METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN X-RAY IMAGE

• US 20160166226A1
• Filed: 07/15/2014
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH (Sirona Dental Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH (Sirona Dental Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Abkai, Ciamak, Lindenberg, Kai
• Granted Patent: US 10,052,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0492 using markers or indicia for aiding patient positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4435 the source unit and the detector unit being coupled by a rigid structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/501 for diagnosis of the head, e.g. neuroimaging or craniography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/52 Devices using data or image processing specially adapted for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5294 involving using additional data, e.g. patient information, image labeling, acquisition parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/584 determining position of components of the apparatus or device using images of the phantom
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/589 Setting distance between source unit and patient

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing an x-ray image (1) of an object (2) by means of an x-ray device (3). An x-ray source (4) and an x-ray detector (5) are moved about an object (2) during an at least partial circulation (8, 9), and the x-ray beams (10) which are generated by the x-ray source (4) and pass through the object (2) are detected from multiple different directions by means of the x-ray detector (5). In the process, at least one optical camera (13, 14) captures the object (2) during the circulation, wherein an optical image (15, 17) is produced. The optical camera (13, 14) has a rigidly defined position relative to the x-ray source (4) and/or the x-ray detector (5). The optical image (15, 17) is then used to determine a movement trajectory of the object (2) relative to the x-ray source (4) and/or the x-ray detector (5).

Claims

1. A method for creating an x-ray image of an object by means of an x-ray device, wherein during one at least partial circulation, an x-ray source and an x-ray detector are moved around the object, wherein the x-ray beams generated by the x-ray source and passing through the object are detected from several different directions by means of the x-ray detector, characterized in that at least one optical camera records the object during the circulation, and at least one first optical image is created, wherein the at least one optical camera has a known and defined positional relationship to the x-ray source and/or to the x-ray detector, wherein the at least one first optical image is used to determine a movement trajectory of the x-ray detector relative to the object, wherein the at least one optical camera is fixedly mounted on the x-ray detector.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the x-ray source and the x-ray detector are mounted on a carrying arm, wherein the first optical image is used to additionally determine a deformation of the carrying arm during the circulation.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement trajectory determined for the x-ray source, and/or the x-ray detector relative to the object, is used to calculate a three-dimensional x-ray image from a plurality of two-dimensional x-ray images which were detected from different directions by means of the x-ray detector.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in addition to the first optical camera, a second optical camera records the object during the circulation, and a second optical image is thereby created, wherein the two optical cameras have a known and defined positional relationship to one another.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that optical marks, which can be detected by means of the optical camera, are applied to the object.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that prominent structures of the object are detected to determine the positional relationship of the object relative to the x-ray source and/or to the x-ray detector.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the optical marks on the object and/or the prominent structures of the object are recognized by using pattern recognition algorithms in the at least one first optical image.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

an x-ray source constructed to emit x-ray beams towards an object;

an x-ray detector constructed to detect x-ray beams; and

an optical camera mounted on the x-ray detector with a known and defined positional relationship to the x-ray source and/or to the x-ray detector,

wherein the x-ray source and the x-ray detector are configured to at least partially rotate about the object,

wherein at least a portion of the x-ray beams emitted by the x-ray source pass through the object and are detected from different directions by the x-ray detector,

wherein the optical camera records the object during the at least partial rotation to create at least one first optical image, and

wherein the at least one first optical image is used to determine a movement trajectory of the x-ray detector relative to the object.