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US 2004/0017883 A1Published application
CT apparatus, CT imaging method and method of providing service using the same
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorsTarou Takagi, Hiroshi Kamimura, Sadao Uchikawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A CT imaging method determines geometric features (information representing geometries) of contact surfaces between markers and an object from tomographic images obtained by imaging the object attached with the markers on its reference surfaces using a CT apparatus, determines from the geometric features a positional relation between a reference coordinate system of the object and a coordinate system of the CT apparatus, and, based on the positional relation, produces tomographic images (bit-map data) of a desired portion of the object.
Claims15
A CT imaging method comprising the steps of:
- determining from tomographic images information representing geometries of contact surfaces between markers and an object to be imaged, the tomographic images being obtained by imaging the object attached with the markers on its reference surfaces by a CT apparatus using an X-ray or radiation;
- based on the information representing the geometries of the contact surfaces, determining a positional relation between a reference coordinate system of the object and a coordinate system of the CT apparatus;
- and
- imaging the object by the CT apparatus and, based on the positional relation, producing bit-map data of a desired portion of the object.
1 more element
A CT imaging method comprising:
- a marker application process to attach markers to reference surfaces of an object to be imaged;
- a preliminary imaging process to image the object attached with the markers by using a CT apparatus using an X-ray or radiation and produce tomographic images;
- a marker identifying process to perform image processing on the tomographic images to determine geometric features of contact surfaces between the markers and the object;
- a coordinate system determination process to determine a positional relation between a reference coordinate system of the object and a coordinate system of the CT apparatus, based on the geometric features of the contact surfaces;
- and
- a real imaging process to image the object by the CT apparatus and, based on the positional relation, produce tomographic images of a desired portion of the object.
3 more elements
A CT apparatus comprising:
- a radiation source to emit an X-ray or radiation to an object to be imaged;
- a turntable to rotate and translate the object;
- a detector to detect the X-ray or radiation that has penetrated through the object fixed on the turntable;
- and
- a signal processor to process a detection signal from the detector to produce tomographic images of the object;
- wherein the signal processor has:
- a marker identifying means to perform image processing on the tomographic images obtained from the detection signal of the X-ray or radiation that has passed through the object attached with markers on its reference surfaces and to determine geometric features of contact surfaces between the markers and the object;
- and
- a coordinate system determination means to, based on the geometric features of the contact surfaces, determine a positional relation between a reference coordinate system of the object and a coordinate system of the turntable.
6 more elements
A CT imaging service method comprising:
- a process of receiving from a customer an object to be imaged which is attached with markers on its reference surfaces and information on a desired portion of the object that the customer wants imaged;
- an imaging process involving a step of imaging the object with a CT apparatus using an X-ray or radiation to produce tomographic images of the object, a step of performing image processing on the tomographic images to determine geometric features of contact surfaces between the markers and the object, a step of determining a positional relation between a reference coordinate system of the object and a coordinate system of the CT apparatus based on the geometric features of the contact surfaces, and a step of imaging the object with the CT apparatus to produce tomographic images of the desired portion of the object based on the positional relation;
- and
- a delivery process to provide the customer with the object and the tomographic images of the desired portion.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.