Systems and methods for imaging large field-of-view objects

An imaging apparatus, comprising;

• a source that projects a beam of radiation in a first trajectory;
• a detector located a distance from the source and positioned to receive the beam of radiation in the first trajectory;
• an imaging area between the source and the detector, the radiation beam from the source passing through a portion of the imaging area before it is received at the detector;
• a detector positioner that translates the detector to a second position in a direction that is substantially normal to the first trajectory;
• a beam positioner that alters the trajectory of the radiation beam to direct the beam onto the detector located at the second position, the beam positioner comprising a tilt system that tilts the source, the tilt system comprising a linear actuator connected at one end to a tiltable source and at another end to a support, the length of the actuator defining the angle at which the source is tilted;
• wherein the source, detector and beam positioner are mounted on a rotor, the rotor being housed within a substantially O-shaped gantry.

A method of imaging an object, comprising:

• positioning an object within a central opening of a substantially O-shaped gantry, the gantry having an interior cavity extending 360 degrees around the interior of the gantry;
• rotating a rotor within the interior cavity gantry to plural selected rotational positions over the full 360 degree circumference of the gantry, the rotor having a radiation source and a detector secured to the rotor;
• projecting a beam of radiation in a first trajectory, the beam traveling through a first region of the object and onto a detector located at a first position;
• translating the detector to a second position an the rotor in a direction that is substantially normal to the first trajectory;
• altering the trajectory of the beam so that the beam travels through a second region of the object and onto the detector located at the second position;
• and
• detecting radiation at the detector at both the first detector position and the second detector position to obtain effectively large field-of view object images from a plurality of different projection angles over a partial or full 360 degree rotation of the rotor.

A detector system for imaging objects, comprising:

• a detector for detecting radiation from an object;
• a positioner frame that supports the detector and defines a detector translation path;
• a motor mounted to at least one of the detector and the positioner frame that translates the detector relative to the positioner frame to multiple positions along the translation path;
• a rigid rotor, the positioner frame being attached to the rotor;
• and
• a substantially O-shaped gantry having a central opening for positioning around an object to be imaged, the gantry having an interior cavity extending 360 degrees around the interior of the gantry, the rigid rotor housed within, and rotatable around, the interior cavity of the gantry.

A system for projecting radiation in multiple trajectories, comprising:

• a source that projects a radiation beam in a first trajectory;
• a frame that houses the source, the frame connected to the source so as to permit the source to pivotally move relative to the frame;
• and
• a motorized system connected to the frame and to the source, the motorized system pivoting the source relative to the frame to alter the trajectory of the radiation beam;
• wherein the motorized system comprises a linear actuator, where the length of the linear actuator controls the angle at which the source is pivoted relative to the frame, wherein the source and frame are mounted to a rotor for rotation around an object to be imaged.

An imaging apparatus, comprising:

• means for projecting a beam of radiation in a first trajectory, the beam traveling through a first region of an object and onto a detector located at a first position;
• means for translating the detector to a second position in a direction that is substantially normal to the first trajectory;
• means for altering the trajectory of the beam so that the beam travels through a second region of the object and onto the detector located at the second position;
• and
• a substantially O-shaped gantry having a central opening for positioning around an object to be imaged, the gantry having an interior cavity extending 360 degrees around the interior of the gantry;
• a rigid rotor housed within the interior cavity of the substantially O-shaped gantry, the means for projecting a beam of radiation and the detector being mounted on the rotor;
• and
• means for rotating the rotor 360 degrees around the interior cavity of the substantially O-shaped gantry.

An apparatus for imaging objects subjected to radiation doses, the objects being larger than the field of view of a detector, comprising:

• detector positioning means for translating the detector to different positions and obtaining images at each such position;
• a beam positioner means for altering the trajectory of an imaging beam to follow a path to each such position, thereby to produce safer and more efficient dose utilization;
• a substantially O-shaped gantry-having a central opening for positioning around an object to be imaged, the gantry having an interior cavity extending 360 decrees around the interior of the gantry;
• a rigid rotor housed within the interior cavity of the substantially O-shaped gantry, the detector positioning means and beam positioner means being mounted on the rotor;
• and
• means for rotating the rotor 360 degrees around the interior cavity of the substantially O-shaped gantry.