produced when X-ray radiography is performed based on the positional change amount and/or deviation of zoom rate calculated from the detection signal detected by said sensor means;

sequentially executing the blur compensation process for the X-ray image frame in which the blur movement in said X-ray image of said object is found at said determining step, based on the positional change amount and/or the deviation of zoom rate obtained by said sensor means; and

rearranging and storing a series of X-ray image frames including said X-ray image frame of which blur movement is compensated as above, in time series order as in said X-ray radiography.

3. The blur compensation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said sensor means comprises two acceleration sensors directing two different directions respectively, said two acceleration sensors detecting the accelerated velocity at said objective projection position, and wherein said positional change information is calculated based on the acceleration data by executing a dynamic processing as previously prepared.

4. The blur compensation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said sensor means comprises two angular speed sensors provided in two different directions respectively, said two angular speed sensors detecting the angular speed of an angle of inclination of said objective projection position for said reference position, and wherein said positional change information is calculated from the angular speed data.

5. The blur compensation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said sensor means comprises two angle sensors provided in two different directions respectively, said two angle sensors detecting an angle of inclination of said objective projection position for said reference position, and wherein said positional change information is calculated from the angle data.

6. The blur compensation apparatus as set forth in any one of claims 1-5, wherein said blur compensation apparatus calculates the blur movement on an imaging plane of said X-ray imaging device and the deviation of zoom rate based on the calculated positional change amount and executes the blur compensation process of the image obtained by said X-ray imaging device.

7. The blur compensation apparatus as set forth in any one of claims 1-6, wherein said object holding means comprises a chair for holding a human object in sitting position and a head fixing part for fixedly holding the human head provided at an upper part of the chair, wherein said sensor means is provided at said head fixing part, and wherein said reference position is set on said chair.

8. A medical X-ray imaging apparatus for obtaining an X-ray image of an object to be examined which has an X-ray generator and an X-ray imaging device opposite to the X-ray generator, said X-ray generator and said X-ray imaging device interposing therebetween said object held by an object holding means;

wherein

said medical X-ray imaging apparatus comprises the blur compensation apparatus for an X-ray image,

said blur compensation apparatus for X-ray image comprising a sensor means for detecting the blur movement of said object is provided near an objective projection position on said object holding means, and wherein

a blur compensation process is executed for the X-ray image obtained by said X-ray imaging device based on a positional change information which is calculated from the detection signal detected by said sensor means during X-ray radiography, said positional change information being the positional change amount with respect to said objective projection position relative to a reference position previously specified on said object holding means.

9. The medical X-ray imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said medical X-ray imaging apparatus further comprises an object moving means for moving said object holding means depending on the purpose of X-ray radiography.

10. A medical X-ray imaging apparatus for obtaining an X-ray image of an object to be examined, which has an X-ray generator, an X-ray imaging device opposite to the X-ray generator, said X-ray generator and said X-ray imaging device being rotatable around a rotation center, and a object moving means for moving the object holding means for holding the object at least in a direction parallel to the rotation plane of said rotation, wherein:

said medical X-ray imaging apparatus executes an X-ray CT radiography and an X-ray panoramic radiography; and

wherein

said medical X-ray imaging apparatus comprises a blur compensation apparatus for X-ray image, said blur compensation apparatus comprising the object holding means having a chair for holding a human object in sitting position and a head fixing part for fixedly holding the human head provided at an upper part of the chair, and further wherein a sensor means for detecting the blur movement of the object is provided at said head fixing part and a reference position is set on said chair.

11. The medical X-ray imaging apparatus as set forth in any one of claims 8-10, wherein:

said blur compensation apparatus executes the following steps;

determining the existence of the blur movement in said X-ray image of said object with respect to a series of X-ray image frames produced when X-ray radiography is performed based on the positional change amount and/or deviation of zoom rate calculated from the detection signal detected by said sensor means;

sequentially executing the blur compensation process for the X-ray image frame in which the blur movement in said X-ray image of said object image is found at said determining step, based on the positional change amount and/or deviation of zoom rate obtained by said sensor means; and

rearranging and storing a series of X-ray image frames including said X-ray image frame of which blur movement in said X-ray image of said object is compensated as above, in time series order as in said X-ray radiography.