US 9,541,509 B2Granted

Radiation imaging apparatus, radiation imaging method, body movement measuring method, and body movement measuring program

AssigneeFUJIFILM Corporation

InventorsSadato Akahori, Yoshitaka Yamaguchi

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Abstract

A radiation detector is moved along a predetermined axis of movement. Radiation which has passed through a subject is irradiated onto the radiation detector each time the position of the radiation detector changes due to the movement. Signals are read out from the radiation detector each time that radiation is irradiated, to obtain a plurality of radiation images of the subject. Mechanical errors of the radiation detector are detected at each imaging operation, and mechanical error corrected images in which the mechanical errors are corrected are obtained. Amounts of shift of the subject among the mechanical error corrected images are detected, and amounts of movement of the subject during imaging operations are detected based on the amounts of shift.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A radiation imaging apparatus, comprising:

an imaging means for irradiating radiation;
a radiation detector for detecting the radiation of a subject positioned between the irradiating radiation and the radiation detector;
and
a moving means for moving the imaging means and/or the radiation detector;
the radiation imaging apparatus being configured to perform a plurality of imaging operations of a subject by moving the imaging means and/or the radiation detector;
and the radiation imaging apparatus further comprising:
image obtaining means for reading out signals from the radiation detector each time the radiation detector is moved and the radiation is irradiated, to obtain a plurality of images of the subject;
a mechanical error detecting means for detecting mechanical errors of the imaging means and/or the radiation detector;
and
body movement obtaining means for obtaining the amounts of body movement of the subject during the imaging operations, based on the mechanical errors obtained by the mechanical error detecting means,
wherein the radiation imaging apparatus moves the radiation detector, irradiates radiation which has passed through the subject onto the radiation detector each time that the position of the radiation detector changes by being moved, and obtains a plurality of radiation images, at least portions thereof being overlapped,
wherein the imaging means moves the radiation detector along a predetermined axis of movement and irradiates radiation which has passed through the subject onto the radiation detector each time that the position of the radiation detector changes due to the movement and
wherein the radiation imaging apparatus further comprises:
a mechanical error correcting means for correcting the mechanical errors in the plurality of radiation images, to obtain mechanical error corrected radiation images;
and
a shift detecting means, for detecting amounts of shift in the subject among the mechanical error corrected radiation images, and
wherein the body movement obtaining means obtains the amounts of body movement of the subject during the imaging operations, based on the amounts of shift,
wherein mechanical error includes inclinations of an imaging surface.

15 more elements

A radiation imaging apparatus, comprising:

a radiation source for emitting radiation;
a radiation detecting means for detecting the radiation of a subject positioned between the emitting radiation and the radiation detecting means;
and
a moving means for moving the radiation source and/or the radiation detector;
the radiation source and/or the radiation detector being moved to perform a plurality of imaging operations of a subject;
and further comprising:
an imaging system actual movement calculating means, for moving the radiation source and/or the radiation detecting means according to a predetermined pattern, performing a plurality of imaging operations of a reference subject placed at a known position, and for calculating the actual amounts of movement of the radiation source and/or the radiation detecting means based on the projected position of the reference subject within each image obtained by the plurality of imaging operations;
a subject movement specifying means, for specifying the amounts of movement of the subject within a plurality of images, which are obtained by moving the radiation source and/or the radiation detecting means according to the predetermined pattern and performing a plurality of imaging operations;
an estimated subject movement calculating means, for calculating estimated amounts of movement of the subject within a plurality of images which are obtained by moving the radiation source and/or the radiation detecting means according to the predetermined pattern for the actual amounts of movement and performing a plurality of imaging operations;
and
a body movement evaluation value calculating means, for calculating a body movement evaluation value that indicates the degree of body movement of the subject, based on a difference between the amounts of movement of the subject and the estimated amounts of movement of the subject,
a warning being displayed or imagining operations being ceased when the body movement evaluation value exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/637,553Filed 28 Mar 2011
Priority: JP 2010-07158626 Mar 2010
Published: US 2013/0077749 A128 Mar 2013
Granted: 10 Jan 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

G01N 23/044
And forming images of the material: using laminography or tomosynthesis
A61B 6/486
Diagnostic techniques: involving generating temporal series of image data
A61B 6/487
Involving generating temporal series of image data: involving fluoroscopy
A61B 6/5264
Involving detection or reduction of artifacts or noise: due to motion