Method of producing tomograms with x-rays or similarly penetrating radiation

• US 4,340,816 A
• Filed: 07/19/1979
• Issued: 07/20/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schott, Ottfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Church, Craig E.
• Application Number:
  US06/058,869
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 250/445 T, 313/56
• US Class Current: 378/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/025 Tomosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4028 resulting in acquisition of views from substantially different positions, e.g. EBCT

Abstract

In an illustrated embodiment a plurality of radiation sources are arranged to define a scanning path and the sources are successively actuated to produce successively operative beams each of duration sufficient to be recorded, for example by means of a conventional moving photographic cassette. For the case of a linear scan path, an elongated anode may have a succession of continuously energized cathodes, each cathode having an associated blocking screen and being momentarily actuated by removal of the blocking potential. The successive cathodes are actuated in synchronism with the movement of a film cassette, for example, in any suitable manner, or electronic image storage may be utilized in the form of a stationary array of photodetector elements and the required number of arrays of storage units, with electronic sequencing control.

Claims

1. A tomographic system for producing tomograms of a body with X-rays, said tomographic system comprising X-ray source means for producing X-ray beams for scanning a subject under examination, a recording device for registering the intensity of the X-ray beams which issue from the subject under examination during a scanning operation, said X-ray source means comprising a multiplicity of X-ray beam sources, and scanning means for successive switching-on of the X-ray beam sources to produce the X-ray beams which scan the subject such that a tomographic layer image can be produced with the aid of said recording device, said beam sources being arranged along a scanning path and being consecutively switched on by said scanning means in a selectable sequence and with a duration necessary for actuation of the recording device, means causing said recording device to be aligned with the respective switched on X-ray beam sources so as to receive the consecutively switched on X-ray beams therefrom, said X-ray sources having a vacuum envelope and being formed by an anode within said envelope extending along said scanning path and at least five cathodes within said envelope and disposed in operative relation to successive portions of said anode, and said scanning means comprising a switching grid connected to control emission of electrons from each cathode to the associated portion of the anode, said vacuum envelope comprising a single vacuum envelope, said anode comprising a single elongated anode element in said single vacuum envelope, the successive cathodes being disposed in said single vacuum envelope in adjacent relation to successive portions of said single elongated anode element, and the successive cathodes having a special interval from one another of not more than five centimeters.

2. A tomographic system according to claim 1, characterized in that a photographic film enclosed in a lightproof envelope is utilized as the recording device, with means for moving the photographic film with said movement being synchronous with the consecutive actuation of the successive switching grids to effect tomographic scanning.

3. A tomographic system according to claim 1, characterized in said recording device comprising a measuring probe for converting the X-ray beams into electric measurement results.

4. A tomographic system according to claim 1, characterized in said measuring probe comprising a series of photodetector elements aligned with the respective X-ray sources to receive the respective successively actuated X-ray beams.