X-ray imaging apparatus
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorYuichi Fujimoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
AN X-ray imaging apparatus includes an image intensifier for converting an X-ray passing through an object to be examined into an optical image, a solid-state image sensor for converting the optical image into a video signal, a monitor for displaying the video signal, and an X-ray photographing apparatus for picking up an X-ray image. When a photographing mode is selected, the solid-state image sensor receives two transfer pulses during a vertical blanking period to reduce the luminance of the video signal. Electric charges stored in electric charge storage areas in the solid-state image sensor are externally discharged in response to the first transfer pulse, and the electric charges stored after the discharge are read as the video signal in response to the second transfer pulse.
Claims12
An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:
- X-ray generating means for radiating an X-ray to an object to be examined;
- X-ray/optical image converting means for converting the X-ray passing through said object to be examined into an optical image;
- solid-state image sensor means having electric charge storage areas for storing electric charges corresponding to the optical image obtained by said converting means and electric charge transfer areas for transferring the electric charges stored in said electric charge storage areas, for outputting transferred electric charges as a video signal;
- mode selecting means for selecting a fluoroscopic mode for visually observing an X-ray image and a photographing mode for picking up the X-ray image;
- X-ray driving means for driving said X-ray generating means to selectively generate a low-level X-ray suitable for the fluoroscopic mode and a high-level X-ray suitable for the photographing mode from said X-ray generating means;
- and
- drive circuit means for driving said solid-state image sensor means to discharge a predetermined amount of electric charges stored in said electric charge storage areas in said solid-state image sensor means in order to adjust the luminance of the video signal in the photographing mode.
An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:
- X-ray generating means for radiating an X-ray to an object to be examined;
- image intensifier means for converting the X-ray passing through said object to be examined into an optical image;
- solid-state image sensor means having electric charge storage areas for storing electric charges corresponding to the optical image obtained by said image intensifier means and electric charge transfer areas for transferring the electric charges stored in said electric charge storage areas, for outputting transferred electric charges as a video signal;
- mode selecting means for selecting a fluoroscopic mode for visually observing an X-ray image and a photographing mode for picking up the X-ray image;
- display means for displaying the video signal output from said solid-state image sensor means as the X-ray image;
- picking-up means for picking up the X-ray passing through said object to be examined as an X-ray photograph;
- X-ray driving means for driving said X-ray generating means to selectively generate a low-level X-ray suitable for the fluoroscopic mode and a high-level X-ray suitable for the photographing mode from said X-ray generating means;
- and
- drive circuit means for outputting a drive signal to said solid-state image sensor means in response to selection of the photographing mode to discharge a predetermined amount of electric charges stored in said electric charge storage areas in said solid-state image sensor means in order to adjust a luminance of the video signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.