Computed Tomography Facilitation Method and Apparatus

• US 20080219403A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varex Imaging Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bio-Imaging Research, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Moore, John F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4014 arranged in multiple source-detector units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4266 characterised by using a plurality of detector units A61B6/4014 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/401 image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/419 computed tomograph
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/046 using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]

Abstract

A first X-ray detector (203) is positioned to detect at least the X-rays that intersect the center of rotation (201) for an object (205) with respect to an X-ray source (202). A second X-ray detector (207) is then positioned to detect X-rays that do not overlap with the X-rays as are detected by the first X-ray detector as well as X-rays (210) that intersect a periphery of a circle (209) that circumscribes an outer extreme boundary (208) of the object to be scanned.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an object scanning space having a center of rotation;

providing at least a first source of X-rays;

providing a first X-ray detector in a position to detect at least the X-rays that intersect the center of rotation;

providing at least a second X-ray detector in a position to detect the X-rays that;

do not overlap with the X-rays as are detected with the first X-ray detector; and

detect at least the X-rays that intersect a periphery of a circle that circumscribes an outer extreme boundary of an object to be scanned in the object scanning space;

wherein all of the X-ray detectors as are provided are insufficient to make a complete scan of the object scanning space without providing some relative motion as between the X-ray detectors and the object scanning space.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a first X-ray detector and providing a second X-ray detector comprises providing both the first X-ray detector and the second X-ray detector on a same side of the object scanning space and opposite the first source of X-rays.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a second source of X-rays wherein the first source of X-rays and the second source of X-rays are substantially opposite one another and wherein providing a first X-ray detector comprising disposing the first X-ray detector in a position that is opposite the first source of X-rays and providing a second X-ray detector comprises disposing the second X-ray detector in a position that is opposite the second source of X-rays.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a first X-ray detector comprises providing a flat plate detector.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a first X-ray detector comprises providing an image intensifier.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a first X-ray detector comprises providing a multi-channel detector of width inadequate to cover at least half of the object scanning space.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

providing a first X-ray detector comprises providing a flat plate detector;

providing a second X-ray detector comprises providing a flat plate detector.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

providing a first X-ray detector comprises providing an image intensifier;

providing a second X-ray detector comprises providing an image intensifier.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein:

providing a first X-ray detector comprises providing a multi-channel detector of width inadequate to cover at least half of the object scanning space;

providing a second X-ray detector comprises providing a multi-channel detector of width inadequate to cover at least half of the object scanning space.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein using an offset rebinning process with the first and second X-ray detector to develop a computed tomography image of an object in the object scanning space further comprises capturing a complete set of image data for the object by capturing image data during 360 degrees of relative rotation as between the object and the first and second X-ray detectors.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a first X-ray detector in a position to detect at least the X-rays that intersect the center of rotation comprises positioning the first X-ray detector in an offset position with respect to a line that intersects both the first source of X-rays and the center of rotation.

10. A method comprising:

providing an object scanning space having a center of rotation;

providing at least a first source of X-rays;

providing a first X-ray detector in a position to detect at least the X-rays that intersect the center of rotation;

providing at least a second X-ray detector in a position to detect the X-rays that;

do not overlap with the X-rays as are detected with the first X-ray detector; and

detect at least the X-rays that intersect a periphery of a circle that circumscribes an outer extreme boundary of an object to be scanned in the object scanning space;

using an offset rebinning process with the first and second X-ray detector to develop a computed tomography image of an object in the object scanning space.

13. The method of 12 wherein positioning the first X-ray detector in an offset position with respect to a line that intersects both the first source of X-rays and the center of rotation comprises positioning the first X-ray detector such that one edge of the first X-ray detector extends only a relatively small distance beyond the line that intersects both the first source of X-rays and the center of rotation and towards the second X-ray detector.

14. An apparatus comprising:

an object scanning space having a center of rotation;

a first source of X-rays;

a first X-ray detector that is disposed in a position to detect at least the X-rays that intersect the center of rotation;

at least a second X-ray detector that is disposed in a position to detect the X-rays that;

do not overlap with a majority of the X-rays as are detected with the first X-ray detector; and

detect at least the X-rays that intersect a periphery of a circle that circumscribes an outer extreme boundary of an object to be scanned in the object scanning space;

wherein all of the X-ray detectors as are disposed in a position to detect the X-rays are insufficient to make a complete scan of the object scanning space without providing some relative motion as between the X-ray detectors and the object scanning space.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein both the first X-ray detector and the second X-ray detector are disposed on a same side of the object scanning space and opposite the first source of X-rays.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a second source of X-rays;

and wherein the first source of X-rays and the second source of X-rays are disposed substantially opposite one another and wherein the first X-ray detector is disposed in a position that is opposite the first source of X-rays and the second X-ray detector is disposed in a position that is opposite the second source of X-rays.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first X-ray detector comprises a flat plate detector.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first X-ray detector comprises an image intensifier.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first X-ray detector comprises a multi-channel detector of width inadequate to cover at least half of the object scanning space.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein:

the first X-ray detector comprises a flat plate detector; and

the second X-ray detector comprises a flat plate detector.

21. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein:

the first X-ray detector comprises an image intensifier; and

the second X-ray detector comprises an image intensifier.

22. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein:

the first X-ray detector comprises a multi-channel detector of width inadequate to cover at least half of the object scanning space;

the second X-ray detector comprises a multi-channel detector of width inadequate to cover at least half of the object scanning space.

25. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first X-ray detector is disposed in an offset position with respect to a line that intersects both the first source of X-rays and the center of rotation.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the first X-ray detector is disposed such that one edge of the first X-ray detector extends only a relatively small distance beyond the line that intersects both the first source of X-rays and the center of rotation and towards the second X-ray detector.

23. An apparatus further comprising:

an object scanning space having a center of rotation;

a first source of X-rays;

a first X-ray detector that is disposed in a position to detect at least the X-rays that intersect the center of rotation;

at least a second X-ray detector that is disposed in a position to detect the X-rays that;

do not overlap with a majority of the X-rays as are detected with the first X-ray detector; and

detect at least the X-rays that intersect a periphery of a circle that circumscribes an outer extreme boundary of an object to be scanned in the object scanning space;

a process controller that is configured and arranged to use the apparatus to conduct an offset rebinning process with the first and second X-ray detectors to develop a computed tomography image of an object in the object scanning space.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the process controller is further configured and arranged to use the apparatus to conduct an offset rebinning process with the first and second X-ray detector to develop a computed tomography image of an object in the object scanning space by capturing a complete set of image data for the object by capturing image data during 360 degrees of relative rotation as between the object and the first and second X-ray detectors.