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US 7,742,561 B2Granted
Imaging apparatus
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorHironori Ueki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is designed to overcome the disadvantages of X-ray imaging having difficulty in high-sensitivity measurement and of optical imaging having difficulty in high-spatial-resolution measurement, when used for diagnostic purposes. The present invention provides an imaging apparatus including an X-ray tube, a detector having sensitivity to X-rays and light, and a processing unit that processes the result of detection. In the imaging apparatus, the processing unit processes, as a first signal, a signal detected by the detector during an irradiation period in which an X-ray source provides X-ray irradiation, and processes, as a second signal, a light signal detected by the detector during a period other than the irradiation period.
Claims18
An imaging apparatus comprising:
- an X-ray source that irradiates a subject with X-rays;
- a first detector that detects the X-rays and light, the first detector facing the X-ray source with the subject in between;
- a light guide that guides the light exiting through the outer surface of the subject to a photodetection surface of the first detector;
- and
- a processing unit that processes the result of detection by the first detector;
- wherein the processing unit processes, as a first signal, an X-ray signal detected by the first detector during an irradiation period in which the X-ray source provides X-ray irradiation, and processes, as a second signal, a light signal detected by the first detector during a period other than the irradiation period.
3 more elements
An imaging apparatus comprising:
- an X-ray source that irradiates a subject with X-rays;
- a first detector that detects the X-rays and light, the first detector facing the X-ray source with the subject in between;
- and
- a processing unit that processes the result of detection by the first detector,
- wherein the processing unit processes, as a first signal, an X-ray signal detected by the first detector during an irradiation period in which the X-ray source provides X-ray irradiation, and processes, as a second signal, a light signal detected by the first detector during a period other than the irradiation period;
- and
- wherein the processing unit has the function of combining the first signal and the second signal into one image.
4 more elements
An imaging apparatus comprising:
- an X-ray source that irradiates a subject with X-rays;
- a first detector that detects the X-rays and light, the first detector facing the X-ray source with the subject in between;
- a light source that irradiates the subject with the light;
- a support that supports the subject while being in contact with the subject;
- wherein the support has the light guide function of guiding the light emitted from the light source to the subject;
- and
- a processing unit that processes the result of detection by the first detector;
- wherein the processing unit processes, as a first signal, an X-ray signal detected by the first detector during an irradiation period in which the X-ray source provides X-ray irradiation, and processes, as a second signal, a light signal detected by the first detector during a period other than the irradiation period.
5 more elements
An imaging apparatus comprising:
- an X-ray source that irradiates a subject with X-rays;
- a first detector that detects the X-rays and light, the first detector facing the X-ray source with the subject in between;
- a processing unit that processes the result of detection by the first detector;
- wherein the processing unit processes, as a first signal, an X-ray signal detected by the first detector during an irradiation period in which the X-ray source provides X-ray irradiation, and processes, as a second signal, a light signal detected by the first detector during a period other than the irradiation period;
- and
- a second detector that detects the light, the second detector being disposed between the X-ray source and the subject;
- wherein the processing unit processes, as a third signal, a signal detected by the second detector during the period other than the irradiation period in which the X-ray source provides the X-ray irradiation, and combines the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal into the one image.
4 more elements
An imaging apparatus, comprising:
- an X-ray source that irradiates a subject with X-rays;
- a first detector that detects the X-rays, the first detector facing the X-ray source with the subject in between;
- a second detector that detects light, the second detector being disposed between the X-ray source and the subject;
- a third detector that detects the light, the third detector being disposed between the subject and the first detector;
- and
- a processing unit that processes the results of detection by the first to third detectors,
- wherein the processing unit processes, as a first signal, an X-ray signal detected by the first detector during an irradiation period in which the X-ray source provides X-ray irradiation, and processes light signals detected by the third detector and the second detector during a period other than the irradiation period, as a second signal and a third signal, respectively.
4 more elements
An imaging apparatus, comprising:
- an X-ray source that irradiates a subject with X-rays;
- a first detector that detects the X-rays, the first detector facing the X-ray source with the subject in between;
- a first reflecting mirror disposed between the X-ray source and the subject;
- a first lens that focuses light reflected from the first reflecting mirror;
- a second detector that detects the light focused by the first lens;
- a second reflecting mirror disposed between the subject and the first detector;
- a second lens that focuses the light reflected from the second reflecting mirror;
- a third detector that detects the light focused by the second lens;
- and
- a processing unit that processes the results of detection by the first to third detectors,
- wherein the processing unit processes, as a first signal, an X-ray signal detected by the first detector during an irradiation period in which the X-ray source provides X-ray irradiation, and processes light signals detected by the third detector and the second detector during a period other than the irradiation period, as a second signal and a third signal, respectively.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.