X-RAY IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF GENERATING STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE

• US 20140185750A1
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: SUNG, Young Hun, LEE, Kang Eui
• Granted Patent: US 9,414,788 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/022 Stereoscopic imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4007 characterised by using a plurality of source units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• 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 6/5235 combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/414 stereoscopic system
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/04 and forming images of the material

Abstract

Disclosed herein are an X-ray imaging apparatus and a method for generating a stereoscopic image by using the apparatus. The stereoscopic image generation method includes emitting first X-rays toward a target object at a first emission angle, detecting the first X-rays which have propagated through the target object in order to acquire a first X-ray image, emitting second X-rays toward the target object at a second emission angle which is different from the first emission angle, detecting the second X-rays which have propagated through the target object in order to acquire at least a second X-ray image, and generating a stereoscopic image based on the first X-ray image and the at least second X-ray image.

Claims

1. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:

a first X-ray generator which is configured to emit first X-rays toward a target object at a first emission angle;

at least a second X-ray generator which is configured to emit second X-rays toward the target object at a second emission angle which is different from the first emission angle;

a detector which is configured to detect the first X-rays and the second X-rays which have propagated through the target object;

an image processor which is configured to acquire a first X-ray image from the detected first X-rays and to acquire at least a second X-ray image from the detected second X-rays, and to generate a stereoscopic image by using the acquired first X-ray image and the acquired at least second X-ray image; and

a display which is configured to display the generated stereoscopic image.

2. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second X-rays are emitted at a lower dosage level than a dosage level at which the first X-rays are emitted.

3. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processor is further configured to match an image quality of the first X-ray image with an image quality of the at least second X-ray image prior to generating the stereoscopic image.

4. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a basic image controller which is configured to display the first X-ray image on a first screen and to display the at least second X-ray image on a second screen.

5. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a difference angle δ

between the first emission angle and the second emission angle satisfies 0<

δ

≦

10°

.

6. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:

a first X-ray generator which is configured to emit first X-rays toward a target object at a first emission angle;

at least a second X-ray generator which is configured to emit second X-rays toward the target object at a second emission angle which is different from the first emission angle;

a detector which is configured to detect the first X-rays and the second X-rays which have propagated through the target object;

an image processor which is configured to acquire a first X-ray image from the detected first X-rays and to acquire at least a second X-ray image from the detected second X-rays; and

a display apparatus comprising a first display which is configured to display the acquired first X-ray image, a second display which is configured to display the acquired second X-ray image, and a third display which is configured to receive light beams which respectively correspond to the first and second X-ray images and to display a stereoscopic image which is based on the first X-ray image and the second X-ray image and which is generated by using a half mirror method.

7. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second X-rays are emitted at a lower dosage level than a dosage level at which the first X-rays are emitted.

8. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image processor is further configured to match an image quality of the first X-ray image with an image quality of the at least second X-ray image prior to the generation of the stereoscopic image.

9. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a difference angle δ

between the first emission angle and the second emission angle satisfies 0<

δ

≦

10°

.

10. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:

an X-ray generator which is configured to emit first X-rays toward a target object at a first emission angle and to emit second X-rays toward the target object at a second emission angle which is different from the first emission angle;

a detector which is configured to detect the first X-rays and the second X-rays which have propagated through the target object; and

an image processor which is configured to acquire a first X-ray image from the detected first X-rays and to acquire at least a second X-ray image from the detected second X-rays and to generate a stereoscopic image by using the acquired first X-ray image and the acquired at least second X-ray image.

11. A method for generating a stereoscopic image by using an X-ray imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

emitting first X-rays toward a target object at a first emission angle;

detecting the first X-rays which have propagated through the target object in order to acquire a first X-ray image;

emitting second X-rays toward the target object at a second emission angle which is different from the first emission angle;

detecting the second X-rays which have propagated through the target object in order to acquire at least a second X-ray image; and

generating a stereoscopic image by using the first X-ray image and the at least second X-ray image.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the second X-rays are emitted at a lower dosage level than a dosage level at which the first X-rays are emitted.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising matching an image quality of the first X-ray image with an image quality of the at least second X-ray image prior to the generating the stereoscopic image.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising simultaneously displaying the first X-ray image, the at least second X-ray image, and the stereoscopic image.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein a difference angle δ

between the first emission angle and the second emission angle satisfies 0<

δ

≦

10°

.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the generating the stereoscopic image comprises using the first X-ray image as a left eye image and using the at least second X-ray image as a right eye image.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the generating the stereoscopic image comprises applying a first color filter to the first X-ray image, applying a second color filter to the at least second X-ray image, and overlapping the first X-ray image and the at least second X-ray image in order to generate a combination image.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the generating the stereoscopic image comprises using a polarized glass technique with respect to the first X-ray image and the at least second X-ray image.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the generating the stereoscopic image comprises repeatedly displaying each of the first X-ray image and the at least second X-ray image at a respective predetermined interval such that the displaying is synchronized with shutter glasses to be used by a viewer.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the generating the stereoscopic image comprises applying a half mirror technique with respect to each of the first X-ray image and the at least second X-ray image.