X-ray scanning system

• US 8,085,897 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rapiscan Systems Incorporated (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Rapiscan Systems Incorporated (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Morton, Edward James
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun, Jurie
• Application Number:
  US12/697,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20100195788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 378/4, 378/9, 378/10, 378/19
• US Class Current: 378/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/027 characterised by the use of a particular data acquisition trajectory, e.g. helical or spiral
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4028 resulting in acquisition of views from substantially different positions, e.g. EBCT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4085 Cone-beams
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5235 combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/419 computed tomograph
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/612 biological material
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2985 In depth localisation, e.g. using positron emitters; Tomographic imaging (longitudinal and transverse section imaging; apparatus for radiation diagnosis sequentially in different planes, steroscopic radiation diagnosis); using external radiation sources A61B6/02

Abstract

An X-ray scanner comprises an array (12) of X-ray detectors (16) arranged in cylindrical configuration around an imaging volume (28), and a multi-focus X-ray source (20) which extends in a helical configuration around the outside of the detector array (12). A helical gap (24) in the detector array (12) allows X-rays from the source (20) to pass through the patient (26) in the imaging volume (28), and onto the detectors (16) on the opposite side of the scanner. The source (20) is controlled so that the X-rays are produced from a number of source points along the helical locus (23) to produce a tomographic image. As the patient is stationary and the source point varied electrically, the scanning rate is sufficient to produce a series of images which can be displayed as a real time three-dimensional video image.

Claims

1. An X-ray imaging system for generating a three-dimensional image of an object that is positioned within an imaging volume having a central axis defined by a length comprising:

a detector array comprising a plurality of rings of detector elements, wherein each of said plurality of rings encompasses a portion of said imaging volume, each of said plurality of rings has a length parallel to said central axis, and the length of the central axis is greater than the length of each one of said plurality of rings; and

a stationary X-ray source comprising an anode with more than one source point, wherein the more than one source point are positioned behind said detector array relative to the imaging volume, wherein said detector elements detect X-rays which are from the more than one source point and which have passed through at least one slot in said detector array and into the imaging volume, wherein data from the detector array is used to produce said three dimensional image of said object within the imaging volume, and wherein a three dimensional image of the entire imaging volume is obtained without moving said object.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the detector array is substantially cylindrical.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one slot in said detector array extends along at least a portion of a length of said detector array.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of said more than one source point are aligned with said slot.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the source points are arranged to follow a three-dimensional locus around the imaging volume.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the locus passes through substantially every plane of the imaging volume.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller for scanning the imaging volume by activating each of the source points.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said controller causes image data sets to be collected.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said controller causes said three-dimensional image to be produced from the data sets.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller scans the imaging volume repeatedly to produce consecutive images.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a display for displaying the consecutive images to produce a real-time video image.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller activates one of the source points to produce a planar image of the object and to store the planar image for display.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller, wherein the controller activates one of the source points repeatedly to produce a series of planar images and displays the planar images in sequence to produce a planar video image.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein a controller alternates between a first mode in which it produces a planar image data set and a second mode in which it produces a tomographic image data set.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller subsequently processes the data sets to produce a combined image data set.