Systems and methods for generating images by using monochromatic x-rays

• US 7,027,553 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dunham, Bruce Matthew, Price, John Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SANEI, MONA M
• Application Number:
  US10/747,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20050147199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 378/62, 378/4, 378/119, 378/5, 378/16
• US Class Current: 378/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4241 using energy resolving detectors, e.g. photon counting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/482 involving multiple energy imaging
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 2/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays, not involving X-ray tubes, e.g. involving generation of a plasma X-ray lasers H01S4/00

Abstract

A system for generating images by using monochromatic x-rays is described. The system includes an accelerator configured to increase energy of an electron beam, at least one detector element configured to receive x-rays having multiple energies generated by interaction of the electron beam with at least one laser beam, and an image reconstructor configured to reconstruct at least one image by processing the x-rays.

Claims

1. A system for generating images by using monochromatic x-rays, said system comprising:

an accelerator configured to increase energy of an electron beam;

at least one detector element configured to receive x-rays having multiple energies generated by interaction of the electron beam with at least two laser beams, and one of the at least two laser beams has a wavelength that is different than a wavelength of remaining of the at least two laser beams; and

an image reconstructor configured to reconstruct at least one image by processing the x-rays.

2. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 1 wherein the multiple energies are generated by one of:

changing a wavelength of one of the at least two laser beams; and

changing energy of the electron beam.

3. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 1 wherein one of the at least two laser beams interacts with the electron beam and then remaining one of the at least two laser beams interacts with the electron beam.

4. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 1 wherein the x-rays have an energy ranging from ten to two-hundred kilo electron volts.

5. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 1 wherein said accelerator and said at least one detector element are mounted within a gantry that is configured to rotate around an object, wherein said gantry rotates to penetrate the x-rays through the object at varying angles, said at least one detector element is configured to receive at least one attenuated radiation beam as said gantry rotates around the object, and said image reconstructor is configured to reconstruct the image by processing information within the attenuated radiation beam.

6. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 1 wherein one of the at least two laser beams are directed toward the electron beam at an angle ranging from zero degrees to ninety degrees.

7. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one detector element is configured to distinguish between the multiple energies of the x-rays.

8. A system for generating images by using monochromatic x-rays, said system comprising:

an accelerator configured to accelerate an electron beam received from a gun; and

at least one detector element configured to receive x-rays generated by interaction of the electron beam with at least two laser beams, wherein one of the at least two laser beams has a different wavelength than a wavelength of remaining of the at least two laser beams; and

an image reconstructor configured to reconstruct at least one image by processing the x-rays.

9. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 8 wherein the electron beam simultaneously interacts with the at least two laser beams.

10. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 8 wherein one of the at least two laser beams interacts with the electron beam and then remaining one of the at least two laser beams interacts with the electron beam.

11. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 8 wherein one of the at least two laser beams has an energy that is different than energies of remaining of the at least two laser beams.

12. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 8 wherein the x-rays have an energy ranging from ten to two-hundred kilo electron volts.

13. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 8 wherein said accelerator, said gun and said at least one detector element are mounted within a gantry that is configured to rotate around an object, wherein said gantry rotates to penetrate the x-rays through the object at varying angles, and said at least one detector element detector element is configured to receive at least one attenuated radiation beam as said gantry rotates around the object.

14. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 8 wherein one of the at least two laser beams are directed toward the electron beam at an angle ranging from zero degrees to ninety degrees.

15. A system for generating images in accordance with claim 8 wherein said at least one detector element is configured to distinguish between different energies of the x-rays.

16. A method for generating images by using monochromatic x-rays, said method comprising:

accelerating an electron beam;

generating x-rays having multiple energies by interaction of the electron beam with at least two laser beams, and one of the at least two laser beams has a wavelength that is different than a wavelength of remaining of the at least two laser beams; and

reconstructing at least one image by processing the x-rays.

17. A method for generating images in accordance with claim 16 further comprising simultaneously interacting the electron beam with the at least two laser beams.

18. A method for generating images in accordance with claim 16 further comprising interacting one of the at least two laser beams with the electron beam before interacting remaining one of the at least two laser beams with the electron beam.

19. A method for generating images in accordance with claim 16 further comprising directing one of the at least two laser beams toward the electron beam at an angle ranging from zero degrees to ninety degrees.