Image cropping for asymmetrical imaging

A method for cropping data in a digital x-ray imaging system, the method comprising the steps of:

• orienting a radiation beam to project the beam towards an image plane to impinge the plane asymmetrically with respect to an axis of the plane and to impinge a region of a detector extending in the image plane, the region being smaller than an imaging surface of the detector;
• computing an image area over which the beam impinges the plane;
• and
• processing image data from the region of the detector including the image area.

A method for processing image data in a digital x-ray imaging system, the method comprising the steps of:

• orienting a radiation beam producing assembly to project an x-ray beam towards an image plane to impinge the plane asymmetrically with respect to an axis of the plane and to impinge a region of a detector extending in the image plane, the region being smaller than an imaging surface of the detector;
• sensing orientation of the radiation beam producing assembly;
• computing an image area over which the beam impinges the plane;
• generating the x-ray beam;
• and
• processing image data from the region of the detector including the image area.

A digital x-ray system comprising:

• a radiation source assembly orientable with respect to an imaging plane to produce an asymmetrical image area;
• a digital detector extending in the imaging plane and having an imaging surface larger than the image area;
• and
• a control circuit configured to compute the image area based upon orientation of the radiation source assembly and to process image data from the detector for the image area to the exclusion of data from portions of the imaging surface outside the image area.