MEDICAL X-RAY PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS AND X-RAY PHOTOGRAPHING METHOD

• US 20160242728A1
• Filed: 02/23/2016
• Published: 08/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J Morita Manufacturing
• Original Assignee: J Morita Manufacturing
• Inventors: NIIZEKI, Ryuichiro, YAMADA, Fuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 10,292,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/025 Tomosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/08 Auxiliary means for directing the radiation beam to a particular spot, e.g. using light beams
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5205 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/587 Alignment of source unit to detector unit

Abstract

A medical X-ray photographing apparatus includes: a support configured to hold the X-ray generator and the X-ray detector in a facing state, the X-ray generator emitting an X-ray, the X-ray detector outputting an electric signal according to an incident X-ray; a base body that rotatably holds the support; a turning driver that turns the support about a turning axis; and a turning controller that controls the turning driver. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus also includes: a light emitter disposed at a position on a virtual loop line surrounding the turning axis; and a light emitter controller that controls the light emitter in association with the turning of the support.

Claims

1. A medical X-ray photographing apparatus comprising:

a support configured to turn an X-ray generator and an X-ray detector about a predetermined turning axis while holding said X-ray generator and said X-ray detector such that said X-ray generator and said X-ray detector face each other, said X-ray generator being configured to emit an X-ray, said X-ray detector being configured to output an electric signal according to an incident X-ray;

a support holder configured to rotatably support said support;

a turning mechanism configured to turn said support held by said support holder;

a turning controller configured to control said turning mechanism;

an image processor configured to generate an X-ray image by processing a plurality of projection images based on said electric signal;

a light emitter disposed on a virtual loop line surrounding said turning axis; and

a light emitter controller configured to control said light emitter in association with turning of said support.

2. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitter is disposed on a circumference of a circle centered on said turning axis.

3. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said light emitter is formed of a closed circular shape.

4. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitter is fixed to said support holder.

5. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitter includes a plurality of light emitting elements that emit light at positions separated from each other.

6. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an angle detector configured to detect an angle of said support, wherein,

said light emitter includes a plurality of light emitting elements,

said light emitter controller, based on the detected angle of said support, lights, turns off or blinks two light emitting elements of said plurality of light emitting elements at two portions facing each other diametrically in a light emission mode, the light emission mode being different from that of other light emitting elements such that an orientation of an X-ray axis between said X-ray generator and said X-ray detector is shown.

7. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an angle detector configured to detect an angle of said support, wherein

said light emitter includes a plurality of light emitting elements,

when said support is rotated, said light emitter controller, based on the detected angle of the support, lights, turns off or blinks light emitting elements of the plurality of light emitting elements corresponding to a turning range in a light emission mode, the light emission mode being different from that of other light emitting elements such that the turning range of the support is shown.

8. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

when said support is turned, said light emitter controller, based on the detected angle of said support, lights, turns off or blinks light emitting elements of said plurality of light emitting elements corresponding to a turning range in a light emission mode different from that of other light emitting elements such that the turning range of the support is shown.

9. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said light emitter includes a plurality of light emitting elements,

said plurality of light emitting elements include plurality of color LEDs, and

said light emitter controller controls emission of said plurality of color LEDs according to an operating situation of said medical X-ray photographing apparatus.

10. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said operating situation includes at least one of a turning preparation state of said support, on and off states of an electromagnetic lock of said support, an emergency stop state, an X-ray irradiation state, a turning angle or a turning direction of said support, and an X-ray irradiation direction.

11. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitter is provided at a position where said light emitter is visually recognizable from at least one of a direction along a radial direction perpendicular to said turning axis and a direction along said turning axis.

12. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

said support includes an arm base having two ends, a pair of arms, each of said arms extending from each end of said arm base, and

said light emitter is provided on a side of said arm base from which said pair of arms extends.

13. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said turning axis is horizontal.

14. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage in which a swing angle of said support and a center direction which is a center of said swing angle in emitting the X-ray from said X-ray generator toward said X-ray detector are stored in order to perform tomosynthesis photography,

wherein said light emitter controller controls said light emitter such that said swing angle and said center direction, which are read from said storage, are indicated by said light emitter.

15. An X-ray photographing method in which X-ray photography is performed by emitting an X-ray from an X-ray generator toward an X-ray detector, said X-ray generator and said X-ray detector being held in a facing state by a support, said X-ray photographing method comprising:

(a) a turning controlling step of controlling turning of said support; and

(b) a light-emitter controlling step of controlling a light emitter, which is disposed on a virtual loop line surrounding said turning axis, in association with the turning of said support.

16. The X-ray photographing method according to claim 15, further comprising (c) an angle detecting step of detecting an angle said support, wherein

in said light-emitter controlling step, said light emitter at two portions facing each other diametrically are lit, turned off or blinked based on the detected angle of the support such that an orientation of X-ray axis between said X-ray generator and said X-ray detector is shown.

17. The X-ray photographing method according to claim 15, wherein in the light-emitter controlling step, a portion of the light emitter corresponding to a turning range of said support is lit, turned off or blinked such that the turning range of said support is shown.

18. The X-ray photographing method according to claim 16, wherein in the light-emitter controlling step, a portion of the light emitter corresponding to a turning range of said support is lit, turned off or blinked such that the turning range of said support is shown.

19. A medical X-ray photographing apparatus using the x-ray photographing method according to claim 15.

20. A medical X-ray photographing apparatus comprising:

an X-ray generator;

an X-ray detector, the X-ray detector emitting an electric signal in response to receiving an X-ray beam emitted from the X-ray generator;

an X-ray axis upon which the X-ray beam is emitted;

a support holding the X-ray generator such that it faces the X-ray detector;

an image processor generating a tomo synthesis image based on a processing of a plurality of projection images, the plurality of projection images being associated with the electric signal;

a plurality of light emitting elements; and

a light controller controlling the plurality of light emitting elements to visually display an orientation of the X-ray axis.

21. The medical X-ray photographing apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the light controller displays a turning range of the support in coordination with a turning angle of the support.