Method and arrangement relating to X-ray imaging
First Claim
1. An X-ray apparatus for three dimensional imaging and in particular for tomosynthesis examination, comprising an X-ray source having a focal spot, a collimator including a plurality of slits, a detector assembly including a plurality of line detectors corresponding to respective ones of said plurality of slits and an exposure volume arranged between said collimator and said detector assembly, said X-ray source, said collimator and said detector assembly being arranged in series, so that each said line detector is aligned with said corresponding collimator slit and the focal spot, and simultaneously displaceable by a scan motion relative to said exposure volume, wherein said scan motion is primarily a rotation around a rotation axis arranged such that said detector assembly is situated essentially between said rotation axis and said X-ray source.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A novel X-ray apparatus is provided for three-dimensional imaging and in particular for tomosynthesis examination, which includes an X-ray source having a focal spot, a collimator including a plurality of slits, a detector assembly including a plurality of line detectors corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of slits and an exposure volume arranged between the collimator and the detector assembly. The X-ray source, the collimator and the detector assembly are arranged in series, so that each line detector is aligned with the corresponding collimator slit and the focal spot, and is simultaneously displaceable by a scan motion relative to the exposure volume. The scan motion is primarily a rotation around a rotation axis arranged such that the detector assembly is situated essentially between the rotation axis and the X-ray source. Combined two and three-dimensional examination are also permitted according to the disclosed methods and apparatus.
23 Citations
25 Claims
- 1. An X-ray apparatus for three dimensional imaging and in particular for tomosynthesis examination, comprising an X-ray source having a focal spot, a collimator including a plurality of slits, a detector assembly including a plurality of line detectors corresponding to respective ones of said plurality of slits and an exposure volume arranged between said collimator and said detector assembly, said X-ray source, said collimator and said detector assembly being arranged in series, so that each said line detector is aligned with said corresponding collimator slit and the focal spot, and simultaneously displaceable by a scan motion relative to said exposure volume, wherein said scan motion is primarily a rotation around a rotation axis arranged such that said detector assembly is situated essentially between said rotation axis and said X-ray source.
- 9. A method of producing a three-dimensional image in an X-ray apparatus including an X-ray source, a detector assembly including a plurality of line detectors, a collimator including a plurality of slits corresponding to respective ones of said plurality of line detectors, and an exposure volume arranged between said collimator and said detector assembly, said X-ray source, said collimator and said detector assembly being arranged in series and being displaceable relative to said exposure volume simultaneously and around a common rotation axis, said exposure volume having an extension from a first point to a second point, wherein said method comprises the steps of rotating said X-ray source, said collimator and said detector assembly arranged in series around said rotation axis to a first position such that said detector assembly is situated between said rotation axis and said X-ray source.
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12. The method of claim 12, wherein said detector assembly is moved away from said exposure volume in a direction along a scan arm on which said collimator and said detector assembly are mounted.
- 13. An X-ray apparatus for acquisition of both two-dimensional and three-dimensional images, comprising an X-ray source having a focal spot, a collimator including a plurality of slits, a detector assembly having a plurality of line detectors corresponding to respective ones of said plurality of slits, and an exposure volume arranged between said collimator and said detector assembly, said X-ray source, said collimator and said detector assembly being arranged in series, so that each said line detector is aligned with said corresponding slit of said collimator and the focal spot, and being simultaneously displaceable relative to said exposure volume in order to acquire image data for each location in said exposure volume, wherein said X-ray source, said collimator and said detector assembly are displaceable through a scan motion, said scan motion including a rotation around a rotation axis during irradiation of said exposure volume, and said rotation axis is moveable between at least a first position and a second position, wherein said first position is through the focal spot of said X-ray source and said second position is arranged such that said detector assembly is situated essentially between said rotation axis and said X-ray source providing different projection angles.
- 21. An X-ray apparatus for three dimensional imaging and in particular for tomosynthesis examination, comprising an X-ray source having a focal spot, a collimator including a plurality of slits, a detector assembly including a plurality of line detectors corresponding to respective ones of said plurality of slits and an exposure volume for holding a body part of a patient, said exposure volume disposed between said collimator and said detector assembly, said X-ray source, said collimator and said detector assembly being arranged in series, so that each said line detector is aligned with said corresponding slit of said collimator and the focal spot and are simultaneously displaceable relative to said exposure volume in order to acquire image data for each location in said exposure volume at different projection angles, and said detector assembly is moveable away from the exposure volume when the X-ray apparatus is not irradiating the body part of the patient.
- 23. The X-ray apparatus for acquisition of both two-dimensional and two-dimensional mammography images, comprising an X-ray source having a focal spot, a collimator including a plurality of slits, a detector assembly including a plurality of line detectors corresponding to respective ones of said plurality of slits, and an exposure volume for holding a body part of a patient disposed between said collimator and said detector assembly, said X-ray source, said collimator and said detector assembly being arranged in series, so that each said line detector is aligned with said corresponding slit of said collimator and the focal spot, and is simultaneously displaceable relative to said exposure volume in order to acquire image data for each location in said exposure volume, wherein said X-ray source, said collimator and said detector assembly are displaceable by a scan motion during irradiation of said exposure volume, and said scan motion for acquisition of two-dimensional images is a rotation around a rotation axis through said X-ray source, and during preparation for a three-dimensional scan, said detector assembly is moveable to a position for preparation, said position for preparation being a position other than a position of said detector assembly usable during irradiation, whereby an operator of the X-ray apparatus can see and touch the body part from a larger range of directions when said detector assembly is in said position for preparation.
Specification