Non-axial body computed tomography

A computed tomography apparatus comprising:

• a source of penetrating radiation which rotates in an imaging plane around an imaging region;
• radiation detectors positioned across the imaging region from the radiation source in the imaging plane;
• a patient couch which has a patient supporting surface extending transverse to the imaging plane and adapted to convey a patient longitudinally through the imaging plane;
• a patient support removeably positioned on the patient supporting surface to support a patient in a seated position on the patient couch, the patient support including:
• a base removeably supported on the patient couch patient supporting surface;
• a back support connected with the base for supporting a patient's back in the seated position with the sagittal plane substantially parallel to the imaging plane.

A computed tomography apparatus comprising:

• a gantry defining an aperture for receiving a patient;
• at least one source of penetrating radiation mounted for rotation about the aperture;
• an array of detectors for detecting the penetrating radiation which has traversed the aperture;
• a patient couch;
• a patient support that supports the patient in a seated position inside the aperture of the gantry on the patient couch, the patient support including:
• a base, configured to be supported on the patient couch,
• a back support connected with the base for supporting a patient's back in the seated position,
• side members connected with the base and disposed along opposite sides of the back support,
• an angle adjustment mechanism for adjusting an angle of the back support relative to the base, the angle adjustment mechanism including:
• a pivot which pivotally connects the back support to the side members;
• an arcuate guide with a series of grooves extending radially of the pivot for defining a plurality of selectable tilt angles;
• a reconstruction processor that reconstructs multiple views of the patient into an image representation.

A computed tomography device comprising:

• a gantry defining an aperture for receiving a patient;
• at least one source of penetrating radiation mounted in the gantry for rotation about the aperture;
• an array of detectors for detecting the penetrating radiation from the source which has traversed on imaging plane;
• a patient couch;
• a patient support that supports the patient in a seated position inside the aperture of the gantry on the patient couch, the patient support further including:
• a supplementary patient supports that supports a sagittal plane of the patient in and parallel to the imaging plane;
• a reconstruction processor that reconstructs multiple views of the patient into an image representation.

A method of diagnostic imaging comprising:

• positioning a subject in a seated position in an imaging region of a CT scanner with a sagittal plane of the subject's torso disposed substantially vertically;
• rotating a source of radiation around the imaging region in a substantially vertical plane;
• detecting radiation from the source that has traversed the imaging region and generating corresponding electronic data;
• and,
• reconstructing the electronic data into an image representation.

A method of diagnostic imaging comprising:

• positioning a subject in a seated position in an imaging region of a CT scanner with the subject's upper torso parallel to a radiation source rotation plane;
• rotating a source of radiation around the imaging region in the source rotation plane;
• detecting radiation from the source that has traversed the imaging region and generating corresponding electronic data;
• and,
• reconstructing the electronic data into an image representation.