SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS FOR STATIONARY DIGITAL CHEST TOMOSYNTHESIS (S-DCT) IMAGING

• US 20160106382A1
• Filed: 10/19/2015
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill (University of North Carolina System)
• Original Assignee: University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill (University of North Carolina System)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianping, Shan, Jing, Zhou, Otto Z., Chtcheprov, Pavel, Tucker, Andrew, Lee, Yueh, Calliste, Jabari, Inscoe, Christina
• Granted Patent: US 10,980,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/025 Tomosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/06 Diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4007 characterised by using a plurality of source units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4085 Cone-beams
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/482 involving multiple energy imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/488 involving pre-scan acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5205 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal

Abstract

Systems and related methods for stationary digital chest tomosynthesis (s-DCT) imaging are disclosed. In some aspects, systems include a stationary x-ray source array with an array of x-ray pixels configured to generate x-ray beams at different viewing angles relative to a subject to be imaged that is stationary, a stationary area x-ray detector configured to record x-ray projection images of the subject, a physiological gating apparatus for monitoring at least one physiological signal of the subject and defining a physiological phase and a time window based on the at least one physiological signal, and a computing platform configured to activate the x-ray pixels based on the physiological phase and the time window and upon receipt of the at least one physiological signal from the physiological gating apparatus in order to synchronize x-ray exposure with the at least one physiological signal of the subject.

Claims

1. A system for stationary x-ray digital tomosynthesis imaging, the system comprising:

a stationary x-ray source array comprising an array of spatially distributed x-ray pixels configured to generate x-ray beams at different viewing angles relative to a subject to be imaged that is stationary;

a stationary area x-ray detector positioned substantially parallel to a plane of the x-ray source array and configured to record x-ray projection images of the subject from the different viewing angles for tomosynthesis reconstruction;

a physiological gating apparatus for monitoring at least one physiological signal of the subject, the physiological gating apparatus defining a physiological phase and a time window based on the at least one physiological signal during which the x-ray projection images of the subject from the different viewing angles are acquirable; and

a computing platform comprising at least one hardware processor and a memory, the computing platform being configured to activate the x-ray pixels based on the physiological phase and the time window and upon receipt of the at least one physiological signal from the physiological gating apparatus in order to synchronize x-ray exposure with the at least one physiological signal of the subject.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing platform further comprises a module configured to process acquired x-ray projection images of the subject from the different viewing angles and reconstruct one or more three dimensional (3D) tomosynthesis slice images of the subject.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a collimator attached to the x-ray source array and comprising a plurality of openings, wherein each of the plurality of openings is configured to collimate radiation generated from a corresponding focal spot on an anode of the x-ray source array into a cone beam that substantially illuminates the area x-ray detector.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one physiological signal comprises a respiratory signal, such that a full tomosynthesis scan is completed either within a single respiratory cycle or over multiple respiratory cycles of the subject.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the physiological gating apparatus is configured to monitor at least two physiological signals, the two physiological signals including a respiratory signal and a cardiac signal, and wherein either one or both signals are gated to trigger acquisition of the x-ray projection images of the subject from the different viewing angles.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the x-ray source array comprises a distributed multiple beam carbon nanotube cold cathode array.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an anti-scattering grid, placed in a plane substantially parallel to and in between the subject and the area x-ray detector, wherein a plurality of openings disposed on the anti-scattering grid are focused to linearly distribute one or more focal spot on an anode of the x-ray source array.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the x-ray source array comprises a central x-ray source array with varying focal spot size and permissible power for different focal spot on an anode of the x-ray source array.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the x-ray source array comprises a cylindrical anode configured to rotate around a central rotational axis.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing platform is configured to control the x-ray pixels of the x-ray source array in order to perform dual energy or multiple energy tomosynthesis imaging.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing platform further comprises a module configured to determine a number of projection views, angular coverage, x-ray energy, and image radiation dose based on a scout view image of the subject taken prior to a tomosynthesis scan.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the x-ray source array comprises approximately between 3 and 90 x-ray focal spots covering one or more viewing angle between approximately 10 degrees and 90 degrees.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a stationary digital chest tomosynthesis (s-DCT) imaging system for lung cancer imaging applications.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a position sensing device configured to interface with the computing platform to determine a relative position of the area x-ray detector with respect to the x-ray source array.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the position sensing device comprises one or more emitter disposed on the area x-ray detector and one or more receiver disposed on the x-ray source array, and wherein the one or more emitter is configured to emit a signal and the one or more receiver is configured to detect the signal.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the position sensing device comprises one or more emitter and one or more receiver both disposed on the x-ray source array, and wherein the one or more receiver is configured to detect a signal emitted by the one or more emitter that is reflected by a structure disposed on the area x-ray detector.

17. A method for stationary x-ray digital tomosynthesis imaging, the method comprising:

providing a stationary x-ray source array comprising an array of spatially distributed x-ray pixels configured to generate x-ray beams at different viewing angles relative to a subject to be imaged that is stationary, and providing a stationary area x-ray detector positioned substantially parallel to a plane of the x-ray source array and configured to record x-ray projection images of the subject from the different viewing angles for tomosynthesis reconstruction;

monitoring, by a physiological gating apparatus, at least one physiological signal of the subject, the physiological gating apparatus defining a physiological phase and a time window based on the at least one physiological signal during which the x-ray projection images of the subject from the different viewing angles are acquirable;

activating, by the computing platform, the x-ray pixels upon receiving the at least one physiological signal in order to synchronize x-ray exposure with the at least one physiological signal of the subject; and

recording x-ray projection images of the subject from the different viewing angles.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising processing, by a module of the computing platform, acquired x-ray projection images of the subject from the different viewing angles and reconstruct one or more three dimensional (3D) tomosynthesis slice images of the subject.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one physiological signal comprises a respiratory signal, such that a full tomosynthesis scan is completed either within a single respiratory cycle or over multiple respiratory cycles of the subject.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising monitoring at least two physiological signals, the two physiological signals including a respiratory signal and a cardiac signal, and wherein either one or both signals are gated to trigger acquisition of the x-ray projection images of the subject from the different viewing angles.

21. A method of producing fast tomography images of a human chest or torso, the method comprising:

providing an x-ray source array configured to generate cone-beam x-ray radiation from an array of spatially distributed x-ray focal spots;

collimating the x-ray radiation from each of the x-ray focal spots of the x-ray source array to a region of interest in an area x-ray detector;

detecting and collecting projection images of an object with a primary beam sampling apparatus placed in between the x-ray source array and the area x-ray detector;

estimating and subtracting a scatter signal profile of the object from the projection images; and

reconstructing tomography images based on projection images with a reduced scatter signal.

22. A method of producing one or more images of an object using at least one of monochromatic and quasi-monochromatic x-ray beams, the method comprising:

providing field emission x-ray sources with spatially distributed focal spots with respect to an object to be imaged;

irradiating the object with at least one of monochromatic and quasi-monochromatic x-ray beams produced by the x-ray sources to generate projection images of the object;

detecting the projection images of the object; and

reconstructing one or more displayable images of the object based on the projection images of the object.