X-ray imaging apparatus

A method of operating an X-ray imaging apparatus, the X-ray imaging apparatus including an imaging unit, the imaging unit including an X-ray detector, the method comprising:

• determining whether a computed tomographic (CT) imaging mode or a still imaging mode has been selected;
• if the still imaging mode has been selected:
• determining whether the X-ray detector is oriented in either a first orientation or a second orientation;
• and
• performing still imaging of at least a portion of a subject only if the X-ray detector is oriented in either the first orientation or the second orientation;
• and
• if the CT imaging mode has been selected:
• determining whether the X-ray detector is oriented in the second orientation;
• and
• performing CT imaging of at least a portion of the subject only if the X-ray detector is oriented in the second orientation.

A C-arm X-ray imaging device, comprising:

• an X-ray generator;
• an imaging unit including an X-ray detector, the X-ray detector defining a detection area having the shape of a rectangle with short sides and long sides, the X-ray detector movable between at least two orientations including a first orientation in which the long sides of the detection area are parallel to a longitudinal axis of a subject and a second orientation in which the short sides of the detection area are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the subject;
• a control unit configured to selectively operate the C-arm X-ray imaging device in either a computed tomographic (CT) imaging mode or a still imaging mode, the control unit further configured to permit operation of the C-arm X-ray imaging device in a selected imaging mode depending on the orientation of the X-ray detector;
• and
• a driving unit configured to rotate the X-ray generator and the imaging unit around the subject when the control unit operates the C-arm X-ray imaging device in the CT imaging mode.