Method and system for imaging using multiple offset X-ray emission points
First Claim
1. A CT imaging system, comprising:
- an X-ray source comprising two or more emission points that are offset from one another such that the emission points sample substantially different portions of a field of view;
a rotatable detector array comprising a plurality of detector elements, wherein each detector element is configured to generate one or more signals in response to radiation emitted by the two or more emission points; and
a system controller configured to control the two or more emission points such that the flux of the radiation emitted by the respective emission points is determined based on at least one of the respective view relative to the field of view or a path length through a patient at the respective view.
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Abstract
A technique is provided for imaging a field of view using an X-ray source comprising two or more emission points. Each emission point is configured to emit a fan of radiation encompassing less than the entire field of view. The emission points are activated individually and rotate about the field of view, allowing respective streams of radiation to be emitted at various view angles about the field of view. The emission points, which may correspond to different radial regions of the field of view, may be differentially activated to emphasize a region of interest within the field of view. The multiple emission points may be extrapolated along the longitudinal axis in duplicate or offset configurations.
168 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A CT imaging system, comprising:
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an X-ray source comprising two or more emission points that are offset from one another such that the emission points sample substantially different portions of a field of view; a rotatable detector array comprising a plurality of detector elements, wherein each detector element is configured to generate one or more signals in response to radiation emitted by the two or more emission points; and a system controller configured to control the two or more emission points such that the flux of the radiation emitted by the respective emission points is determined based on at least one of the respective view relative to the field of view or a path length through a patient at the respective view. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for CT imaging, the method comprising the acts of:
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emitting respective streams of radiation from each of two or more X-ray emitters that are offset from one another such that the X-ray emitters sample substantially different portions of a field of view, wherein the flux of the radiation emitted by the respective emission points is determined based on at least one of the respective view relative to the field of view or a path length through a patient at the respective view; and acquiring a plurality of signals from a rotatable detector, wherein the plurality of signals are generated in response to the respective streams of radiation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program, comprising:
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a routine for emitting respective streams of radiation from each of two or more X-ray emitters that are offset from one another such that the X-ray emitters sample substantially different portions of a field of view, wherein the flux of the radiation emitted by the respective emission points is determined based on at least one of the respective view relative to the field of view or a path length through a patient at the respective view; a routine for acquiring a plurality of signals from a rotatable detector, wherein the plurality of signals are generated in response to the respective streams of radiation. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A CT imaging system, comprising:
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an X-ray source comprising two or more offset emission points; an X-ray controller configured to differentially activate the two or more emission points such that at least one of the number of activations, the durations of activation, or the energy or the flux of the emitted radiation differ based on the respective view or based on a path length through a patient at the respective view; a rotatable detector away comprising a plurality of detector elements, wherein each detector element is configured to generate one or more signals in response to the radiation emitted by the two or more emission points.
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25. A CT imaging system, comprising:
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an X-ray source comprising two or more emission points, wherein X-rays emitted by each emission point pass through substantially non-overlapping regions of a field of view; a rotatable detector away comprising a plurality of detector elements, wherein each detector element is configured to generate one or more signals in response to the emitted X-rays; and a system controller configured to differentially operate the two or more emission points to maintain a substantially uniform flux profile at the detector array.
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Specification