Volumetric type compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information provider

• US 20080253637A1
• Filed: 04/11/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC A Limited Liability Corporation of, State of Delaware
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Weaver, Thomas A., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Lord, Robert W., Boyden, Edward S., Jung, Edward K.Y., Whitmer, Charles, Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Leuthardt, Eric C., Wood, Lowell L., Wood, Victoria Y.H
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/482 involving multiple energy imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/483 involving scattered radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/505 for diagnosis of bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/506 for diagnosis of nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/507 for determination of haemodynamic parameters, e.g. perfusion CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/508 for non-human patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/512 Intraoral means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

One aspect relates to capturing one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information of an at least some matter of at least a portion of an individual based at least partially on Compton scattering of an at least one X-ray being applied to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual. Another aspect relates to deriving an at least one material characteristic distribution function that substantially fits at least some data obtained at least partially by scattering of an at least one applied X-ray within at least some matter of at least a portion of an individual to form at least one Compton scattered X-ray.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

capturing one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information of an at least some matter of at least a portion of an individual based at least partially on Compton scattering of an at least one X-ray being applied to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising combining the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information with at least one additional images provided by a Compton scattering based imaging modality.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising combining the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information with at least one additional images provided by a non-Compton scattering based imaging modality.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising capturing the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information involving a variety of input conditions for the at least one applied X-ray.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising capturing the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information involving a variety of input conditions for the at least one applied X-ray, wherein the input conditions vary for the variety of input conditions based at least in part on a direction of the at least one applied X-ray.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising capturing the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information involving a variety of input conditions for the at least one applied X-ray, wherein the input conditions vary for the variety of input conditions based at least in part on an energy level of the at least one applied X-ray.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising mapping the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual at least partially in response to the capturing the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual comprises:

deriving a material characteristic distribution function that substantially fits at least some data obtained at least partially from the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information by scattering of an at least one applied X-ray to form at least one Compton scattered X-ray of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual based at least partially on the at least one Compton scattered X-ray being applied to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual comprises:

tagging at least one visualization, image, or provided information to record at least one input condition of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information extends partially through the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information extend through only relatively near at least one surface of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual includes at least one from a group, the group includes at least some bone, at least some bone portion, at least some bone fragments, at least some teeth.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual includes at least some tissue.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual includes at least some bodily fluid.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

volumetrically visualizing, imaging, or providing information through an at least one visualization, imaging, or information providing depth range to an at least one prescribed visualization, imaging, or information providing depth in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual at least partially by combining at lest some of the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

volumetrically visualizing, imaging, or providing information through an at least one visualization, imaging, or information providing depth range to an at least one prescribed visualization, imaging, or information providing depth in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual at least partially by combining the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information, wherein the volumetrically visualizing, imaging, or providing information through the at least one visualization, imaging, or information providing depth range to the at least one prescribed visualization, imaging, or information providing depth in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual is performed at a rate sufficient to substantially capture a physical motion that is consistent with an individual-based physiological process.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

volumetrically visualizing, imaging, or providing information through an at least one visualization, imaging, or information providing depth range to an at least one prescribed visualization, imaging, or information providing depth in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual at least partially by combining the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information, wherein the volumetrically visualizing, imaging, or providing information through the at least one visualization, imaging, or information providing depth range to the at least one prescribed visualization, imaging, or information providing depth in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual is performed at a rate sufficient to substantially capture a physical motion that is consistent with a user-observable physiological process.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual includes at least one from a group, the group includes a person, an animal, a plant, or an organism.

19. A method, comprising:

deriving an at least one material characteristic distribution function that substantially fits at least some data obtained at least partially by scattering of an at least one applied X-ray within at least some matter of at least a portion of an individual to form at least one Compton scattered X-ray.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising deriving one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information at least partially in response to the deriving the at least one material characteristic distribution function.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising deriving one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information at least partially in response to the deriving the at least one material characteristic distribution function, and combining the one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information with at least one additional visualizations, images, or provided information.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising mapping the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual at least partially in response to the deriving the at least one material characteristic distribution function that substantially fits the at least some data obtained at least partially by scattering of the at least one applied X-ray.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one material characteristic distribution function relating to the at least the portion of the individual is performed at a rate sufficient to substantially capture a physical motion that is consistent with an individual-based physiological process.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one material characteristic distribution function relating to the at least the portion of the individual is performed at a rate sufficient to substantially capture a physical motion that is consistent with a user-observable physiological process.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual includes at least one from a group, the group includes at least some bone, at least some bone portion, at least some bone fragments, or at least some teeth.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual includes at least some tissue.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual includes at least some bodily fluid.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the individual includes at least one from a group, the group includes a person, an animal, a plant, or an organism.

29. An apparatus, comprising:

a Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider configured to capture one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information through an at least some matter of at least a portion of an individual relying at least partially on scattering of an at least one applied X-ray to form an at least one Compton scattered X-ray.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is operated at a rate sufficient to substantially capture a physical motion that is consistent with an individual-based physiological process.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is operated at a rate sufficient to substantially capture a physical motion that is consistent with a user-observable physiological process.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is configured to map the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is configured to volumetrically visualize, image, or provide information through the entirety of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is configured to tag at least one visualization, image, or provided information to record at least one input condition of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is configured to volumetrically visualize, image, or provide information through a considerable distance of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is configured to volumetrically visualize, image, or provide information into the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

37. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is configured to volumetrically visualize, image, or provide information at least partially by combining the captured one or more tomographic-type Compton scattering based visualizations, images, or provided information.

38. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the individual includes at least one from a group, the group includes a person, an animal, a plant, or an organism.

39. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual includes at least one from a group, the group includes at least some bone, at least some bone portion, at least some bone fragments, or at least some teeth.

40. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual includes at least some tissue.

41. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual includes at least some bodily fluid.

42. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual includes at least some nerves.

43. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual includes at least some blood vessels.

44. An apparatus, comprising:

a Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider operable to derive a material characteristic distribution function within an at least some matter of at least a portion of an individual that substantially fits at least some data obtained at least partially by scattering of an at least one applied X-ray to form at least one Compton scattered X-ray.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is operated at a rate sufficient to substantially capture a physical motion that is consistent with an individual-based physiological process.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is operated at a rate sufficient to substantially capture a physical motion that is consistent with a user-observable physiological process.

47. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is operable to map the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.

48. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the individual includes at least one from a group, the group includes a person, an animal, a plant, or an organism.

49. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the Compton scattered X-ray depth visualizer, imager, or information provider is configured to tag at least one visualization, image, or provided information to record at least one input condition of the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual.