X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices – Source support – Including movable source
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-25
2001-10-16
Kim, Robert H. (Department: 2882)
X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices
Source support
Including movable source
C378S196000, C378S004000, C378S205000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302580
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to medical diagnosis imaging systems, and in particular to a radiographic x-ray projection imaging system employing a solid state x-ray imager.
Conventional thoracic imaging generally has been performed with x-ray projection imaging. Typically, a patient stands with his or her chest against a wall bucky system as an x-ray technologist positions the wall bucky system and an x-ray tube at an appropriate height before taking an x-ray image of the region of interest. Similarly, other common views, including cervical and lumbar spine, skull, sinus, shoulder, and abdomen, may be imaged with such a static positioning system.
Tomographic techniques, or body section radiography, may also be used to facilitate imaging of anatomical structures that may be obscured by adjacent structures. In such instances, the structures that interfere with the structure to be imaged can be “blurred out,” leaving the structure of interest clearly in view for unobstructed imaging. One of the most common variants of tomography is that of linear tomography. In a linear tomographic examination, a patient lies on a table bucky that is moved horizontally in the opposite direction as the lateral motion of an x-ray tube suspended from a ceiling system. Simultaneous to this lateral movement, the x-ray tube rotates to keep the beam directed at the same anatomy throughout the imaging process.
Although universal systems currently exist which allow for conventional radiographic and linear tomographic x-ray examinations, these systems require a bucky apparatus that uses conventional x-ray film and oscillating anti-scatter grids. A radiographic imaging system, for example shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,567 to Khutoryansky et. al., permits an x-ray technologist to choose either a conventional radiographic mode or a linear tomographic mode. However, a bucky apparatus and oscillating anti-scatter grids are necessary, resulting in a system which can be unreliable and susceptible to breakdown, as well as incurring the time and expense of conventional film development.
Additionally, a mechanical linkage between the x-ray tube and the imager is sometimes used in imaging systems, leading to inordinately time-consuming equipment installation, complexity, and mechanical unreliability. Moreover, in radiographic imaging systems without automatic alignment of the x-ray tube and the x-ray film, an x-ray technologist must manually align the imaging device (including the conventional film and the bucky) with the x-ray tube, resulting in imaging examinations that tend to be overly time-consuming.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved radiographic system which does not require a bucky apparatus or oscillating anti-scatter grids. A need also exists for an improved radiographic system that allows an x-ray technologist to perform efficient and effective imaging examinations without the need for mechanical linkages previously required to connect an x-ray tube to a bucky apparatus.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the invention is a radiographic imaging system which is capable of producing high quality x-ray images without the use of conventional film or oscillating anti-scatter grids.
Another feature of the invention is a radiographic imaging system employing a solid state x-ray imager.
Another characteristic of the invention is an increase in x-ray technologist productivity by providing a radiographic system with a servo motor subsystem to facilitate automatic tracking.
One further characteristic of the invention is ease of equipment installation by providing a radiographic imaging system that requires no mechanical linkage between the x-ray tube and the solid state x-ray imager.
One embodiment of the invention, which encompasses one or more of the above features, includes a solid state x-ray imager mounted inside a vertical support system (wall stand), or alternately, mounted horizontally beneath an angulating table support system (table stand). For wall stand applications, an x-ray tube is resident in a floor-mounted vertical x-ray tube support system, which includes an x-ray tube support positioning mechanism and position sensors capable of automatic vertical translation. Alternately, for table and wall stand applications, the x-ray tube may reside in an overhead angulating x-ray tube support system, which includes an x-ray tube support positioning mechanism and position sensors capable of automatic vertical and horizontal translations, as well as tube angulation motion in which the incident angle of emitting x-rays is automatically controlled.
The solid state x-ray imager may be moved manually or via an automatic servo-motor subsystem. For wall stand or static table stand exposures, a position controller senses the position of the solid state x-ray imager and automatically aligns the solid state x-ray imager and the x-ray tube such that, preferably, the center of the incident x-ray beam is positioned at the center of the solid state x-ray imager.
For linear tomographic table exposures, the position controller functions as described above with the exception that the solid state x-ray imager is moved automatically in a horizontal direction, while the x-ray tube is moved laterally in the opposite direction, the incident angle of the x-ray directed at the same anatomical point throughout the imaging process.
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Dwyer, Jr. John E.
Kautzer Jeffrey A.
Leeds Thomas M.
Dellapenna Michael A.
General Electric Company
Hobden Pamela R.
Kim Robert H.
McAndrews Held & Malloy Ltd.
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