Radiographic imaging control apparatus and method for controlling the same

• US 7,659,533 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Endo, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taningco; Marcus H
• Application Number:
  US12/115,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20080277605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 250/370.09, 250/580, 378/108
• US Class Current: 250/580
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/542 involving control of exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10121 Fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/20 using local operators
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/70 Denoising; Smoothing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/92 based on global image properties

Abstract

A radiographic imaging control apparatus includes an input unit configured to input a radiographic image from a sensor that detects radiant ray, and a control unit configured to cause a radiant ray generation apparatus to decrease the flux of radiant ray from a predetermined maximum value to a predetermined minimum value as time passes when the radiant ray generation apparatus irradiates the sensor with radiant ray.

Claims

1. A radiographic imaging control apparatus comprising:

an input unit configured to input a radiographic image from a sensor that detects radiant rays;

a control unit configured to cause a radiant ray generation apparatus to decrease a flux of radiant rays from an upper-limit level to a lower-limit level as time passes when the radiant ray generation apparatus irradiates the sensor with radiant rays; and

an image correction unit configured to increase a correction amount for image correction processing as time passes when the control unit causes the radiant ray generation apparatus to decrease the flux of radiant rays.

2. The radiographic imaging control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation unit configured to increase the flux of radiant rays emitted from the radiant ray generation apparatus,

wherein the control unit causes the radiant ray generation apparatus to restore the flux of radiant rays to a value smaller than the upper-limit level in response to operator input.

3. The radiographic imaging control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit resets the lower-limit level to a present value of the flux of radiant rays in response to an external input.

4. A radiant ray imaging apparatus comprising:

a radiant ray generating unit;

a radiant ray imaging unit configured to provide an image of at least part of a subject formed by radiant rays;

a control unit operable to cause a radiant ray generation apparatus to decrease a flux of radiant rays from an upper-limit level to a lower-limit level as time passes when the radiant ray generation apparatus irradiates the radiant ray imaging unit with radiant rays;

an image processing unit configured to process radiant ray images;

an image correction unit configured to increase a correction amount for image correction processing as time passes when the control unit causes the radiant ray generation apparatus to decrease the flux of radiant rays; and

a display unit configured to display radiant ray images.

5. A method for controlling a radiographic imaging control apparatus, the method comprising

decreasing a flux of radiant rays from an upper-limit level value to a lower-limit level as time passes when a sensor is irradiated with radiant rays;

increasing a correction amount for image correction processing as time passes when the flux of radiant rays is decreased; and

inputting a radiographic image from the sensor.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising restoring the flux of radiant rays to a value smaller than the upper-limit level in response to an external input.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising resetting the lower-limit level to a present value of the flux of radiant rays in response to an external input.

8. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program, the program causing a computer to control a radiographic imaging control apparatus, the program comprising:

decreasing the flux of radiant ray from an upper-limit level to a lower-limit level as time passes when a sensor is irradiated with radiant rays;

increasing a correction amount for image correction processing as time passes when the flux of radiant rays is decreased; and

inputting a radiographic image from the sensor.

9. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the program further comprises restoring the flux of radiant ray to a value smaller than the upper-limit level in response to an external input.

10. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the program further comprises resetting the lower-limit level to a present value of the flux of radiant ray in response to an external input.