Method and apparatus for triggering image acquisition in a C-arm system by a rotary encoder

• US 7,278,786 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Wiegert, Jens, Fiedler, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun; Jurie
• Application Number:
  US10/555,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20070015986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 378 4- 20, 378/205, 378/62, 378/114, 378/115, 378/197, 250/231.13
• US Class Current: 378/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device

Abstract

Method of generating an image of an object by means of an imaging system which has a radiation source that rotates relative to the object about an axis of rotation within a defined rotation angle range, said radiation source projecting radiation onto a radiation detector in order to record projection data, wherein at predefinable relative rotation angle positions of the radiation source a signal projection data is generated, and also apparatus for carrying out this method.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a c-arm that rotates within a limited rotation angle range about an object to be imaged;

a radiation source coupled to said c-arm, said radiation source projecting radiation onto a radiation detector in order to record projection data; and

a plurality of rotation angle sensors, comprising one or more fixed angle sensors and one or more moving angle sensors, wherein a signal for recording of the projection data is generated when select rotation angle sensors align.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotation angle sensors are mechanical, electrical, optical and/or electromechanical angle sensors.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed angle sensors or the moving angular sensors are positioned with the same angular spacings.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the select rotation angle sensors align at predefined intervals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the select rotation angle sensors align at predetermined fixed positions.

6. A method for imaging an object with an x-ray imaging apparatus that rotates within a limited angle range about the object to be imaged comprising:

providing a radiation source coupled to the x-ray imaging apparatus;

projecting radiation onto a radiation detector in order to record projection data;

providing a plurality of rotation angle sensors, comprising one or more fixed angle sensors and one or more moving angle sensors; and

recording the projection data when select rotation angle sensors align.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the rotation angle sensors are mechanical, electrical, optical and/or electromechanical angle sensors.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the select rotation angle sensors align at predetermined fixed positions.