81results about How to "Reduce X-ray dose" patented technology

The present invention relates to the field of x-ray imaging. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to methods, systems, and apparatus for imaging, which can be used in a wide range of applications, including medical imaging, security screening, and industrial non-destructive testing to name a few. Specifically provided as embodiments of the invention are systems for x-ray imaging comprising: a) a first collimator-and-detector assembly having a first operable configuration to provide at least one first dataset comprising primary x-ray signals as a majority component of its data capable of being presented as a first image of an object subjected to x-ray imaging; b) a second collimator-and-detector assembly having a second operable configuration or wherein the first collimator-and-detector assembly is adjustable to a second configuration to provide at least one second dataset comprising primary and dark-field x-ray signals as a majority component of its data capable of being presented as a second image of the object; and c) a computer operably coupled with the collimator-and-detector assemblies comprising a computer readable medium embedded with processing means for combining the first dataset and the second dataset to extract the dark-field x-ray signals and produce a target image having higher contrast quality than the images based on the first or second dataset alone. Such systems can be configured to comprise at least two collimator-and-detector assemblies or configurations differing with respect to collimator height, collimator aperture, imaging geometry, or distance between an object subjected to the imaging and the collimator-and-detector assembly.

The present invention relates to a method and also an imaging system to compensate for patient motion when recording a series of images in medical imaging, in which a number of images of an area under examination of a patient (17) are recorded at intervals with an imaging system (1) and are related to one another. With the method a localization system (2) is used as the series of images are being recorded to permanently or at a time close to the recording of the individual images, record a momentary spatial location of the area under examination in a reference system permanently linked to the imaging system (1), a first spatial location of the area under examination recorded close to the time of recording of a first image is stored, and a deviation of the images recorded momentarily in each case of the first spatial location is determined and by changing the geometrical circumstances of the imaging system (1) at a time to close the recording of the spatial location and / or through geometrical adaptation of an image content of an image just recorded, is at least approximately commentated for, so that the images show the area under examination in the same position and orientation. The method does not require any time-consuming interaction with the operator and is also suitable for compensating for larger movements of the patient.

The invention relates to a medical X-ray device 5 arrangement for producing three-dimensional information of an object 4 in a medical X-ray imaging medical X-ray device arrangement comprising an X-ray source 2 for X-radiating the object from different directions and a detector 6 for detecting the X-radiation to form projection data of the object 4. The medical X-ray device 5 arrangement comprises:means 15 for modelling the object 4 mathematically independently of X-ray imagingand means 15 for utilizing said projection data and said mathematical modelling of the object in Bayesian inversion based on Bayes' formulap⁢(⁢x⁢m)=ppr⁡(x)⁢p(m⁢x)p⁡(m)to produce three-dimensional information of the object, the prior distribution ppr(x) representing mathematical modelling of the object, the object image vector x, which comprise values of the X-ray attenuation coefficient inside the object, m representing projection data, the likelihood distribution p(m|x) representing the X-radiation attenuation model between the object image vector x and projection data m, p(m) being a normalization constant and the posteriori distribution p(x|m) representing the three-dimensional information of the object 4.

A CT imaging method and a CT system based on a multi-mode scout scan. The CT imaging method based on a multi-mode scout scan comprises: performing an instant switching dual energy scout radiation scan on a region of interest of a subject by way of instant switching between high voltage and low voltage to collect dual energy protection data of the region of interest; and reconstructing a material decomposition image and a mono-energetic image based on the collected dual energy projection data.

Cast collimators for use in CT imaging systems are described, as are methods of making them. Such collimators may comprise pre-patient collimators, pre-patient filter / collimator assemblies, and / or post-patient collimators. The filters and / or collimators may be made of any suitable high-density, high atomic number material such as lead, a lead alloy, tantalum, tungsten, tungsten suspended in an epoxy matrix, tungsten suspended in a slurry, or the like. Embodiments of these collimators comprise specially-designed channels and vanes that allow them to be precision cast to the necessary degree of accuracy. These channels and vanes are preferably tapered. These collimators and filter / collimator assemblies help minimize the x-ray dose to the patient by minimizing the scattered radiation creation mechanism and by collimating out much of the scattered radiation that would otherwise be subjected to the patient. These collimators may be cast as either single piece structures, or multiple pieces that can be operatively connected together.

A medical X-ray device 5 arrangement for producing three-dimensional information of an object 4 in a medical X-ray imaging comprises an X-ray source 2 for X-radiating the object from at least two different directions; a detector 6 for detecting the X-radiation to form projection data of the object 4; a computational device 15 for modelling the object 4 mathematically utilizing the projection data to solve the imaging geometry and / or the motion of the object, where the solving concerns either some or all parts of the imaging geometry and / or the motion of the object. The computational device 15 utilizes said projection data and said mathematical modelling of the object in Bayesian inversion based on Bayes' formulap⁡(x,θ❘m)=ppr⁡(θ)⁢ppr⁡(x)⁢p⁡(m❘x,θ)p⁡(m)to produce three-dimensional information of the object.

An X-ray CT apparatus, as one example, includes at least one X-ray irradiation source configured to irradiate an X-ray to a volume of interest, at least one X-ray detector including a plurality of detection element segments configured to detect the X-ray penetrated through the volume of interest, at least one collimator configured to create an opening that is movable in at least one of a slice direction and a channel direction, at least one image processing part configured to extract a portion of the volume data, a controller configured to set the opening of the at least one collimator to a second opening size according to a cylinder-like second scanning range that is set to limit the volume of interest and configured to perform a second scan, and at least one reconstruction part configured to reconstruct image data based on data collected by the second scan.

Disclosed herein is a method, and system (1) for implementing same, to compensate for patient motion in series recordings in medical imaging, in which a plurality of images of an examination area of a patient (17) are recorded at time intervals with an imaging system (1) and related to each other. Before the start of the series recordings a 3D image data set is recorded by a 3D recording of the examination area, which establishes a reference system. A first spatial position of the examination area in the reference system is obtained by recording a first image of the series recordings and then registering it or by calculating it. Each further image of the series recordings is registered immediately after recording to obtain the current spatial position of the examination area. Differences in spatial position are compensated for at least approximately by changing geometric relationships of the imaging system (1).

An X-ray distribution adjusting filter, and a CT apparatus and method thereof are provided, in which the X-ray distribution adjusting filter has a hollow inner part, and when rotating, a shape thereof is changed according to rotation angles, such that intensity distribution of X-rays radiating toward a subject may be adjusted.