Extra-oral digital panoramic dental x-ray imaging system

A method, utilizing the system of claim 5, for performing dental extra-oral x-ray imaging, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. exposing x-rays to an object to be imaged;
• b. producing multiple frames during at least part of the exposure;
• c. providing at least one rotational axis around which axis at least one of i) the x-ray source and ii) the imaging device rotates along a spline executing an exposure profile and during at least part of said exposure profile, x-rays are emitted by said x-ray source, the axis being located between a focal point of the x-ray source and the x-ray imaging device, wherein the x-ray imaging device has an active area with a long dimension (m) and a short dimension (n), a ratio of the long dimension to the short dimension being at least 1.5 (m/n>1.5);
• d. using at least some of the frames collected during said exposure profile with at least one algorithm to reconstruct at least two of:
• d1. a first panoramic layer, the first panoramic layer being a default panoramic layer,
• d2. a second panoramic layer comprised of at least one of i) a panoramic layer and ii) a part of a panoramic layer, positioned in a pre-determined position in the space available between the x-ray source and x-ray imaging device, said second panoramic layer being different, at least in part, from said default panoramic layer,
• d3. a third panoramic layer comprised of at least one more panoramic layer positioned in a user-selected position in a space available between the x-ray source and x-ray imaging device, said third layer being different, at least in part, from said default panoramic layer,
• d4. a fourth panoramic layer comprised of a panoramic layer adjusted manually by a user in a region of interest to have a different focal depth from the default panoramic layer in the region of interest,
• d5. a transverse slice to a region of interest in one of the first, second, third, and fourth panoramic layers,
• d6. a three-dimensional (3D) image of a region of interest in one of the first, second, third, and fourth panoramic panoramic layers, and
• d7. a partial panoramic layer corresponding to a region of interest and positioned in a selected space location available between the x-ray source and x-ray imaging device.

A method, utilizing the system of claim 6, for performing panoramic dental x-ray imaging, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. with the x-ray source, exposing x-rays to an object to be imaged by an x-ray imaging device suitable for producing multiple frames during at least part of the exposure;
• b. around the rotational axis, rotating at least one of i) the x-ray source and ii) the imaging device, along a spline executing an exposure profile and during at least part of said exposure profile, x-rays are emitted by the x-ray source, the axis being located between a focal point of the x-ray source and the x-ray imaging device, wherein the x-ray imaging device has an active area with a long dimension (m) and a short dimension (n), a ratio of the long dimension to the short dimension being at least 1.5 (m/n>1.5);
• c. storing the collected and irradiated frames, with a time delay of not more than one second, in a real time storage and retrieval system;
• and
• d. with a reconstruction algorithm, reconstructing and displaying a panoramic layer from the stored and retrieved irradiated frames, said panoramic layer being displayed no later than 10 seconds from the end of said exposure profile.

A system for performing panoramic dental x-ray imaging, comprising:

• an x-ray source configured for exposing x-rays to an object to be imaged;
• an x-ray imaging device configured for producing multiple frames during at least part of the exposure;
• and
• a manipulator providing at least one rotational axis around which axis at least one of i) the x-ray source and ii) the imaging device, rotates along a spline executing an exposure profile and during at least part of said exposure profile, x-rays are emitted by said x-ray source, the axis being located between a focal point of the x-ray source and the x-ray imaging device, wherein the x-ray imaging device has an active area with a long dimension (m) and a short dimension (n), a ratio of the long dimension to the short dimension being at least 1.5 (m/n>1.5);
• a real time storage and retrieval system for storing the collected and irradiated frames with a time delay of not more than one second;
• and
• a processing unit operating a reconstruction algorithm for reconstructing a panoramic layer from the stored and retrieved irradiated frames and displaying said panoramic layer no later than 10 seconds from the end of said exposure profile.

A system for performing dental extra-oral x-ray imaging, comprising:

• an x-ray source configured for exposing x-rays to an object to be imaged;
• an x-ray imaging device configured for producing multiple frames during at least part of the exposure;
• a manipulator providing at least one rotational axis around which axis at least one of i) the x-ray source and ii) the imaging device rotates along a spline executing an exposure profile and during at least part of said exposure profile, x-rays are emitted by said x-ray source, the axis being located between a focal point of the x-ray source and the x-ray imaging device, wherein the x-ray imaging device has an active area with a long dimension (m) and a short dimension (n), a ratio of the long dimension to the short dimension being at least 1.5 (m/n>1.5);
• a processing unit operating to use at least some of the frames collected during said exposure profile with at least one algorithm to reconstruct at least two of:
• a first panoramic layer, the first panoramic layer being a default panoramic layer,
• a second panoramic layer comprised of at least one of i) a panoramic layer and ii) a part of a panoramic layer, positioned in a pre-determined position in the space available between the x-ray source and x-ray imaging device, said second panoramic layer being different, at least in part, from said default panoramic layer,
• a third panoramic layer comprised of at least one more panoramic layer positioned in a user-selected position in a space available between the x-ray source and x-ray imaging device, said third layer being different, at least in part, from said default panoramic layer,
• a fourth panoramic layer comprised of a panoramic layer adjusted manually by a user in a region of interest to have a different focal depth from the default panoramic layer in the region of interest,
• a transverse slice to a region of interest in one of the first, second, third, and fourth panoramic layers,
• a three-dimensional (3D) image of a region of interest in one of the first, second, third, and fourth panoramic panoramic layers, and
• a partial panoramic layer corresponding to a region of interest and positioned in a selected space location available between the x-ray source and x-ray imaging device.

A system for performing panoramic dental x-ray imaging, comprising:

• an x-ray source, exposing x-rays to an object to be imaged by an x-ray imaging device suitable for producing multiple frames during at least part of the exposure;
• a manipulator providing a rotational axis, and around a rotational axis, rotating at least one of i) the x-ray source and ii) the imaging device, along a spline executing an exposure profile and during at least part of said exposure profile, x-rays are emitted by the x-ray source, the axis being located between a focal point of the x-ray source and the x-ray imaging device, wherein the x-ray imaging device has an active area with a long dimension (m) and a short dimension (n), a ratio of the long dimension to the short dimension being at least 1.5 (m/n>1.5);
• a real time storage and retrieval system storing the collected and irradiated frames, with a time delay of not more than one second;
• and
• a processing unit operating a reconstruction algorithm, reconstructing and displaying a panoramic layer from the stored and retrieved irradiated frames, said panoramic layer being displayed no later than 10 seconds from the end of said exposure profile.