X-ray arrangement and x-ray contrast process for imaging an object under examination that contains at least one radiopaque element as well as use of the x-ray arrangement

• US 20050123093A1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Schering Pharma AG (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Weinmann, Hanns Joachim, Muehler, Andreas, Lawaczeck, Ruediger
• Granted Patent: US 7,672,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/98.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4035 the source being combined with a filter or grating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4092 for producing synchrotron radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/482 involving multiple energy imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/505 for diagnosis of bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/507 for determination of haemodynamic parameters, e.g. perfusion CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/583 using calibration phantoms

Abstract

To increase the contrast in the imaging in an object under examination that contains at least one radiopaque element, an arrangement that has the following features is used: a) at least one essentially polychromatic x-ray radiation source that emits x-ray radiation, b) at least one energy-dispersive detector, with which the intensity of the x-ray radiation that gets through the object under examination is detectable, c) at least one correlation unit, with which the intensity of the detected x-ray radiation from a pixel of the object under examination with a first energy E₁ can be correlated with the intensity of the detected x-ray radiation from the same pixel with a second energy E₂, d) at least one output unit for visualizing the object under examination from the pixel signals that are obtained by correlation of the intensities.

Claims

1. X-ray arrangement for imaging an object under examination that contains at least one radiopaque element that comprises

a. At least one x-ray radiation source that emits essentially polychromatic x-ray radiation,

b. At least one energy-dispersive detector, with which the intensity of x-ray radiation that gets through the object under examination can be detected,

c. At least one correlation unit, with which the intensity of the detected x-ray radiation from a pixel of the object under examination with a first energy E₁ can be correlated with the intensity of the detected x-ray radiation of the same pixel with a second energy E₂,

d. At least one output unit for visualizing the object under examination from the pixel signals obtained by correlation of the intensities.

2. X-ray arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the correlation unit has the following devices:

e. A first storage unit, with which the intensities of individual pixels of the object under examination can be stored,

f. A computing unit, with which the intensity of the detected x-ray radiation from a pixel of the object under examination can be correlated with first energy E₁ with the intensity of the detected x-ray radiation from the same pixel with second energy E₂,

g. A second storage unit, with which the values that can be obtained from the intensities of an individual pixel by correlation can be intermediately stored.

3. X-ray arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the intensities of the detected x-ray radiation from a pixel can be subtracted from one another or divided by one another with the correlation unit without taking logarithms or after logarithms are taken in advance, or wherein their derivatives can be formed according to the energy.

4. X-ray arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the detector is a flat-bed detector.

5. X-ray arrangement according claim 1, wherein the detector is designed to pick up an individual pixel and is movable so as to be able to pick up all pixels.

6. X-ray arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the detector has an array of detector sensors that are designed to pick up a pixel in each case and is movable so as to be able to pick up all pixels.

7. X-ray arrangement according to claim 1, wherein first energy E₁ and second energy E₂ lie in an area that extends from energy values above to energy values below an absorption edge of the opacifying element.

8. X-ray arrangement according to claim 1, wherein first energy E₁ and second energy E₂ lie in an area that extends from up to 5 keV below to 5 keV above the energy of the K- or L-absorption edge of the opacifying element.

9. X-ray arrangement according to claim 1, wherein first energy E₁ and second energy E₂ are selected such that they include the energy of the K- or L-absorption edge of the opacifying element.

10. X-ray arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the opacifying element is an x-ray contrast medium and wherein the x-ray contrast medium contains at least one element, selected from the group that comprises bromine, iodine, barium, lanthanides and bismuth.

11. Use of the x-ray arrangement according to claim 1 for graphic display of an object under examination that contains at least one radiopaque element by means of x-ray radiation, in which the following process steps are performed:

a. Irradiation of the object under examination with essentially polychromatic x-ray radiation,

b. Energy-dispersive detection of the intensity of the x-ray radiation that gets through the object under examination,

c. Correlation of the intensity of detected x-ray radiation from a pixel of the object under examination with a first energy E₁ with the intensity of the detected x-ray radiation of the same pixel with a second energy E₂,

d. Visualization of the object under examination from pixel signals that are obtained by correlation of the intensities.

12. Use according to claim 11, wherein the intensities of the x-ray radiation from a pixel are subtracted from one another or divided by one another with the correlation unit without taking logarithms or after logarithms are taken in advance or wherein their derivatives are formed according to the energy.

13. Use according to claim 11, wherein a flat-bed detector is used.

14. Use according to claim 11, wherein a detector that is designed to pick up an individual pixel and that can be moved so as to be able to pick up all pixels is used.

15. Use according to claim 11, wherein a detector is used that has an array of detector sensors that is designed to pick up a pixel in each case and is movable so as to be able to pick up all pixels.

16. Use according to claim 11, wherein first energy E₁ and second energy E₂ lie in a range that extends from values above to values below an absorption edge of the opacifying element.

17. Use according to claim 11, wherein first energy E₁ and second energy E₂ lie in a range that extends from up to 5 keV below to 5 keV above an absorption edge of the opacifying element.

18. Use according to claim 11, wherein first energy E₁ and second energy E₂ are selected such that they include the energy of the K- or L-edge of the opacifying element.

19. Use according to claim 11, wherein as an opacifying element, an x-ray contrast medium is used that contains at least one element, selected from the group that comprises bromine, iodine, barium, lanthanides and bismuth.

20. Use according to claim 11, wherein as an opacifying element, an x-ray contrast medium is used, and the x-ray contrast medium is administered enterally or parenterally.

21. Imaging x-ray contrast process on an object under examination that contains at least one radiopaque element, comprising the following process steps:

a. Irradiation of the object under examination with essentially polychromatic x-ray radiation,

b. Energy-dispersive detection of the intensity of the x-ray radiation that gets through the object under examination,

c. Correlation of the intensity of detected x-ray radiation from a pixel of the object under examination with a first energy E₁ with the intensity of the detected x-ray radiation of the same pixel with a second energy E₂,

d. Visualization of the object under examination from pixel signals that are obtained by correlation of the intensities.

22. X-ray contrast process according to claim 21, wherein the intensities of the x-ray radiation are subtracted from one another or divided by one another with the correlation unit without taking logarithms or after logarithms are taken in advance, or wherein their derivatives are formed according to the energy.

23. X-ray contrast process according to claim 21, wherein a flat-bed detector is used.

24. X-ray contrast process according to claim 21, wherein a detector that is designed to pick up an individual pixel and is movable so as to be able to pick up all pixels is used.

25. X-ray contrast process according to claim 21, wherein a detector is used that has an array of detector senses that is designed to pick up a pixel in each case and is movable so as to be able to pick up all pixels.

26. X-ray contrast process according to claim 21, wherein first energy E₁ and second energy E₂ lie in an area that extends from values above to values below an absorption edge of the opacifying element.

27. X-ray contrast process according to claim 21, wherein first energy E₁ and second energy E₂ lie in a range that extends from up to 5 keV below to 5 keV above an absorption edge of the opacifying element.

28. X-ray contrast process according to claim 21, wherein first energy E₁ and second energy E₂ are selected such that they include the energy of the K- or L-absorption edge of the opacifying element.

29. X-ray contrast process according to claim 21, wherein as an opacifying element, an x-ray contrast medium is used that contains at least one element that is selected from the group that comprises bromine, iodine, barium, lanthanides and bismuth.

30. X-ray contrast process according to claim 21, wherein an x-ray contrast medium is used as an opacifying element, and the x-ray contrast medium is administered enterally or parenterally.

31. X-ray contrast process according to claim 21 for specific graphic or quantitative display of a volume that contains the opacifying element.