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Apparatus for performing dual energy medical imaging

  • US 4,887,604 A
  • Filed: 05/16/1988
  • Issued: 12/19/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A dual energy medical imaging system for imaging a body part through which a radio-opaque dye is flowing, said dye having a predetermined K-edge energy level, comprising:

  • an electron beam target having a target surface which, when excited by a high-energy electron beam, generates a radiation output having strong K.sub.α

    lines at energy levels slightly above and slightly below the K-edge energy level of the dye;

    means for appling an electron beam to excite said target, said beam having sufficient energy to provide a high photon yield at the K.sub.α

    line energy levels and sufficient power to obtain the photon fluence required for a medical imaging application;

    filter means for selectively either filtering or passing unfiltered at least one of the K.sub.α

    lines in the radiation output from the excited target surface;

    an x-ray detector;

    means for passing the output of said filter means with both said at least one K.sub.α

    line filtered and said at least one K.sub.α

    line unfiltered through the body part being imaged to said x-ray detector; and

    means for processing the energy received at the detector in response to the filtered and unfiltered outputs from the filtering means to obtain an image of the body part.

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