Method and system for X-ray diagnosis of object in which X-ray contrast agent is injected

• US 20040127789A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.), Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/425
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/06 Diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4291 the detector being combined with a grid or grating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/488 involving pre-scan acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/542 involving control of exposure

Abstract

An X-ray diagnostic system is provided, which uses X-rays to image the lower limb of an object under conditions suitable for a flow of an X-ray contrast agent injected into the object. In the system, a C-shaped arm supports both an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector so that an object-laid tabletop is located between both the tube and the detector. For instance, one of the tabletop and the C-shaped arm is relatively moved to the other so that the object is imaged along a body-axis direction thereof. The apparatus is able to perform a fluoroscopic scan to obtain a body-axis directional fluoroscopic image of the agent-injected object and to set imaging parameters, region by region in the body-axis direction, necessary for an imaging scan using the fluoroscopic image. The imaging parameters are used for the imaging scan of the agent-injected object.

Claims

1. An X-ray diagnostic system comprising:

an X-ray source irradiating an X-ray;

an X-ray detector detecting the X-ray;

a support apparatus configured to support both the X-ray source and the X-ray detector so that both the X-ray source and the X-ray detector are opposed to each other with a space left therebetween, a tabletop on which an object to be examined is laid being located in the space, the object being subjected to injection of an X-ray contrast agent when the object is examined;

a fluoroscopic scan unit configured to relatively move one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus to the other and to perform a fluoroscopic scan along a direction predetermined with respect to the object with the one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus relatively moved to the other, the X-ray contrast agent flowing substantially along the direction, thereby a fluoroscopic image of the object being provided along the direction;

an imaging parameter setting unit configured to set, at every region to be examined of the object, imaging parameters required for an imaging scan on the basis of the fluoroscopic image, the regions being at least continuous without a gap along the direction determined with respect to the object; and

an imaging scan unit configured to relatively move the one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus to the other and, with the one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus relatively moved to the other, perform the imaging scan on the object on the imaging parameters set by the imaging parameter setting unit.

2. An X-ray diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the imaging parameter setting unit is configured to accept operator'"'"'s manually operated information and to set the imaging parameters in response to the operator'"'"'s manually operated information.

3. An X-ray diagnostic system according to claim 2, wherein the imaging scan unit includes means for controlling a radiation field of the X-ray on the object in the direction on the basis of the imaging parameters.

4. An X-ray diagnostic system according to claim 3, wherein the imaging parameter setting unit comprises means for setting, as one of the imaging parameters, a relative moving speed of the one of both the tabletop and the support system to the other depending on a speed of the X-ray contrast agent flowing in the object, wherein

the radiation field controlling means is configured to control the radiation field in dependence upon the moving speed.

5. An X-ray diagnostic system according to claim 3, wherein the imaging parameter setting unit comprises means for setting, as one of the imaging parameters, a frame rate required for the imaging scan depending on a speed of the X-ray contrast agent flowing in the object, wherein

the radiation field controlling means is configured to control the radiation field in dependence upon the frame rate.

6. An X-ray diagnostic system according to claim 3, further comprising a region specifying unit configured to specify a specific region of the object, wherein

the radiation field controlling means comprises means for controlling the radiation field to an opening appropriate for imaging of the specific region in response to an arrival of a position of the imaging scan at the specific region.

7. An X-ray diagnostic system according to claim 1, wherein the imaging parameter setting unit is configured to, from the fluoroscopic image obtained by the fluoroscopic scan unit, automatically recognize the region through which the X-ray contrast agent flows and to set the imaging parameters based on a recognized result of the automatic recognition.

8. An X-ray diagnostic system according to claim 7, wherein the imaging parameter setting unit comprises means for automatically calculating, using a pattern recognition technique, the X-ray-contrast-agent flowing regions from the fluoroscopic image and means for setting, as part of the imaging parameters, region by region, an X-ray collimating opening depending on the X-ray-contrast-agent flowing regions based on a calculated result of the calculating means,

wherein the imaging scan unit comprises means for controlling an X-ray collimator in compliance with the X-ray collimating opening.

9. An X-ray diagnostic system according to claim 7, wherein the imaging parameter setting unit comprises means for automatically calculating, using a pattern recognition technique, the X-ray-contrast-agent flowing regions from the fluoroscopic image and means for setting, as part of the imaging parameters, region by region, a relative moving speed of one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus to the other depending on a flowing speed of the X-ray contrast agent based on a calculated result of the calculating means,

wherein the imaging scan unit comprises means for controlling the relative speed of the one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus to the other.

10. An X-ray diagnostic system according to claim 7, wherein the imaging parameter setting unit comprises means for automatically calculating, using a pattern recognition technique, the X-ray-contrast-agent flowing regions from the fluoroscopic image and means for setting, as part of the imaging parameters, region by region, an X-ray collimating opening and a relative moving speed of one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus to the other depending on a flowing speed of the X-ray contrast agent based on a calculated result of the calculating means,

wherein the imaging scan unit comprises means for controlling an X-ray collimator in compliance with the X-ray collimating opening and means for controlling the relative speed of the one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus to the other.

11. An X-ray diagnostic system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a calculation unit configured to automatically calculate, using a pattern recognition technique, the X-ray-contrast-agent flowing regions from the fluoroscopic image obtained by the fluoroscopic scan unit; and

a control unit configured to automatically and in real time control a radiation field of the X-ray onto the object on the basis of a calculated result of the calculation unit, the X-ray being radiated from the X-ray source during acquisition of the fluoroscopic image provided by the fluoroscopic scan unit.

12. A method of X-ray imaging performed by the X-ray diagnostic system comprising an X-ray source irradiating an X-ray;

an X-ray detector detecting the X-ray; and

a support apparatus configured to support both the X-ray source and the X-ray detector so that both the X-ray source and the X-ray detector are opposed to each other with a space left therebetween, a tabletop on which an object to be examined is laid being located in the space, the object being subjected to injection of an X-ray contrast agent when the object is examined,

the method comprising the steps of;

relatively moving one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus to the other and performing a fluoroscopic scan along a direction predetermined with respect to the object with the one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus relatively moved to the other, the X-ray contrast agent flowing substantially along the direction, thereby a fluoroscopic image of the object being provided along the direction;

setting, at every region to be examined of the object, imaging parameters required for an imaging scan on the basis of the fluoroscopic image, the regions being at least continuous without a gap along the direction determined with respect to the object; and

relatively moving the one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus to the other and, with the one of both the tabletop and the support apparatus relatively moved to the other, performing the imaging scan on the object on the imaging parameters.