Radiation image generating system and method
First Claim
1. A system for providing planar and tomographic views of portions of a patient'"'"'s anatomy, said system having an X-ray source for generating planar X-ray transmission images of portions of a patient'"'"'s anatomy, said system comprising:
- computer means for acquisition and digital processing of said planar X-ray transmission images; and
,radiation image detecting means for detecting said planar X-ray transmission images and converting said planar X-ray transmission images to planar computer-grabbable images for processing by said computer means,said radiation image detecting means including;
an area solid state camera for detecting light images and for providing electronic signals corresponding to said light images to said computer means, said camera having a planar array of a plurality of discrete light detectors and means for cooling thereof below ambient temperatures, said planar array comprising charge coupled devices, andmeans for passively converting said planar X-ray transmission images to planar light images detectable by said solid state camera,a folded optical path between said means for passively converting and said area solid state camera, said folded optical path having a mirror disposed therealong, said path being folded substantially orthogonally by said mirror,said computer means including;
means for storing, reconstructing, and visually displaying planar images detected by said area solid state camera, andmeans for constructing a plurality of tomographic views form planar light images that have been detected by said solid state camera during relative rotation between a patient and said radiation image detecting means and for storing, reconstructing, and visually displaying said tomographic views, each of said plurality of tomographic views being representative of a different section plane through the patient'"'"'s anatomy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A radiation image generating system for providing planar and tomographic views of portions of a patient'"'"'s anatomy for use in radiation therapy procedures comprises a fluoroscopic simulator apparatus having a radiation source; a computer system for acquisition and processing of radiation transmission images; a manual input; display and storage devices for such images; means for simulation of an irradiation beam; and, apparatus for the cutting of blocker contour templates, blocker patterns and blockers. The system provides planar transmission images and tomographic views associated and correlated therewith. The system'"'"'s radiation image detecting means includes an area solid state camera having a planar detector array that is cooled below ambient temperatures. The system further includes means for passively converting radiation transmission images into light images for detection by the camera. The system and method of the invention can provide a plurality of tomographic views from a rotational scan of the patient and it can provide three-dimensional in-depth views that can be displayed also while being rotated about an axis.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A system for providing planar and tomographic views of portions of a patient'"'"'s anatomy, said system having an X-ray source for generating planar X-ray transmission images of portions of a patient'"'"'s anatomy, said system comprising:
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computer means for acquisition and digital processing of said planar X-ray transmission images; and
,radiation image detecting means for detecting said planar X-ray transmission images and converting said planar X-ray transmission images to planar computer-grabbable images for processing by said computer means, said radiation image detecting means including; an area solid state camera for detecting light images and for providing electronic signals corresponding to said light images to said computer means, said camera having a planar array of a plurality of discrete light detectors and means for cooling thereof below ambient temperatures, said planar array comprising charge coupled devices, and means for passively converting said planar X-ray transmission images to planar light images detectable by said solid state camera, a folded optical path between said means for passively converting and said area solid state camera, said folded optical path having a mirror disposed therealong, said path being folded substantially orthogonally by said mirror, said computer means including; means for storing, reconstructing, and visually displaying planar images detected by said area solid state camera, and means for constructing a plurality of tomographic views form planar light images that have been detected by said solid state camera during relative rotation between a patient and said radiation image detecting means and for storing, reconstructing, and visually displaying said tomographic views, each of said plurality of tomographic views being representative of a different section plane through the patient'"'"'s anatomy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for providing planar and tomographic views of portions of a patient'"'"'s anatomy comprising the steps of:
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generating planar radiation transmission images of selected portions of a patient'"'"'s anatomy and projecting said planar transmission images upon an image-plane of a converter; passively converting said planar radiation transmission images in said converter to planar light images; detecting said planar light images by an area solid state camera and thereby converting said planar light images to electronic image signals, said step of detecting including cooling of at least an image detector portion of said area solid state camera below ambient temperatures, said converter and said area solid state camera having an optical path here between, the sep of detecting including folding said optical path substantially orthogonally by a mirror; acquiring, processing, and storing said electronic image signals by computer means; reconstructing planar display views form said electronic image signals by said computer means; displaying said planar display views on visual display means of said computer means; constructing tomographic views by said computer means from said electronic image signals that correspond to said planar light images, each of said tomographic views being representative of a different section plane through the patient'"'"'s anatomy; and
