System for quantitative radiographic imaging
AssigneeUniversity of Massachusetts Medical Center
InventorAndrew Karellas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for spectroscopic imaging of bodily tissue in which a scintillation screen and a charged coupled device (CCD) are used to accurately image selected tissue. An x-ray source generates x-rays which pass through a region of a subject's body, forming an x-ray image which reaches the scintillation screen. The scintillation screen reradiates a spatial intensity pattern corresponding to the image, the pattern being detected by a CCD sensor. The image is digitized by the sensor and processed by a controller before being stored as an electronic image. Each image is directed onto an associated respective CCD or amorphous silicon detector to generate individual electronic representations of the separate images.
Claims30
An apparatus for examining material in an oral cavity of a patient comprising:
- an x-ray radiation source that directs radiation through the material;
- an optical storage element that receives radiation transmitted through the material at a storage region of the optical storage element, the storage region having a two dimensional surface area;
- an oral cassette containing the optical storage element that is insertable into the oral cavity;
- a light source that simultaneously illuminates the two dimensional surface area of the storage region of the optical storage element to induce a fluorescence emission of an image of the material from the storage region;
- a two dimensional detector array optically coupled to the optical storage element such that the array receives the fluorescence emission at a plurality of pixels and generates an electronic representation of the material;
- and
- a two dimensional optical coupling system that couples the image of the material onto the two dimensional detector array.
A method for examining a tooth of a patient comprising the steps of:
- directing x-ray radiation through the tooth of the patient to produce a radiation pattern that is transmitted onto an optical storage element within an oral insertion cassette, such that the optical storage element receives two dimensional radiation pattern on a surface area that is representative of the spatial distribution and intensity of the radiation pattern;
- directing light simultaneously onto the entire surface area of the optical storage element to produce an optical signal representative of the spatial distribution and intensity of the radiation pattern;
- and
- receiving the optical signal on a two dimensional detector array comprising a plurality of pixels and generating an electronic representation of the tooth.
An apparatus insertable into a patient's mouth for examining the patient's teeth comprising:
- an optical storage element positioned on a flexible substrate and that receives x-ray radiation transmitted through the patient's teeth;
- and
- a sleeve in which the optical storage element and the substrate is contained such that the sleeve can be positioned entirely within the patient's mouth.
An apparatus for examining a patient's teeth comprising:
- an x-ray radiation source emitting radiation which is directed through the teeth;
- an optical storage element having a surface area that receives the radiation transmitted through the patient's teeth;
- and
- a sleeve in which the optical storage element can be contained and which fits, while fitted with the optical storage element, entirely within the patient's mouth;
- a detector into which the optical storage element can be mounted comprising a detector array;
- a light source that can be optically coupled to the optical storage element to simultaneously illuminate the entire surface area of the optical storage element to stimulate the optical storage element to produce an optical signal that is transmitted onto the detector array.
A method for examining a patient's teeth comprising the steps of:
- placing a sleeve containing an optical storage element completely within the patient's mouth such that the patient's mouth can be closed;
- directing x-ray radiation through the patient's teeth to produce a radiation pattern across a surface area of the optical storage element, the optical storage element positioned to receive the radiation pattern and to produce an optical signal representative of the spatial distribution and intensity of the radiation pattern upon subsequent stimulation;
- removing the optical storage element from the patient's mouth;
- directing a pulse of light simultaneously onto the entire surface area of the optical storage element to stimulate the optical storage element to produce the optical signal representative of the spatial distribution and intensity of at least most of the radiation pattern;
- and
- receiving the optical signal on a detector array comprising a plurality of pixels and generating an electronic representation of an image of the teeth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.