Apparatus and method for recording radiation image data of an object

Abstract

An apparatus for recording radiation image data of an object comprises a radiation source arrangement provided for emitting radiation; an object holder arranged in the radiation path of the emitted radiation and provided for housing the object during the recordation of the radiation image data; a detector arrangement for detecting radiation which has interacted with the object; a support structure, to which the radiation source and detector arrangements are secured; and a scanning device provided for moving either one of the support structure or the object holder with respect to the other one of the support structure or the object holder in a conical pendulum movement while the detector arrangement is provided for detecting radiation which has interacted with the object.

1 . An apparatus for recording radiation image data of an object comprising
 a radiation source arrangement for emitting radiation;   an object holder arranged in the radiation path of said emitted radiation and provided for housing the object during the recordation of the radiation image data;   a detector arrangement for detecting radiation, which has interacted with said object;   a support structure, to which said radiation source and detector arrangements are secured; and   a scanning device provided for moving either one of said support structure or said object holder with respect to the other one of said support structure or said object holder in a conical pendulum movement while said detector arrangement is provided for detecting radiation, which has interacted with said object, to thereby record said radiation image data of the object.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said scanning device is provided for moving either one of said support structure or said object holder around a vertical axis. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said scanning device is provided for moving either one of said support structure or said object holder in an elliptic conical pendulum movement while said detector arrangement is provided for detecting radiation, which has interacted with said object. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said scanning device is provided for moving either one of said support structure or said object holder in conical pendulum movements with varying cone radii while said detector arrangement is provided for detecting radiation, which has interacted with said object. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said scanning device is provided for moving either one of said support structure or said object holder in a conical pendulum movement with a center of rotation lying downstream of said detector arrangement or upstream of said radiation source arrangement while said detector arrangement is provided for detecting radiation, which has interacted with said object. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said scanning device is provided for moving either one of said support structure or said object holder in said conical pendulum movement essentially one full revolution. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said scanning device is provided for moving said support structure. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said detector arrangement is, during said conical pendulum movement, provided for detecting repeatedly radiation which has interacted with said object. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said detector arrangement is provided for detecting radiation, which has interacted with said object, at least a plurality of times. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  comprising a collimator arrangement arranged in the path of said radiation upstream of said object holder to collimate said radiation. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  comprising a filter device arranged in the path of said radiation upstream of said object holder to filtrate said radiation. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein
 said detector arrangement is provided for detecting radiation, which has interacted with said object, at least a plurality of times;   said filter device is capable of operating in two operation modes having different filter characteristics; and   said filter device is provided for altering operation mode subsequent to at least every second one of said plurality of detections.   
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said filter device comprises an array of filter sections; and said filter sections have different filter characteristics. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein
 said detector arrangement comprises a stack of line detectors, each being directed towards the radiation source arrangement to allow a ray bundle of the radiation that propagates in a respective one of a plurality of different angles to enter the line detector; and   each one of said line detectors is provided to record line images of radiation as transmitted through the object in different angles.   
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said detector arrangement comprises a stack of line detectors, wherein the line detectors are each a gaseous-based ionization detector, wherein electrons freed as a result of ionization by the radiation are accelerated in a direction essentially perpendicular to the direction of the radiation. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said detector arrangement comprises a scintillator-based detector, a PIN-diode array, a TFT array, a CMOS pixel detector, a CCD array, a liquid-based detector, or a solid-state detector. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 1  comprising an image processing device provided for creating any of a three-dimensional radiation image, a two-dimensional radiation image, a two-dimensional radiation projection image, a three-dimensional tomosynthesis image, or a two-dimensional tomosynthesis image, of the object from the recorded radiation image data; and a display device provided for displaying the created image. 
   
   
       18 . A method for recording radiation image data of an object comprising
 emitting radiation by a radiation source arrangement;   arranging an object in the radiation path of said emitted radiation during the recordation of the radiation image data;   detecting radiation, which has interacted with said object, by a detector arrangement; and   moving either said radiation source and detector arrangements or said object with respect to the other one of said radiation source and detector arrangements or said object in a conical pendulum movement while detecting radiation, which has interacted with said object, thereby recording said radiation image data of the object.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein either said radiation source and detector arrangements or said object holder are/is moved in an elliptic conical pendulum movement while radiation, which has interacted with said object, is detected. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein either said radiation source and detector arrangements or said object holder are/is moved in conical pendulum movements with varying cone radii while radiation, which has interacted with said object, is detected. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein either said radiation source and detector arrangements or said object holder are/is moved in an elliptic conical pendulum movement while radiation, which has interacted with said object, is detected. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein either said radiation source and detector arrangements or said object holder are/is moved in a conical pendulum movement with a center of rotation lying downstream of said detector arrangement or upstream of said radiation source arrangement while radiation, which has interacted with said object, is detected. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18  either said radiation source and detector arrangements or said object holder are/is moved in a conical pendulum movement essentially one full revolution while radiation, which has interacted with said object, is detected. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18  wherein radiation, which has interacted with said object, is detected during said conical pendulum movement. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 18  wherein radiation, which has interacted with said object, is detected at least a plurality of times.