Tomographic apparatus and method for obtaining three-dimensional information by radiation scanning
AssigneeComputome Corporation
InventorArnold Goldman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for scanning a part or all of a patient by X-rays or gamma rays to obtain two or three dimensional information. The apparatus comprises a fan beam source of radiation which is moveable relative to the patient and means fixed or movably relative to the patient, but fixed relative to the source of radiation comprising a scintillation crystal or fluoroscopic screen which may be tilted at an angle, a lens system, a charge coupled device for translating the light photons received from the crystal or screen into a corresponding analog signal which can then be processed either directly by an analog computer or after conversion to digital signals, by a digital computer. The results are then exhibited by a suitable display device such as a cathode ray tube.
Claims15
A tomographic apparatus for examining a body by means of radiation such as x-ray or gamma radiation comprising:
- (a) a body supporting structure for positioning a body relative to a rotatable source of radiation and relative to a detector,
- (b) a source of penetrating radiation rotatable with respect to said body supporting structure and positioned on one side thereof,
- (c) a radiation detector system located on the opposite side of said body supporting structure, rotatable or fixed, with respect thereto but fixed relative to said radiation source, which detection system comprises:
- (I) means for receiving and converting radiation received from said radiation source into light photons, wherein said means for receiving and converting radiation is a fluoroscopic screen, or is a scintillation crystal, and said screen or crystal is inclined at an angle with respect to the axis of the beam generated by said source, thereby yielding a greater light photon output,
- (II) an optical lens system aligned with said radiation converting means for focusing the light photons passing therethrough onto at least one charge coupled device.
- (III) at least one electronic charge coupled semiconductor device for receiving light photons and generating analog electric signals in response to the light photons received;
- (d) an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog signals generated by said semiconductor device into digital signals,
- (e) means for processing said digital signals and means for reconverting said processed digital signals into an analog signal and displaying the thus obtained information, and
- (f) means for rotating said radiation source and said radiation receiving means relative to said body supporting structure but fixed relative to each other.
A tomographic apparatus for examining a body by means of radiation such as x-ray or gamma radiation comprising:
- (a) a body supporting structure for positioning a body relative to a rotatable source of radiation and relative to a detector,
- (b) a source of penetrating radiation rotatable with respect to said body supporting structure and positioned on one side thereof,
- (c) a radiation detector system located on the opposite side of said body supporting structure, rotatable with respect thereto but fixed relative to said radiation source, which detector system comprises:
- (I) means for receiving and converting radiation received from said radiation source into light photons,
- (II) a plurality of optical lens systems aligned with said radiation converting means for focusing the light photons passing therethrough onto a plurality of charge coupled devices, one lens system per charge coupled device,
- (III) a plurality of electronic charge coupled semiconductor devices for receiving light photons and generating analog electric signals in response to the light photons received,
- (d) an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog signals generated by said semiconductor device into digital signals,
- (e) means for reconverting said digital signals into an analog signal, means for processing said digital signals and displaying the thus obtained information, and
- (f) means for rotating said radiation source and said radiation receiving means relative to said body supporting structure but fixed relative to each other.
A tomographic apparatus for examining a body by means of radiation such as x-ray or gamma radiation comprising:
- (a) a body supporting structure for positioning a body relative to a rotatable source of radiation and relative to a detector,
- (b) a source of penetrating radiation rotatable with respect to said body supporting structure and positioned on one side thereof,
- (c) a radiation detector system located on the opposite side of said body supporting structure, rotatable with respect thereto but fixed relative to said radiation source, which receiving means comprises:
- (I) means for receiving and converting radiation received from said radiation source into light photons,
- (II) a plurality of optical lens systems aligned with said radiation coverting means for focusing the light photons passing therethrough onto a plurality of electronic charge coupled devices, one lens system per charge coupled device,
- (III) at least one electronic charge coupled semiconductor device for receiving light photons and generating analog electric signals in response to the light photons received;
- (d) means for processing and displaying the obtained information from said electronic charge coupled device, and
- (e) means for rotating said radiation source and said radiation receiving means relative to said body supporting structure but fixed relative to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.