Digital detector
AssigneeTrophy
InventorsJean Marc Inglese, Sylvie M. Bothorel, Donna K. Rankin-Parobek
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Abstract
An extra-oral dental imaging apparatus for obtaining an image from a patient has a radiation source and a digital imaging sensor that provides, for each of a number of image pixels, at least a first digital value according to a count of received photons that exceed at least a first energy threshold. A mount supports the radiation source and the digital imaging sensor on opposite sides of the patient's head. There can be a computer in signal communication with the digital imaging sensor for acquiring one or more two-dimensional images.
Claims17
A dental imaging apparatus for obtaining an image from a patient, the apparatus comprising:
- a radiation source;
- a digital imaging sensor that provides, for each of a plurality of image pixels, a first lowest energy value according to a count of received photons of ionizing radiation energy that exceed at least a first lowest energy value threshold;
- a mount that supports the radiation source in a spaced relationship relative to the digital imaging sensor with respect to the patient's head;
- and
- a computer in signal communication with the digital imaging sensor for acquiring one or more two-dimensional images,
- wherein the digital imaging sensor further provides, for each of the plurality of image pixels, a second highest energy value obtained from a count of photons of ionizing radiation energy that exceed a second highest energy value threshold that is greater than the first lowest energy value threshold, wherein the imaging sensor further provides an upper threshold that is greater than the second highest energy value threshold, wherein the first lowest energy value is according to the count of received photons of ionizing radiation energy that both exceeds the first lowest energy value threshold and are less than the upper threshold, and wherein the second highest energy value is according to the count of received photons of ionizing radiation energy that both exceed the second highest energy value threshold and are less than the upper threshold, and
- where an image of at least a part of the patient's head is reconstructed using only the first lowest energy value and the second highest energy value for the plurality of image pixels.
A method for obtaining volume image data of at least a portion of a patient's head, the method comprising:
- obtaining a set of values that relate to one or more of an exposure energy level and a scanning pattern;
- scanning a radiation source and a digital detector in a orbit about the patient's head according to the obtained set of values;
- acquiring a plurality of digital images at intervals in the scan according to the scanning pattern by providing for each of a plurality of image pixels in the plurality of digital images, a first lowest energy value according to a count of received photons of ionizing radiation energy that exceed a first lowest energy value threshold, a second highest energy value according to a count of received photons of ionizing radiation energy that both exceed a second highest energy value threshold and are below an upper energy threshold that is greater than the second highest energy value threshold, and discarding values from received photons of ionizing radiation energy both above the upper energy threshold and below the first lowest energy value threshold;
- and
- generating and displaying a image formed from the plurality of acquired digital images.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.