Computed tomography system for imaging multiple anatomical targets

A system for imaging two or more anatomical portions of a human body, the system comprising:

• at least one support structure, wherein the support structure extends in an upwards direction from the ground;
• a gantry attached to the at least one support structure and configured to move along the support structure, wherein the gantry comprises an annular housing defining an inner aperture to allow for the annular housing to pass over a patient, wherein the annular housing further comprises:
• a radiation source configured to move through the annular housing around the inner aperture;
• and
• a radiation detector disposed substantially on an opposite side of the aperture from the radiation source and configured to move through the annular housing to remain substantially on the opposite side of the aperture from the radiation source as the radiation source moves;
• and
• a control system having at least one processor and memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that when executed by the at least one processor perform a set of operations comprising:
• cause the radiation source to emit radiation at a first energy level for a first angular range around the annular housing, wherein the first energy level is predetermined based on a first anatomical target that is a breast;
• and
• cause the radiation source to emit radiation at a second energy level for a second angular range around the annular housing, wherein the second energy level is predetermined based on a second anatomical target that is a lung.

A method for imaging two or more anatomical portions of a patient, the method comprising:

• moving a gantry, having an annular housing with an aperture, down over a patient in a standing position such that the patient is within the aperture of the annular housing;
• moving a radiation source and a detector around the annular housing, such that the radiation source and the detector remain substantially opposite one another;
• while moving the radiation source around the annular housing, alternating radiation emission between a low-energy radiation and a high-energy radiation, wherein the low-energy radiation is predetermined based on a first anatomical target that is a breast and the high-energy radiation is based on a second anatomical target that is a lung;
• detecting the emitted radiation;
• and
• based on the emitted radiation, reconstructing the first anatomical target and the second anatomical target.