Radiation image taking system

• US 20050213701A1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sendai, Tomonari
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/025 Tomosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4291 the detector being combined with a grid or grating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5282 due to scatter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/419 computed tomograph
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/612 biological material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/044 using laminography or tomosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/046 using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]

Abstract

A tomosynthetic image taking apparatus takes an x-ray image of an object in each of a plurality of positions of an x-ray source to obtain a desired tomogram of the object by adding up the x-ray images thus obtained. A heartbeat phase is detected and the tomosynthetic image taking apparatus is controlled to take an x-ray image of the object in each of the plurality of positions of the x-ray source when the heartbeat of the object is in the same heartbeat phase.

Claims

1. A radiation image taking system comprising

a tomosynthetic image taking means which takes an x-ray image of an object in each of a plurality of positions of an x-ray source to obtain a desired tomogram of the object by adding up the x-ray images thus obtained,

a heartbeat phase detecting means which detects the heartbeat phase of the object, and

a tomosynthesis control means which controls the tomosynthetic image taking means to take an x-ray image of the object in each of the plurality of positions of the x-ray source when the heartbeat of the object detected by the heartbeat phase detecting means is in the same heartbeat phase.

2. A radiation image taking system as defined in claim 1 in which the tomosynthetic image taking means is provided with a scattering radiation removing grid and a grid moving means which moves the scattering radiation removing grid, and

the tomosynthesis control means controls the grid moving means so that the moving speed of the scattering radiation removing grid is maximized when the x-ray image of the object is taken.

3. A radiation image taking system as defined in claim 1 further comprising a breathing phase detecting means which detects the breathing phase of the object, wherein the tomosynthesis control means controls the tomosynthetic image taking means to take an x-ray image of the object in each of the plurality of positions of the x-ray source when the heartbeat of the object detected by the heartbeat phase detecting means is in the same heartbeat phase and when the breathing of the object detected by the breathing phase detecting means is in the same breathing phase.

4. A radiation image taking system as defined in claim 3 in which the tomosynthetic image taking means is provided with a scattering radiation removing grid and a grid moving means which moves the scattering radiation removing grid, and

the tomosynthesis control means controls the grid moving means so that the moving speed of the scattering radiation removing grid is maximized when the x-ray image of the object is taken.

5. A radiation image taking system as defined in claim 1 further comprising

a breathing phase detecting means which detects the breathing phase of the object and

a correction means which corrects at least a part of the plurality of the images taken in the plurality of positions of the x-ray source so that they are all in the same breathing phase on the basis of the breathing phases detected by the breathing phase detecting means when the images are taken.

6. A radiation image taking system as defined in claim 5 in which the tomosynthetic image taking means is provided with a scattering radiation removing grid and a grid moving means which moves the scattering radiation removing grid, and

the tomosynthesis control means controls the grid moving means so that the moving speed of the scattering radiation removing grid is maximized when the x-ray image of the object is taken.

7. A radiation image taking system comprising

a tomosynthetic image taking means which takes an x-ray image of an object in each of a plurality of positions of an x-ray source to obtain a desired tomogram of the object by adding up the x-ray images thus obtained,

a heartbeat phase detecting means which detects the heartbeat phase of the object,

a storage means which stores the x-ray image of the object taken in each of the plurality of positions of the x-ray source, and

a correction means which corrects at least a part of the plurality of the images taken in the plurality of positions of the x-ray source so that they are all in the same heartbeat phase on the basis of the heartbeat phases detected by the heartbeat phase detecting means when the images are taken.

8. A radiation image taking system as defined in claim 7 in which the tomosynthetic image taking means is provided with a scattering radiation removing grid and a grid moving means which moves the scattering radiation removing grid, and

the tomosynthesis control means controls the grid moving means so that the moving speed of the scattering radiation removing grid is maximized when the x-ray image of the object is taken.

9. A radiation image taking system as defined in claim 7 further comprising a breathing phase detecting means which detects the breathing phase of the object, wherein the correction means corrects at least a part of the plurality of the images taken in the plurality of positions of the x-ray source so that they are all in the same heartbeat phase and in the same breathing phase on the basis of the heartbeat phases detected by the heartbeat phase detecting means when the image is taken and the breathing phases detected by the breathing phase detecting means when the image is taken.

10. A radiation image taking system as defined in claim 9 in which the tomosynthetic image taking means is provided with a scattering radiation removing grid and a grid moving means which moves the scattering radiation removing grid, and

the tomosynthesis control means controls the grid moving means so that the moving speed of the scattering radiation removing grid is maximized when the x-ray image of the object is taken.

11. A computer-readable medium on which is recorded a computer program for causing a computer to execute the steps of

reading out x-ray images of an object each of which is taken in a plurality of positions of an x-ray source and which can provide a desired tomogram of the object by adding up them, and heartbeat information representing the heartbeat phase of the object when the x-ray images are taken, and

correcting at least a part of the plurality of the images taken in the plurality of positions of the x-ray source so that they are all in the same breathing phase on the basis of the breathing phases of the object when the images are taken.

12. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 11 in which the steps further comprises steps of

reading out breathing information representing the breathing phase of the object when the x-ray images are taken,

wherein by the step of correcting at least a part of the plurality of the images taken in the plurality of positions of the x-ray source, at least a part of the plurality of the images taken in the plurality of positions of the x-ray source are corrected so that they are all in the same breathing phase and in the same heartbeat phase on the basis of the breathing phases and the heartbeat phases of the object when the images are taken.