,displaying said tomographic views on visual display means of said computer means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for generating irradiation blockers, said system including an irradiation simulator having an X-ray source for generating planar X-ray transmission images of selected portions of a patient'"'"'s anatomy, said system comprising:
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computer means for acquisition and digital processing of said planar x-ray transmission images; radiation image detecting means of detecting said planar X-ray transmission images and converting said planar X-ray transmission images to computer-grabbable images for processing by said computer means, said radiation image detecting means including; an area solid state camera for detecting planar light images and for providing electronic signals corresponding to said planar light images to said computer means, and means for passively converting said planar X-ray transmission images to planar light images detectable by said area solid state camera; and
,a folded optical path between said means for passively converting and said area solid state camera, said folded optical path having a mirror disposed therealong, said path being folded substantially orthogonally by said mirror; said computer means including; means for storing, reconstructing, and visually displaying said planar light images detected by said area solid state camera, means for constructing tomographic views from said planar light images detected by said area solid state camera and for storing, reconstructing, and visually displaying said tomographic views, each of said tomographic views being representative of a different section plane through the patient'"'"'s anatomy, means for receiving manual inputs to superimpose blocker projection and intersection outlines thereof with said planar images an said tomographic views, respectively, upon displayed said planar display views and displayed said tomographic views, respectively, and means for generating cutter control signals form said blocker projection outlines; and
,means for cutting a blocker or blocker pattern corresponding to said blocker projection outlines under control of said means for generating. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of generating an irradiation blocker in the course of irradiation simulation procedures comprising the steps of:
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generating planar radiation transmission images of selected portions of a patient'"'"'s anatomy and projecting said transmission images upon an image-plane of a converter; passively converting said planar radiation transmission images in said converter to planar light images; detecting said planar light images by an area solid state camera and thereby converting said planar light images to electronic image signals, said step of detecting including cooling of at least an image detector portion of said area solid state camera below ambient temperatures, said are solid state camera and said converter having an optical path therebetween; folding said optical path substantially orthogonally by a mirror; acquiring, processing, and storing said electronic image signals by computer means; reconstructing planar display views form said electronic image signals by said computer means; displaying said planar display views on visual display means of said computer means; constructing tomographic views from said electronic image signals by said computer means; displaying said tomographic views on visual display means of said computer means; receiving manual inputs of blocker information by said computer means; and
,superimposing blocker projection outlines and blocker projection intersection lines upon side planar display views and upon said tomographic views, respectively, in coordinated manner under control of said computer means. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for providing planar and tomographic views of portions of a patient'"'"'s anatomy comprising the steps of:
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transmitting gradiation from a source thereof along preselected mutually coplanar radiation centerline directions through said portions of a patient'"'"'s anatomy onto a planar screen of a passive image converter an thereby projecting planar radiation transmission images of said portions onto said screen, said directions intersecting centrically an axis of relative rotation between said patient'"'"'s anatomy and said source together with said planar screen, said transmitting being effected substantially along an iso-center axis that intersects said planar screen orthogonally; passively converting said planar radiation transmission images into planar light images by said passive image converter; viewing and acquiring said planar light images by an area solid state camera and therein converting said planar light images to electronic image signals, said camera and said image converter having an optical path therebetween, said step of viewing and acquiring including cooling of at least an image detector portion of said area solid state camera below ambient temperatures; storing said electronic image signals in computer means; selectively reconstructing planar display views corresponding to predetermined ones of said planar light images from said electronic image signals by said computer means and displaying said planar display views; and
,selectively constructing at least two tomographic views form said electronic image signals by said computer means and displaying said at least two tomographic views, said at least two tomographic views including one view at the plane in which said mutually coplanar radiation centerline directions are located, said at least two tomographic views including further at least one view at a plane that is substantially parallel to said plane in which said mutually coplanar radiation center line directions are located. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification