# US 12,181,424 B1 · Method and apparatus of stationary-source nonplanar-trajectory narrow-beam computed tomography

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,181,424 B1
- Document ID: US12181424B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/783,259
- Filed: 2024-07-24
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2024-07-24
- Assignees: Malcova LLC
- Applicants: Malcova, Inc.
- Inventors: Peymon Mirsaeid Ghazi; Tara Reneé Ghazi; Michael Hyon-Min Kim; Erik William Chell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181424B1

## CPC

- G01N 23/046: using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]
- G01N 23/083: the radiation being X-rays
- G01N 2223/316: collimators
- G01N 2223/3301: beam is modified for scan, e.g. moving collimator
- G01N 2223/50: Detectors
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

Described herein are X-ray-based CT systems, specifically those with a stationary X-ray source and a moving object of interest, and methods of using the same, that address limitations in current stationary-source CT, such as scatter contamination and limited scan trajectories. The described systems include a pre-object collimator to form a narrow beam. Scatter contamination is reduced to less than 5% of acquired projections, resulting in high-quality CT images with minimal artifacts, improving diagnostic accuracy and measurement precision. The described system also allows for nonplanar trajectories, providing complete sampling of an object along multiple degrees of freedom.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A stationary-source computed tomography (CT) system comprising:
a) a stationary X-ray source configured to generate a beam of X-ray photons;
b) a pre-object collimator positioned between the stationary X-ray source and an object of interest and comprising an opening configured to oscillate on a first translational arc having a first center of oscillation;
c) a narrow-field X-ray detector configured to oscillate on a second translational arc having a second center of oscillation;
wherein the first translational arc and the second translational arc have parallel axes of rotation;
wherein:
R
1
D
1
=
R
2
D
2
when:
D1 is a distance of the stationary X-ray source from the first center of oscillation,
R1 is a distance of the opening of the pre-object collimator from the first center of oscillation,
R2 is a distance of the narrow-field X-ray detector from the second center of oscillation, and
D2 is a distance of the stationary X-ray source from the second center of oscillation;
d) a structure configured to articulate the position of the object of interest between the pre-object collimator and the narrow-field X-ray detector within a field of view and move the object of interest on a nonplanar trajectory; and
e) a controller configured to perform at least the following operations:
i) oscillating the opening of the pre-object collimator on the first translational arc with less than 360 degrees rotation;
ii) oscillating the narrow-field X-ray detector on the second translational arc with less than 360 degrees rotation;
iii) synchronizing a speed and a phase for the oscillatory translation of the narrow-field X-ray detector with the opening of the pre-object collimator; and
iv) moving the object of interest on the nonplanar trajectory within the field of view during an image acquisition.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The stationary-source CT system of claim 1, wherein the beam of X-ray photons is a narrow beam.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The stationary-source CT system of claim 2, wherein the narrow beam of X-ray photons is a horizontal narrow beam with a fan angle at least an order of magnitude larger than a cone angle or a vertical narrow beam with a cone angle at least an order of magnitude larger than a fan angle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The stationary-source CT system of claim 1, wherein the narrow-field X-ray detector comprises an X-ray sensitive area that is at least an order of magnitude narrower in a first dimension versus a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The stationary-source CT system of claim 1, further comprising a chassis and wherein one or more of: the stationary X-ray source, the pre-object collimator, the narrow-field X-ray detector, and the structure configured to articulate the position of the object of interest are affixed, directly or indirectly, to the chassis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The stationary-source CT system of claim 1, wherein the structure is configured to articulate the position of the object of interest and move the object of interest with two or three translational degrees of freedom and two or three rotational degrees of freedom.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The stationary-source CT system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of pre-object collimators and a plurality of narrow-field X-ray detectors, each pre-object collimator corresponding to a narrow-field X-ray detector, and wherein the operations comprise synchronizing a speed and a phase for the oscillatory translation of each corresponding collimator/detector pair.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The stationary-source CT system of claim 1, wherein the beam of X-ray photons incident on the narrow-field X-ray detector comprises less than 5% scattered photons.

### Claim 9

A method of performing computed tomography (CT) to image an object of interest comprising:
a) generating, at a stationary X-ray source, a beam of X-ray photons;
b) oscillating an opening of a pre-object collimator, the pre-object collimator positioned between the stationary X-ray source and an object of interest, the opening configured to oscillate on a first translational arc having a first center of oscillation, and the oscillation on the first translational arc having less than 360 degrees rotation;
c) oscillating a narrow-field X-ray detector, the narrow-field X-ray detector configured to oscillate on a second translational arc having a second center of oscillation, and the oscillation on the second translational arc having less than 360 degrees rotation;
d) synchronizing a speed and a phase for the oscillatory translation of the narrow-field X-ray detector with the opening of the pre-object collimator;
e) positioning of the object of interest between the pre-object collimator and the narrow-field X-ray detector within a field of view; and
f) moving the object of interest on a nonplanar trajectory during an image acquisition;
wherein the first translational arc and the second translational arc have parallel axes of rotation;
wherein:
R
1
D
1
=
R
2
D
2
when:
D1 is a distance of the stationary X-ray source from the first center of oscillation,
R1 is a distance of the opening of the pre-object collimator from the first center of oscillation,
R2 is a distance of the narrow-field X-ray detector from the second center of oscillation, and
D2 is a distance of the stationary X-ray source from the second center of oscillation.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the beam of X-ray photons is a narrow beam.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the narrow beam of X-ray photons is a horizontal narrow beam with a fan angle at least an order of magnitude larger than a cone angle or a vertical narrow beam with a cone angle at least an order of magnitude larger than a fan angle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the narrow-field X-ray detector comprises an X-ray sensitive area that is at least an order of magnitude narrower in a first dimension versus a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising a chassis and wherein one or more of: the stationary X-ray source, the pre-object collimator, and the narrow-field X-ray detector are affixed, directly or indirectly, to the chassis.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, utilizing a plurality of pre-object collimators and a plurality of narrow-field X-ray detectors, each pre-object collimator corresponding to a narrow-field X-ray detector, and wherein the method further comprises synchronizing a speed and a phase for the oscillatory translation of each corresponding collimator/detector pair.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the positioning and the moving the object of interest is with two or three translational degrees of freedom and two or three rotational degrees of freedom.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the beam of X-ray photons incident on the narrow-field X-ray detector comprises less than 5% scattered photons.

### Claim 17

A stationary-source and stationary-detector computed tomography (CT) system comprising:
a) a stationary X-ray source configured to generate a beam of X-ray photons;
b) a pre-object collimator positioned between the stationary X-ray source and an object of interest and comprising an opening configured to oscillate on a first translational arc having a first center of oscillation;
c) a stationary wide-field X-ray detector configured to acquire X-ray photons;
d) a post-object collimator positioned between the object of interest and the stationary wide-field X-ray detector, comprising an opening configured to oscillate on a second translational arc having a second center of oscillation;
wherein the first translational arc and the second translational arc have parallel axes of rotation;
wherein:
R
1
D
1
=
R
2
D
2
when:
D1 is a distance of the stationary X-ray source from the first center of oscillation,
R1 is a distance of the opening of the pre-object collimator from the first center of oscillation,
R2 is a distance of the opening of the post-object collimator from the second center of oscillation, and
D2 is a distance of the stationary X-ray source from the second center of oscillation;
e) a structure configured to articulate the position of the object of interest between the pre-object collimator and the post-object collimator within a field of view and move the object of interest on a nonplanar trajectory; and
f) a controller configured to perform at least the following operations:
i) oscillating the opening of the pre-object collimator on the first translational arc with less than 360 degrees rotation;
ii) oscillating the opening of the post-object collimator on the second translational arc with less than 360 degrees rotation;
iii) synchronizing a speed and a phase for the oscillatory translation of the opening of the post-object collimator with the opening of the pre-object collimator; and
iv) moving the object of interest on the nonplanar trajectory within the field of view during an image acquisition.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The stationary-source and stationary-detector CT system of claim 17, wherein the beam of X-ray photons is a narrow beam.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The stationary-source and stationary-detector CT system of claim 18, wherein the narrow beam of X-ray photons is a horizontal narrow beam with a fan angle at least an order of magnitude larger than a cone angle or a vertical narrow beam with a cone angle at least an order of magnitude larger than a fan angle.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The stationary-source and stationary-detector CT system of claim 17, further comprising a chassis and wherein one or more of: the stationary X-ray source, the pre-object collimator, the post-object collimator, and the wide-field X-ray detector, and the structure configured to articulate the position of the object of interest are affixed, directly or indirectly, to the chassis.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The stationary-source and stationary-detector CT system of claim 17, comprising a plurality of pre-object collimators and a plurality of post-object collimators, each pre-object collimator corresponding to a post-object collimator, and wherein the operations comprise synchronizing a speed and a phase for the oscillatory translation of each corresponding collimator pair.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The stationary-source and stationary-detector CT system of claim 17, wherein the structure is configured to articulate the position of the object of interest and move the object of interest with two or three translational degrees of freedom and two or three rotational degrees of freedom.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The stationary-source and stationary-detector CT system of claim 17, wherein the beam of X-ray photons incident on the wide-field X-ray detector comprises less than 5% scattered photons.

### Claim 24

A method of performing computed tomography (CT) to image an object of interest comprising:
a) generating, at a stationary X-ray source, a beam of X-ray photons;
b) oscillating an opening of a pre-object collimator, the pre-object collimator positioned between the stationary X-ray source and an object of interest, the opening configured to oscillate on a first translational arc having a first center of oscillation, and the oscillation on the first translational arc having less than 360 degrees rotation;
c) oscillating an opening of a post-object collimator, the post-object collimator positioned between the object of interest and a stationary wide-field X-ray detector, the opening configured to oscillate on a second translational arc having a second center of oscillation, and the oscillation on the second translational arc having less than 360 degrees rotation;
d) synchronizing a speed and a phase for the oscillatory translation of the opening of the post-object collimator with the opening of the pre-object collimator;
e) positioning the object of interest between the pre-object collimator and the and the post-object collimator within a field of view; and
f) moving the object of interest on a nonplanar trajectory during an image acquisition;
wherein the first translational arc and the second translational arc have parallel axes of rotation;
wherein:
R
1
D
1
=
R
2
D
2
when:
D1 is a distance of the stationary X-ray source from the first center of oscillation,
R1 is a distance of the opening of the pre-object collimator from the first center of oscillation,
R2 is a distance of the opening of the post-object collimator from the second center of oscillation, and
D2 is a distance of the stationary X-ray source from the second center of oscillation.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the beam of X-ray photons is a narrow beam.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the narrow beam of X-ray photons is a horizontal narrow beam with a fan angle at least an order of magnitude larger than a cone angle or a vertical narrow beam with a cone angle at least an order of magnitude larger than a fan angle.

### Claim 27 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein one or more of: the stationary X-ray source, the pre-object collimator, post-object collimator, and the wide-field X-ray detector, are affixed, directly or indirectly, to a chassis.

### Claim 28 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, utilizing a plurality of pre-object collimators and a plurality of post-object collimators, each pre-object collimator corresponding to a post-object collimator, and wherein the method further comprises synchronizing a speed and a phase for the oscillatory translation of each corresponding collimator pair.

### Claim 29 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the positioning and the moving the object of interest is with two or three translational degrees of freedom and two or three rotational degrees of freedom.

### Claim 30 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the beam of X-ray photons incident on the narrow-field X-ray detector comprises less than 5% scattered photons.