Computed radiography cassette with x-ray transmissive edges

Details Computed radiography cassette with x-ray transmissive edges Computed radiography cassette with x-ray transmissive edges

2001-12-03

2003-09-02

Fulton, Christopher W. (Department: 2859)

Radiant energy

Invisible radiation responsive nonelectric signalling

Luminescent device

C206S455000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06614032

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to computed radiography and more particularly to a computed radiography cassette system for capturing x-ray images of elongated objects such as the spine or legs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In computed radiography (CR) a storage phosphor is exposed to an x-ray image (radiographic image) of an object, such as a human body part to produce a latent radiographic image stored in the storage phosphor. The storage phosphor is provided to a CR reader where the storage phosphor is stimulated with light of one frequency to emit a radiographic light image of a second frequency. The radiographic light image is converted to a digital radiographic image which can be stored, displayed, activated or printed out on visual media (film). The storage phosphor is conventionally supported in a light tight cassette to protect the storage phosphor from damage and to prevent exposure to ambient light.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,333, issued Jan. 4, 1994, inventor Robertson, discloses a CR cassette including a shell and a storage phosphor assembly removably mounted in the shell. The shell includes upper and lower spaced panels and first and second side members and a front end member which extends between and close off said upper and lower panel on three sides. The storage phosphor assembly includes a back end member, an insert plate having an upper face and being cantilevered from said back end member, and an x-ray storage phosphor disposed on said upper face of said insert plate. The back end member closes off the open end of said shell to provide a light tight enclosure for said x-ray storage phosphor. The side members, front end member, and back end member are made of extruded aluminum and provide a relatively rigid aluminum frame for the CR cassette. The storage phosphor is totally within the inner perimeter created by the aluminum framing due to the fact that the aluminum framing has a relatively high degree of x-ray absorption compared to the upper panel which is of x-ray transmissive material, and would thus be visible if an x-ray image were exposed on the storage phosphor.
Full spine and full leg radiographic examinations require x-ray images that are longer than the length of conventional radiographic storage phosphor which include the following sizes: 18 cm.×24 cm., 24 cm.×30 cm., 35 cm.×35 cm., and 35 cm.×43 cm., the latter being the largest conventional size. For full spine or full leg radiography, x-ray images of 100 cm. or more need to be provided for.
European Patent application EP 0919 856A 1, published Jun. 2, 1999, inventors Dewaele et al., discloses one solution to this problem in which a plurality of computed radiography cassettes are held in a staggered, overlapping arrangement so that the length of the staggered arrangement is at least equal to the length of the elongated body part. There is no disclosure in this European Patent application of a solution to the problem of x-ray imaging of overlapping cassette side and end members which are x-ray absorptive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a solution to the problems discussed above.
According to a feature of the present invention, there is provided a computed radiography cassette comprising:
a five sided open-ended shell including upper and lower spaced panels, and first and second side members and a front end member which extends between and join said upper and lower panels on three sides, at least one of said first and second side members and said front end member being of x-ray transmissive material, and
a storage phosphor assembly including a back end member, an insert plate having an upper face and being cantilevered from said back end member, and an x-ray storage phosphor disposed on said upper face of said insert plate.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
The invention has the following advantages.
1. Insignificant design changes to the conventional CR cassette are required.
2. Elongated objects such as long body parts (spine, leg) can be captured on overlapped CR cassettes without capture of undesirable images of CR cassette members.
3. No changes are required to conventional x-ray equipment or CR readers.
4. X-ray transmissive material for cassette perimeter members offer a cost and weight advantage. Where plastic is used, it can be extruded in many different colors for cosmetic apperance changes to the cassette.
5. The cassette can be used to image very close to a body part such as the chest wall in mammography.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4827136 (1989-05-01), Bishop et al.
patent: 4961000 (1990-10-01), Finkenzeller et al.
patent: 5025465 (1991-06-01), Bauer et al.
patent: 5065866 (1991-11-01), Boutet et al.
patent: 5070248 (1991-12-01), Pesce
patent: 5276333 (1994-01-01), Robertson
patent: 6191426 (2001-02-01), Hayakawa et al.
patent: 919 856 (1999-06-01), None

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