Alignment verification device and method of using the same with a visual light beam and an x-ray
AssigneeMinrad Inc.
InventorsJohn C. McNeirney, Michael K. Landi, Thomas C. Koslowske
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and method for verifying positional alignment between a visible light beam and an x-ray beam by providing a radio-opaque body that is to be positioned in the center of the visible light beam in the x-ray field. The image of the radio-opaque body provides an indication of whether the position of the visible light beam is colinear and coincident with the central ray of the x-ray beam of an imaging system.
Claims20
A method of aligning a visible light beam with an x-ray, comprising the steps of:
- providing a radio-opaque body;
- directing the visual light beam along a beam axis from a source to a surface that will be irradiated by the x-ray;
- placing the radio-opaque body on the surface so that the beam axis and the center of the radio-opaque body are in alignment;
- turning the x-ray on so that the x-ray is directed along an x-ray axis to the surface;
- observing a visual location of the image of the radio-opaque body in an x-ray image;
- and
- utilizing the image of the radio-opaque body in the x-ray image to determine the relative directions of the beam axis and the x-ray axis so that the proper alignment can be made.
A method of aligning a visible light beam with an x-ray for use with an apparatus comprising a monitor and an optical system having a radio-opaque marking, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a radio-opaque body;
- directing the visual light beam along a beam axis from a source to a surface that will be irradiated by the x-ray;
- placing the radio-opaque body on the surface so that the beam axis and the center of the radio-opaque body are in alignment;
- turning the x-ray on so that the x-ray is directed along an x-ray axis of the surface;
- observing a visual location of the image of the radio-opaque body relatively to the image of the radio-opaque marking in an x-ray image generated on the monitor;
- and
- utilizing the image of the radio-opaque body and the image of the radio-opaque marking to determine the relative directions of the beam axis and the x-ray axis so that the proper alignment can be made.
An arrangement for aligning a visible light beam and an x-ray beam which beams will be incident on a surface, the arrangement comprising:
- a) means for defining the surface on which the beams will be incident;
- b) an x-ray source for providing an x-ray beam directed along an x-ray axis to the surface;
- c) a visible light beam source for providing a visible light beam directed along a light beam axis to the surface;
- and
- d) a device for aligning the visible light beam and the x-ray beam comprising a supporting member having attachment means on one side attaching the side to the surface and a three-dimensional body of radio-opaque material carried by the supporting member so that when the three-dimensional body is in direct alignment with the visible light beam, an x-ray image thereof can be used to determine the relative directions of the beams and make proper alignment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.