X-ray positioner with side-mounted, independently articulated arms
AssigneeGE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
InventorsMichael M. Crain, Douglas P. Dietz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Two independently articulated arms, each having at least two independent axes of motion, support an X-ray tube and X-ray detector, respectively, are mounted offset to the patient and controlled to simulate a wide variety of conventional X-ray positioners. The two arms are each supported at one end by a common base wherein the common base provides at least one common axis of motion for both the first and second articulated arms. Further, an axis controller sends movement signals to the common axis and independent axes and receives position signals from the common axis and independent axes to coordinate movement of the first and second arms according to a predefined program.
Claims24
A multi-operating mode x-ray imaging system comprising:
- an x-ray source producing an x-ray beam directed along a source axis;
- an x-ray detector detecting x-rays received along a detector axis;
- a first and second articulated arm each having at least two independent axes of motion, the first articulated arm holding the x-ray source at its first end, the second articulated arm holding the x-ray detector at its first end;
- a common base supporting second ends of the first and second articulated arms providing at least one common axis of motion for both the first and second articulated arms;
- and
- an axis controller sending movement signals to the common axis and independent axes and receiving position signals from the common axis and independent axes to coordinate movement of the first and second arms according to a predefined program.
A multi-operating mode x-ray imaging systemic comprising:
- a patient support;
- an x-ray source producing an x-ray beam directed along a source axis;
- an x-ray detector detecting x-rays received along a detector axis;
- a first and second articulated arm each having at least two independent axes of motion, the first articulated arm holding the x-ray source at its first end, the second articulated arm holding the x-ray detector at its first end, wherein second ends of the first and second arms are positioned on a common side of the patient support;
- and
- an axis controller sending movement signals to the common side and independent axes and receiving position signals from the common side and independent axes to coordinate movement of the axes of the first and second arms according to a predefined program.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.