X-ray imaging apparatus and X-ray imaging method

• US 8,509,382 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2010
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Mukaide, Taihei, Takada, Kazuhiro, Fukuda, Kazunori, Watanabe, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, HOON K
• Application Number:
  US13/125,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20110206184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 378/62, 378/53, 378/36, 378/87, 378/51
• US Class Current: 378/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/06 Diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4233 using matrix detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/484 involving phase contrast X-ray imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/041 Phase-contrast imaging, e.g. using grating interferometers
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/06 using diffraction, refraction or reflection, e.g. monochromators G21K1/10, G21K7/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 2207/005 Methods and devices obtaining contrast from non-absorbing interaction of the radiation with matter, e.g. phase contrast

Abstract

The invention is aimed to provide an X-ray imaging apparatus and the like ensuring a sufficient range of detecting the amount of X-ray movement with respect to the pixel size of a detector in comparison with the method disclosed in International Publication No. WO2008/029107. The X-ray imaging apparatus of the present invention has a splitting element which spatially linearly splits an X-ray; and a shielding unit which shields a part of the X-ray which is split by the splitting element and whose position is changed by a test object. The shielding unit has a region transmitting an X-ray and a region having a shielding element shielding an X-ray. A dividing line between the X-ray transmitting region and the region having the shielding element is configured to be arranged obliquely so as to cross the linearly split X-ray.

Claims

1. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:

a splitting element which spatially linearly splits an X-ray generated from an X-ray generating unit;

a shielding unit which shields a part of the X-ray which is split by the splitting element and whose position is changed by a test object; and

a detecting unit which detects an intensity of the X-ray transmitted through the shielding unit,

wherein the shielding unit has a region transmitting an X-ray and a region having a shielding element shielding an X-ray; and

a dividing line between the X-ray transmitting region and the region having the shielding element is configured to be arranged obliquely so as to cross the linearly split X-ray.

2. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a calculating unit which calculates one of an X-ray transmittance image, a differential phase contrast image, and a phase contrast image of the test object from an X-ray intensity change detected by the detecting unit.

3. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding unit includes:

a first region having the X-ray transmitting region and the region having the shielding element; and

a second region having a region transmitting an X-ray and a region having a shielding element, which are configured such that a change in X-ray intensity with respect to X-ray positional change occurs in a direction opposite to that of the first region, and

wherein the first region and the second region are arranged alternately.

4. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding unit includes:

a first region having the X-ray transmitting region and the region having the shielding element; and

a second region having only a region transmitting an X-ray, and

wherein the first region and the second region are arranged alternately.

5. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a line width of a linear X-ray linearly split by the splitting element is smaller than the width of the shielding element.

6. An X-ray imaging method of spatially linearly splitting an X-ray by a splitting element and detecting an X-ray intensity change occurring when the split linear X-ray is transmitted through a test object, the X-ray imaging method comprising the steps of:

detecting the X-ray transmitted through the test object by a detecting unit through a shielding unit; and

calculating a differential phase from an X-ray intensity change detected by the detecting unit,

wherein the shielding unit has a region transmitting an X-ray and a region having a shielding element; and

a dividing line between the X-ray transmitting region and the region having the shielding element is configured to be arranged obliquely so as to cross the linear X-ray.