Extremity imaging apparatus for cone beam computed tomography

An apparatus for tomographic imaging, the apparatus comprising:

• a radiographic radiation source;
• a digital radiographic detector;
• a turntable to move the source and detector about a central axis;
• a detector support attached to the turntable and to the detector to support the detector as the detector moves about the central axis, the turntable having at least a portion thereof spaced from the central axis at a same distance as the detector is spaced from the central axis;
• a source support attached to the turntable and to the source to support the source as the source moves about the central axis, the source support having at least a portion thereof spaced at a distance from the central axis greater than the distance that the turntable is spaced from the central axis;
• a C-shaped housing configured to enclose the source as the source moves about the central axis and to enclose the detector as the detector moves about the central axis, the C-shaped housing comprising a gap configured to allow a subject to be positioned at the central axis by moving the subject through the housing gap;
• and
• a housing extension attached to the housing and configured to controllably extend from the housing across the housing gap to enclose the detector as the detector moves across the housing gap and to prevent the subject from moving through the housing gap,
• wherein the detector is configured to capture radiographic images of the subject positioned at the central axis, which subject is radiographically exposed using the radiographic radiation source.