X-ray tomography apparatus

Abstract

Accordingly, the present invention provides an x-ray tomography apparatus having a patient table, x-ray tomography components located around the patient table and in an imaginary plane which intersects the table, and structure for supporting the table and tomography components and including apparatus for moving the tomography components along at least a portion of the table. In an alternate embodiment, an x-ray tomography apparatus includes an annular x-ray tomography system for continuously rotating around a patient, which structure has an electrically powered x-ray source and battery power for supplying electrical power to the x-ray source.

What is claimed is: . . 
     
       1.  An x-ray tomography apparatus, comprising: an elongated patient table means having opposite ends;   a rotary fan beam x-ray tomography means encircling the patient table means; and   means for supporting the table means at opposite ends thereof and for supporting the tomography means from underneath and including means for moving the tomography means along a substantial portion of the table means,   wherein the tomography means includes means for causing at least a portion of the tomography means to continuously rotate around the table means..!.   
     
     
       2. . .The.!. .Iadd.An x-ray tomography .Iaddend.apparatus . .of claim 1,.!. .Iadd.comprising: an elongated patient table means having opposite ends;   a rotary fan beam x-ray tomography means encircling the patient table means; and   means for supporting the table means and means for supporting the tomography means, said means for supporting the tomography means including means for moving the tomography means along a substantial portion of the table means,   wherein the tomography means includes means for causing at least a portion of the tomography means to continuously rotate around the table means; .Iaddend.   wherein the tomography means comprises a multiplicity of members including an x-ray source, an array of detectors, tomography electronics and at least one means for supplying electrical power for the tomography means.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising means for physically interconnecting the members of the tomography means in an annular shape for rotation around the table means. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the tomography means further includes triangularly placed structural members affixed between the x-ray source and the array of detectors. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the array of detectors includes a support member which extends between the triangularly placed structural members. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising means for transmitting control and data signals to and from the tomography means. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the means for supplying electrical power are battery powered. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rotation of the tomography means defines a center of rotation thereof and further wherein the array of detectors includes at least first and second groups of detectors with the first group being substantially centered about an imaginary line passing through the x-ray source and the center of rotation and the second group being located adjacently to the first group. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first group of detectors has a higher average detector density than the second group. 
     
     
       10. . .The.!. .Iadd.An x-ray tomography .Iaddend.apparatus . .of claim 1,.!. .Iadd.comprising: an elongated patient table means having opposite ends;   a rotary fan beam x-ray tomography means encircling the patient table means; and   means for supporting the table means and means for supporting the tomography means, said means for supporting the tomography means including means for moving the tomography means along a substantial portion of the table means,   wherein the tomography means includes means for causing at least a portion of the tomography means to continuously rotate around the table means; .Iaddend.   further comprising means for determining the relative position between the tomography means and the patient table means.   
     
     
       11. . .The.!. .Iadd.An x-ray tomography .Iaddend.apparatus . .of claim 1,.!. .Iadd.comprising: an elongated patient table means having opposite ends;   a rotary fan beam x-ray tomography means encircling the patient table means; and   means for supporting the table means and means for supporting the tomography means, said means for supporting the tomography means including means for moving the tomography means along a substantial portion of the table means,   wherein the tomography means includes means for causing at least a portion of the tomography means to continuously rotate around the table means; .Iaddend.   wherein the means for supporting .Iadd.the table means .Iaddend.is elongated and the table means is removable from the means for supporting, and further wherein the means for supporting .Iadd.the tomography means .Iaddend.includes means for allowing orientation of the tomography means to a position where an imaginary plane of rotation defined by the rotating portion of the tomography means is substantially parallel with the elongated means for supporting. .Iadd.   
     
     
       12.  An X-ray tomography apparatus comprising in combination: a support structure for supporting an elongated patient table; tomographic scanning means also supported on said support structure, said scanning means including an X-ray source and X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays emitted by said X-ray source; means for rotating said scanning means about a rotation axis so as to circumscribe an inner region large enough to encompass said patient table with a patient thereon; and, means for pivoting said scanning means between a first position wherein said scanning means is rotatable so as to define a scanning plane substantially normal to the elongated direction of said table, and a second position wherein said plane is substantially parallel to said elongated direction. .Iaddend..Iadd.13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for supporting said scanning means for linear movement along a path substantially parallel to the elongated direction of said patient table. .Iaddend..Iadd.14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising means for supporting said patient table so that the latter extends through said inner region when said scanning means is in said first position, said means for supporting including a base and means coupled to said base for removably supporting said patient table thereon, said scanning means being mounted on said base so that when said patient table is removed, said scanning means is pivotable with respect to said base between said first and second positions without hindrance from said table or means for supporting said table. .Iaddend..Iadd.15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said scanning means is pivotable about said base so that the orientation of said scanning plane can be varied with respect to the elongated direction of said table. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for determining the relative alignment of said scanning plane with said table. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprises means for physically interconnecting the members of the tomography scanning means in an annular shape for rotation around the table. .Iaddend..Iadd.18. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising battery means for powering said apparatus. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said battery means comprise 
     
