X-ray imaging system for performing automated imaging of patient anatomy

An X-ray imaging system for performing automated imaging of patient anatomy, comprising:

• at least one repository of data determining a series of pre-programmed steps comprising a plurality of incremental distances to be moved by an X-ray detector and X-ray emitter combination relative to a portion of patient anatomy;
• a semi-transparent filter including at least one portion of X-ray filtering material automatically adjustable to attenuate X-ray radiation in response to a control signal;
• a filter controller for generating said control signal in response to,
• determining one or more regions of the X-ray detector corresponding to a portion of patient anatomy to be X-rayed in response to X-ray absorbent markers indicating boundaries of said portion of patient anatomy during an initialization X-ray exposure for individual steps of said series of pre-programmed steps and
• determining different positions of said X-ray filtering material for corresponding individual steps of said series of pre-programmed steps in response to the determined regions;
• and
• an X-ray imaging device for automatically moving an X-ray detector and X-ray emitter combination relative to patient anatomy in a series of pre-programmed steps, in response to data representing the determined series of pre-programmed steps and user command and automatically adjusting the position of said X-ray filtering material via said control signal to the determined positions of said X-ray filtering material to attenuate an X-ray beam of radiation in part of said portion of patient anatomy for individual steps of said series of pre-programmed steps.

An X-ray imaging system for performing automated imaging of patient anatomy, comprising:

• a collimator including at least one portion of X-ray absorbent material automatically adjustable to alter the dimensions of a spatial cross section of an X-ray beam of radiation, in response to a first control signal;
• a semi-transparent filters including at least one portion of X-ray filtering material automatically adjustable to attenuate X-ray radiation in response to a second control signal;
• a controller for generating the first and second control signals in response to,
• determining one or more regions of the X-ray detector corresponding to a portion of patient anatomy to be X-rayed in response to X-ray absorbent markers indicating boundaries of said portion of patient anatomy during an initialization X-ray exposure for individual steps of a series of pre-programmed imaging steps and
• determining different first positions of said portion of X-ray absorbent material and different second positions of said X-ray filtering material for corresponding individual steps of said series of pre-programmed imaging steps in response to the determined regions;
• and
• an X-ray imaging device for automatically adjusting the position of said portion of X-ray absorbent material and said X-ray filtering material via said first and second control signals to the determined first and second positions respectively, for individual steps of said series of pre-programmed steps.