Dynamic biplane roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis

Abstract

A medical imaging system includes at least two robotic arms each with an imaging device component positioned at its distal end. A controller is configured to controllably adjust the pivots of the robotic arms to control the position and perspective angle of both imaging device component such that the perspective angle of each imaging device component faces the other imaging device component along an imaging axis. The controller and both robotic arms are further configured to rotate the imaging axis to any angle relative to the imaging volume along a plane of movement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical imaging system comprising:
 a first robotic arm with a first imaging device component mounted on a distal end of the first robotic arm, the first robotic arm including at least two pivots to controllably adjust a position and a perspective angle of the first imaging device component relative to an imaging volume;   a second robotic arm with a second imaging device component mounted on a distal end of the second robotic arm, the second robotic arm including at least two pivots to controllably adjust a position and a perspective angle of the second imaging device component relative to the imaging volume; and   a controller configured to controllably adjust the pivots of the first robotic arm and the pivots of the second robotic arm to control the position and the perspective angle of the first imaging device component and to control the position and the perspective angle of the second imaging device component,
 wherein the controller is further configured to position the first imaging device component and the second imaging device component such that the perspective angle of the first imaging device component and the perspective angle of the second imaging device component face each other along an imaging axis extending through the imaging volume, and 
 wherein the controller, the first robotic arm, and the second robotic arm are configured to controllably rotate the imaging axis to any angle within a plane of movement. 
   
     
     
         2 . The medical imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising an at least partially circular track positioned around the imaging volume,
 wherein a proximal end of the first robotic arm and a proximal end of the second robotic arm are both movably coupled to the at least partially circular track, and   wherein the controller is further configured to rotate the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm around the imaging volume along the at least partially circular track while maintaining the imaging axis extending through the imaging volume and thereby being configured to controllably rotate the plane of movement relative to provide a spherical imaging volume.   
     
     
         3 . The medical imaging system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least partially circular track is positionable on a ceiling of a room such that the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm are ceiling-mounted. 
     
     
         4 . The medical imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a rotatable turn-table operated by the controller and mounted below the first imaging volume. 
     
     
         5 . The medical imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more tracks extending from the imaging volume to a second imaging volume,
 wherein a proximal end of the first robotic arm and a proximal end of the second robotic arm are both movably coupled to the one or more tracks, and   wherein the controller is further configured to controllably move the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm along the one or more tracks from the first imaging volume to the second imaging volume.   
     
     
         6 . The medical imaging system of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more tracks are positionable on a ceiling of a room such that the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm are ceiling-mounted. 
     
     
         7 . The medical imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the first imaging device component includes an x-ray emitter and wherein the second imaging device component includes an x-ray detector. 
     
     
         8 . The medical imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a third robotic arm with a third imaging device component mounted on a distal end of the third robotic arm and a fourth robotic arm with a fourth imaging device component mounted on a distal end of the fourth robotic arm,
 wherein the controller is further configured to control a position and a perspective angle of the third imaging device component and a position and a perspective angle of the fourth imaging device component such that the perspective angle of the third imaging device component and the perspective angle of the fourth imaging device component face each other along a second imaging axis extending through the imaging volume, and   wherein the controller, the third robotic arm, and the fourth robotic arm are configured to controllably rotate the second imaging axis to any angle within a second plane of movement.   
     
     
         9 . The medical imaging system of  claim 8 , wherein the first imaging device component and the second imaging device component provide a first imaging modality, and wherein the third imaging device component and the fourth imaging device component provide a second imaging modality. 
     
     
         10 . The medical imaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the first imaging device component includes a x-ray emitter and the second imaging device component includes an x-ray detector. 
     
     
         11 . The medical imaging system of  claim 10 , wherein the third imaging device component includes a scintillator and the fourth imaging device component includes a digital camera. 
     
     
         12 . The medical imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a coupling positioned at the distal end of the first robotic arm configured to selectively coupled the first imaging device component to the first robotic arm providing selective interchangability of the imaging device component. 
     
     
         13 . The medical imaging system of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling includes at least one selecting from a group consisting of a threaded coupling and a clamping mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The medical imaging system of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling allows for multiple different cameras to be selectively interchanged depending upon a specific application for which the system is being used.