     
        rechargeable batteries. .Iaddend..Iadd.20.  An X-ray tomography apparatus comprising in combination: (a) x-ray tomography means disposed in an annular configuration so as to define a scanning region large enough to accommodate a patient and a movable patient table;   (b) patient table support means for supporting a movable patient table having a head end and a foot end within said scanning region, said patient table support means comprising a support structure and at least one vertical support member;   (c) tomography support means supported by said support structure for supporting said tomography means for linear movement along an axis running between the head end and the foot end of said patient table and for pivoting said tomography means between a first position wherein the plane of said annular configuration is substantially normal to said axis and a second position wherein the plane is substantially parallel to said axis; and   (d) tomography rotation means for orbital movement of said tomography means around said scanning region. .Iaddend..Iadd.21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising battery means for powering said apparatus. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said battery means   
     
     
        comprise rechargeable batteries. .Iaddend..Iadd.23.  The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said patient table support means comprise a plurality of vertical support members attached to said support structure at their lower ends and adapted to support said patient table at their upper ends. .Iaddend..Iadd.24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said support members define an open, box-like region for at least partially accommodating said tomography means when it is in said second position. .Iaddend..Iadd.25. An X-ray tomography apparatus for use with an elongated patient table, said apparatus comprising, in combination: tomographic scanning means, said scanning means including an X-ray source and X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays emitted by said X-ray source;   means for rotating said tomographic scanning means about a rotation axis so as to circumscribe an inner region large enough to encompass said patient table with a patient thereon;   support means for supporting said tomography means; and   means for pivoting said scanning means, relative to said support means about a substantially vertical axis between a first, scanning position wherein said scanning means can be used to scan a patient on the patient table, and a second, transport position wherein said apparatus can be more   
     
     
        easily transported. .Iaddend..Iadd.26.  In an X-ray tomography apparatus comprising in combination tomographic scanning means including (I) an X-ray source and (ii) X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays emitted by said X-ray source;   means for rotating at least the X-ray source about a rotation axis; and   battery means for powering said X-ray source. .Iaddend..Iadd.27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said battery means comprise rechargeable batteries. .Iaddend..Iadd.28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said means for detecting X-rays includes means for data handling, wherein said means for data handling is also powered by said battery means.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.29.  In an X-ray tomography apparatus of the type comprising: an X-ray source for generating X-rays during a tomographic scan;   X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays emitted by said X-ray source during a tomographic scan;   tomographic scanning means for rotating at least the X-ray source about a scanned object during a tomographic scan; and   self-contained, rechargeable, power storage means for storing sufficient energy for powering said x-ray source during at least one complete tomographic scan so that the use of an external power supply is unnecessary for powering said X-ray source during said scan. .Iaddend..Iadd.30. The tomography apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said apparatus further includes data handling means for handling data representative of X-rays detected by said X-ray detection means, and said power storage means is adapted to store sufficient additional energy so as to also power said data handling means during a tomographic scan. .Iaddend..Iadd.31. The tomography apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said power storage means is carried by said tomographic scanning means so as to rotate therewith during a tomographic scan. .Iaddend..Iadd.32. The tomography apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said power storage means comprises rechargeable batteries. .Iaddend..Iadd.33. The tomography apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said apparatus further comprises an elongated patient table; and means for supporting said tomographic scanning means relative to said patient table so that said scanning means is movable relative to said patient table along a path substantially parallel to the elongated direction of said patient table. .Iaddend..Iadd.34. The tomography apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising means for supporting said tomographic scanning means relative to said patient table so that said scanning means is rotatable about a rotation axis while said scanning means moves relative to said patient table along said path so as to permit helical scanning about said rotation axis. .Iaddend..Iadd.35. The tomography apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said tomographic scanning means is continuously rotatable about a rotation axis during a tomographic scan. .Iaddend..Iadd.36. An X-ray tomography apparatus comprising   (a) an X-ray source;   (b) X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays emitted by said X-ray source during a tomographic scan and for generating data representative of image data acquired during said tomographic scan;   (c) tomographic scanning means for supporting at least said X-ray source;   (d) support means for supporting said tomographic scanning means so that said tomographic scanning means is movable relative to said support means during a tomographic scan; and   (e) communication means including first communication means fixed relative to said tomographic scanning means and second communication means fixed relative to said support means, for establishing a wireless communication link between said first communication means and said second communication means so as to permit in use wireless transmission of said data therebetween. .Iaddend..Iadd.37. The tomography apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising control means for controlling said X-ray source, and wherein said first and second communication means in use connects said control means and said X-ray source so that said X-ray source can be controlled through said wireless communication link by said   
     
