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US 5,490,196 AGranted
Multi energy system for x-ray imaging applications
AssigneesMetorex International Oy, Vista Technology, Inc.
InventorsIrwin Rudich, Tapio E. Virtanen
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AssigneesMetorex International Oy, Vista Technology, Inc.
InventorsIrwin Rudich, Tapio E. Virtanen
Estimating the term…
In an all electronic multi energy system at least two levels of x-ray energy are produced sequentially and rapidly at independently controllable and different power or flux levels. In the system there are a triode x-ray tube which selects the operating current of the system and a series connected temperature limited diode or triode which controls the voltage across the first x-ray tube. This system provides improved performance in x-ray imaging applications at low cost, for example, in baggage inspection or measurements of bone densities and medical fluoroscopy. The objective of the system is to produce a maximum amount of useful information with a minimum amount of exposure for the patient or object to be illuminated by x-ray flux. With human patients this is desirable for health safety reasons; for baggage inspection, to reduce exposure to photographic films.
A multi energy system for x-ray imaging applications wherein at least two levels of x-ray energy are produced at different power or x-ray flux levels, comprising a highly stable regulated high voltage supply, two x-ray tubes in series, one x-ray tube having a voltage driven control grid which allows rapid variation of the tube current and generating an x-ray beam, means to expose an object to be inspected to the x-ray beam, a second x-ray tube acting as a non linear resistance controlled by the temperature of its filament, said x-ray tubes electrically connected in series in order to allow the current through said x-ray tubes to vary the voltage applied to the first tube, means for detecting the intensities of x-rays transmitted through the object to be inspected and a means to set up, regulate and maintain the illuminating x-ray energy and flux levels at planned or programmed values.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.