X-ray imaging apparatus and method

• US 7,382,859 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsujii, Osamu, Nokita, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Allen C.
• Application Number:
  US10/873,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20040258204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 378/98.8, 378/91, 378/114, 378/115, 378/116, 378/117, 378/189, 378/190, 378/191, 250/370.09
• US Class Current: 378/98.8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/585 Calibration of detector units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/30 for generating image signals from X-rays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/32 Transforming X-rays cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from X-rays H04N23/30; circuitry of SSIS for transforming X-rays into image signals H04N25/30

Abstract

Since a notification unit (130) notifies a radiographer of the driving state of an X-ray detector (110), he/she can identify that the X-ray detector (110) is set in a detection signal accumulation state. When the irradiation button of an X-ray generation apparatus is then pressed, a subject can be irradiated with X-rays.

Claims

1. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:

an X-ray detector which detects X-rays irradiated from an X-ray source;

a detector control unit which controls the X-ray detector to repeatedly execute a charge accumulation of the X-ray detector and execute a charge removal of the X-ray detector before X-rays are irradiated in response to ON-state of an irradiation designation member; and

a notification unit which notifies an operator of a period to execute the charge accumulation before X-rays are irradiated in response to ON-state of an irradiation designation member by light emitted from a light-emitting unit on a housing of the X-ray detector, from an end of a charge removal of the X-ray detector to a start of a next charge removal of the X-ray detector in accordance with a control of the X-ray detector by the detector control unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an X-ray irradiation detection unit which detects a start and/or an end of X-ray irradiation,

wherein the detector control unit controls the X-ray detector by a detection signal from the X-ray irradiation detection unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising another X-ray detector which detects the start and/or the end of X-ray irradiation.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a nondestructive read unit in the X-ray detector,

wherein the start and/or the end of X-ray irradiation is detected on the basis of image data read out nondestructively.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the X-ray irradiation detection unit detects the end of X-ray irradiation, an accumulation time in accumulating the detection signal from the X-ray detector is detected, and the accumulation time is set as an accumulation time for data for dark current correction.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an idling cycle of repeating the charge removal and charge accumulation of the X-ray detector is ended at the detection of the start of X-ray irradiation, and the accumulated charges are read out when the X-ray irradiation detection unit detects the end of X-ray irradiation.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driving start unit which starts driving the X-ray detector and sets the X-ray detector in an accumulation state.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the X-ray detector is so driven as to generate an accumulation state for an X-ray image once in one imaging cycle, and before the accumulation state is set, the notification unit notifies in advance that the X-ray detector will be set in the accumulation state.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit generates a signal which distinguishably notifies that the X-ray detector is set in an accumulation state in which X-ray irradiation is possible and that the X-ray detector is set in an accumulation preparation state in which X-ray irradiation is impossible.

10. A processing method for imaging X-rays comprising using an X-ray imaging apparatus having an X-ray detector which detects X-rays irradiated from an X-ray source, the method comprising;

a detector control step of controlling the X-ray detector to repeatedly execute a charge accumulation of the X-ray detector and execute a charge removal of the X-ray detector before X-rays are irradiated in response to ON-state of an irradiation designation member; and

a notification step of notifying an operator of a period to execute the charge accumulation before X-rays are irradiated in response to ON-state of an irradiation designation member by light emitted from a light-emitting unit on a housing of the X-ray detector, from an end of a charge removal of the X-ray detector to a start of a next charge removal of the X-ray detector in accordance with a control of the X-ray detector by the detector control step.

11. A processor-readable medium by storing a program for executing a processing method for imaging X-rays by a processor of an X-ray imaging apparatus, having an X-ray detector to detect X-rays irradiated from an X-ray source, the method comprising;

a detector control step of controlling the X-ray detector to repeatedly execute a charge accumulation of the X-ray detector and to execute a charge removal of the X-ray detector before X-rays are irradiated in response to ON-state of an irradiation designation member; and

a notification step of notifying an operator of a period to execute the charge accumulation before X-rays are irradiated in response to ON-state of an irradiation designation member by light emitted from a light-emitting unit on a housing of the X-ray detector, from an end of a charge removal of the X-ray detector to a start of a next charge removal of the X-ray detector in accordance with a control of the X-ray detector by the detector control step.

12. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:

an X-ray detector which detects X-rays irradiated from an X-ray source;

a detector control unit which controls the X-ray detector to repeatedly execute a charge accumulation of the X-ray detector and execute a charge removal of the X-ray detector before X-rays are irradiated in response to ON-state of an irradiation designation member; and

a notification unit which notifies an operator of a period to execute the charge accumulation before X-rays are irradiated in response to ON-state of an irradiation designation member by generating sound or vibration through a wireless communication unit, from an end of a charge removal of the X-ray detector to a start of a next charge removal of the X-ray detector in accordance with a control of the X-ray detector by the detector control unit.

13. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:

an X-ray detector which detects X-rays irradiated from an X-ray source;

a detector control unit which controls the X-ray detector to repeatedly execute a charge accumulation of the X-ray detector and execute a charge removal of the X-ray detector before X-rays are irradiated in response to ON-state of an irradiation designation member; and

a notification unit which notifies an operator of a period to execute the charge accumulation before X-rays are irradiated in response to ON-state of an irradiation designation member by generating one of sound and vibration through a wired communication unit, from an end of a charge removal of the X-ray detector to a start of a next charge removal of the X-ray detector in accordance with a control of the X-ray detector by the detector control unit.