X-ray imaging apparatus

Abstract

An X-ray imaging apparatus implements a fluoroscopy that irradiates a weaker dose of X-rays than a dose on the long-length imaging toward a subject M at each location in the long-length imaging range, while moving an X-ray tube in a body axis direction relative to the subject M prior to the long-length imaging, when the long-length imaging is implemented by moving the X-ray tube 2 in the body axis direction relative to the subject M. The dose D 1 at the location having the thick body thickness is less, so that the tube voltage is set up to be high as the tube voltage V 1 and vice versa, the dose D 2 at the location having the thin body thickness is high, so that the tube voltage is set up to be low as the tube voltage V 2 . The tube voltage is set up to implement a long-length imaging so that doses of X-rays that transmit the subject coincide with each other at each location based on the X-ray dose that transmits the subject M on the fluoroscopy, so that the imaging condition relative to the long-length imaging in the region in which the height (body thickness) of the subject is different from each other can be set up appropriately.

1 . An X-ray imaging apparatus that implements an X-ray imaging, comprising:
 a data acquisition means that acquires a plurality of data relative to a height of a subject at a plurality of locations relative to a long-length imaging range;   an imaging condition setting means that sets up an X-ray imaging condition so that doses of X-rays that transmit said subject coincide with each other at each said location based on said data relative to the height of said subject at each of said plurality of-locations in said long-length imaging range that are acquired using said data acquisition means;   an X-ray irradiation means that irradiates an X-ray to said subject based on the imaging condition that is set up by said imaging condition setting means;   an X-ray detection means that detects an X-ray that transmits said subject;   an image connection means that connects a plurality of X-ray images that are obtained by said X-ray detection means to generate a long-length image.   
     
     
         2 . The X-ray imaging apparatus, according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said data acquisition means, further comprising:
 an electromagnetic wave irradiation means that irradiates an electromagnetic wave toward a subject so that said electromagnetic wave is incident into each location relative to said long-length imaging range; and 
 a data conversion means that converts a dose of said electromagnetic wave irradiated from said electromagnetic wave irradiation means to each of data relative to the height of said subject at every location relative to said long-length imaging range. 
   
     
     
         3 . The X-ray imaging apparatus, according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 said electromagnetic wave is an X-ray; and   a fluoroscopy, in which a weaker dose than on said long-length imaging that generates a long-length image is irradiated toward a subject from said electromagnetic wave irradiation means, is implemented at said each location relative to said long-length imaging range, and said data conversion means converts the X-ray dose based on results of said fluoroscopy to the data relative to the height of said subject at said each location in said long-length imaging range.   
     
     
         4 . The X-ray imaging apparatus, according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 said X-ray irradiation means is capable of said electromagnetic wave irradiation means at the same time.   
     
     
         5 . The X-ray imaging apparatus, according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the data relative to the height of said subject at each said location in said long-length imaging range are doses of the X-ray that transmits said subject.