     
        control means. .Iaddend..Iadd.38.  The tomography apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said tomographic scanning means is rotatable about a rotation axis relative to said support means during a tomographic scan; said tomographic scanning means being further movable in the direction of said rotation axis while rotating about said rotation axis so as to provide in use a helical scan about said rotation axis. .Iaddend..Iadd.39. The tomography apparatus according to claim 36, further including rechargeable power storage means, coupled to said X-ray source, for storing sufficient power and for supplying said power to said X-ray source so as to perform at least one tomographic scan so that the use of an external power supply is unnecessary for powering said X-ray source during said scan. .Iaddend..Iadd.40. An X-ray tomography apparatus comprising (a) an X-ray source;   (b) X-ray detection means for providing data representative of X-rays detected by said detection means during a tomographic scan;   (c) tomographic scanning means for supporting at least said X-ray source;   (d) support means for supporting said tomographic scanning means so that said tomographic scanning means is movable relative to said support means during a tomographic scan, and   (e) wireless link communication means for establishing a wireless communication link over which data relating to a tomographic scan can be transmitted, said wireless communication means including (i) data transmitting means, coupled to said X-ray detection means, for transmitting over said wireless communication link data received from said X-ray detection means, and   (ii) data receiving means for receiving from said communication link data transmitted by said data transmitting means over said link.     
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.1.  In an X-ray tomography apparatus of the type comprising: (a) an X-ray source;   (b) X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays emitted by said X-ray source and for providing data representative of the detected X-rays during a tomographic scan;   (c) tomographic scanning means for supporting at least the X-ray source;   (d) support means for supporting said tomographic scanning means so that said tomographic scanning means is movable relative to said support means during a tomographic scan; and   communication means for establishing a two-way wireless communication link so that data relating to said tomographic scan can be transmitted over said link. .Iaddend..Iadd.42. The tomography apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said communication means includes data transmitting means coupled to said X-ray detection means, for transmitting data received from said X-ray detection means; and data receiving means for receiving said data over said link from said data transmitting means so as to produce   
     
     
        images based upon said data. .Iaddend..Iadd.43.  The tomography apparatus according to claim 41, further including data control means for generating control data for controlling the X-ray source, means for transmitting said control data over said link, and data receiving means, coupled to said X-ray source, for receiving said control data from said link and for controlling said X-ray source with said control data. .Iaddend..Iadd.44. An X-ray tomography apparatus comprising (a) a X-ray source means for providing a source of X-rays during a tomographic scan;   (b) X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays emitted by said X-ray source during a tomographic scan;   (c) tomographic scanning means for supporting at least said X-ray source means;   (d) support means for supporting said tomographic scanning means so that said tomographic scanning means is movable relative to said support means during a tomographic scan;   (e) means for processing data relating to a tomographic scan, and   (f) communication means for establishing a two-way wireless communication link between said means for processing data and each of said X-ray source means and said X-ray detection means so as to permit in use the transmission of data therebetween. .Iaddend..Iadd.45. The tomography apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said means for processing data is   
     
     
        fixed relative to said support means. .Iaddend..Iadd.46.  The tomography apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the means for processing data is adapted to control the X-ray source means, the communication means in use connecting through said link the X-ray source means and the means for processing data. .Iaddend..Iadd.47. The tomography apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the X-ray detection means provides data representative of X-rays detected by the detection means during a tomographic scan, and said communication means further includes (i) data transmitting means, coupled to said X-ray detection means, for transmitting data, received from said X-ray detection means, over said link, and   (ii) receiver means for receiving said transmitted data from said link so as to permit the production of images based upon said data. .Iaddend..Iadd.48. The tomography apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said X-ray detection means and said data transmitting means are fixed relative to said tomographic scanning means, and said data receiving means is fixed relative to said support means. .Iaddend..Iadd.49. The tomography apparatus according to claim 48, further including control means for controlling said X-ray source means, wherein said receiving means is adapted to also transmit data, and said transmitting means is adapted to also receive data so that said control means is controlled by data   
     
     
        transmitted over said link. .Iaddend..Iadd.50.  In an X-ray tomography apparatus of the type comprising (a) an X-ray source;   (b) X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays emitted by said X-ray source;   (c) tomographic scanning means for supporting at least said X-ray source; and   (d) support means for supporting said tomographic scanning means so that said scanning means is rotatable about a rotation axis during a tomographic scan; wherein the improvement comprises: means for moving said tomographic scanning means along said rotation axis during a scan so that said tomographic scanning means provides a helical     
     
     
        scan about said rotation axis. .Iaddend..Iadd.51.  The tomography apparatus according to claim 50, further including a patient table and table support means for supporting said patient table so that the patient table remains fixed relative to said support means, and the tomographic scanning means moves relative to said table so as to provide a helical scan about the patient table during a tomographic scan. .Iaddend.