Linear motor assembly for X-ray computed tomography system

A method of manufacturing an x-ray system for at least one of breast examinations and procedures, comprising:

• providing a base component;
• disposing a table proximate said base component with a space reserved therebetween, said table configured to support a patient in a prone position;
• disposing a rotatable x-ray assembly between said base component and said table;
• and
• connecting a linear motor assembly to said rotatable x-ray assembly and said base component so as to be operative to effect rotation of said rotatable x-ray assembly relative to said base component;
• disposing an encoder assembly proximate said linear motor assembly, said encoder assembly being constructed to provide information regarding at least one of an amount of rotation and a rotational position of said rotatable x-ray assembly relative to said base component;
• and
• communicatively coupling a data processor to said encoder assembly and said rotatable x-ray assembly,
• wherein said rotatable x-ray assembly rotates at least partially around an active spatial region,
• wherein said table defines an opening therethrough at a position and of a size to allow a subject to lie prone with a breast hanging pendant therethrough at least partially into said active spatial region, and
• wherein said data processor is further configured to:
• receive x-ray data acquired from said rotatable x-ray assembly;
• receive information from said encoder assembly;
• determine at least one of an amount of rotation and a rotation position of the rotatable x-ray assembly during acquisition of the x-ray data;
• and
• generate a plurality of x-ray images based on the received x-ray data and at least one of the determined amount of rotation and the rotation position of the rotatable x-ray assembly.

A method of performing a breast procedure, comprising:

• receiving x-ray data acquired from a rotatable x-ray assembly, said rotatable x-ray assembly disposed between a base component and a table configured to support a patient in a prone position;
• receiving information from an encoder assembly, said encoder assembly being arranged proximate to a linear motor assembly that is operatively connected to said rotatable x-ray assembly and said base component so as to effect rotation of said rotatable x-ray assembly relative to said base component during operation of the x-ray assembly;
• determining at least one of an amount of rotation and a rotation position of the rotatable x-ray assembly during acquisition of the x-ray data;
• and
• generating a plurality of x-ray images based on the received x-ray data and at least one of the determined amount of rotation and the rotation position of the rotatable x-ray assembly.