X-RAY IMAGING DEVICE

• US 20120027174A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Original Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Inventors: Takamura, Shoji
• Granted Patent: US 8,755,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/62
• 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 6/54 Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/544 dependent on patient size
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/545 involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters

Abstract

Disclosed is an X-ray imaging device with which X-ray exposure will not be stopped due to the backup time, causing underexposure, in phototimer imaging, because the body of the subject is thick. A database unit (18) stores a database showing the relationships among a variety of subject (M) body thicknesses (t), X-ray parameters, and imaging times. A search processor (16) searches the aforementioned database for data matching X-ray parameters stored in a parameter storage unit (15) and body thicknesses (t) calculated by a body thickness measurement unit (17), and requests the corresponding imaging time. If the imaging time is longer than the backup time set by an X-ray controller (12), the search processor (16) instructs the X-ray controller (12) to extend the backup time to the imaging time.

Claims

1. An X-ray imaging device, comprising:

an X-ray tube irradiating a subject by X ray;

an X-ray detector imaging the X ray that passes through the subject;

a phototimer controlling an X-ray exposure time;

an X-ray controller controlling X-ray exposure;

a measurement unit measuring a body thickness of the subject; and

a control console controlling the X-ray tube, the X-ray detector, the phototimer, the X-ray controller and the measurement unit;

a storage unit storing a database showing a plurality of relationships between a body thickness of the subject, an X-ray parameter, and an imaging time and/or the plurality of relationships between the body thickness of the subject, the X-ray parameter, and the imaging time in each imaged part; and

an alarm unit setting off an alarm when a backup time, which is set by the X-ray controller as a time limit of the X-ray exposure, is shorter than the imaging time shown in the database in a case when the body thickness measured from the body of the subject approaches the body thickness in the database and an X-ray parameter set by the control console approaches the X-ray paramter in the database.

2. The X-ray imaging device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an extension unit which extends the backup time when the backup time is shorter than the imaging time shown in the database in the case when the body thickness measured from the body of the subject approaches the body thickness in the database and the X-ray parameter set by the control console approaches the X-ray parameter in the database.