Whole-body dual-energy bone densitometry using a narrow angle fan beam to cover the entire body in successive scans

Abstract

A scanning radiographic densitometer constructs a broad area, two dimensional projection image from a combination of a set of smaller fan beam scans by tilting the axis of each such smaller scan to construct an effective larger fan beam to reduce artifacts caused by height dependant overlap of the multiple fan beams. The data is projected to a non-planar image surface to eliminate local area distortion such as may cause error in density measurements and to permit some overlap without height sensitive effects.

We claim: 
     
       1. An imaging system for obtaining diagnostic images of a patient comprising: a radiation source for directing a fan beam of radiation toward the patient, the fan beam diverging about a radiation axis but substantially within a beam plane from a focal spot;   a radiation detector opposing the radiation source along the radiation axis for receiving the diverging beam of radiation after passage through the patient to produce a projection signal indicating the attenuation of the beam of radiation for multiple rays within the beam;   a translating means for translating the radiation axis along a first and second path across the patient, the first and second paths being spaced apart and substantially perpendicular to the beam plane;   a repositioning means for rotating the radiation axis about the focal spot by a displacement angle, within the beam plane so as to move the radiation axis from the first path to the second path; and   means for combining the projection signal obtained along the first and second path to produce a two dimensional projection image.   
     
     
       2. The imaging system of claim 1 wherein the repositioning means rotates the . .displacement.!. .Iadd.radiation .Iaddend.axis without displacement of the focal spot within the beam plane with respect to the patient .Iadd.as measured when the radiation axis is aligned with one of the first and second paths.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       3. The imaging system of claim 1 wherein the fan beam has a fan beam angle measured within the beam plane and the repositioning means rotates the . .displacement.!. .Iadd.radiation .Iaddend.axis by the fan beam angle. 
     
     
       4. The imaging system of claim 1 wherein the radiation detector is a linear array of detector elements, each subtending a first width of the fan beam along the linear array, and wherein the . .projections.!. .Iadd.projection .Iaddend.signals includes a plurality of . .elements.!. .Iadd.element .Iaddend.signals from each element, the imaging system including: a projector for mapping the element signals to pixels of a non-planar image surface generally normal to the radiation axis, each pixel subtending second widths of the fan beam varying from the first widths.   
     
     
       5. The imaging system of claim 4 wherein the non-planar image surface is a section of a cylinder having a constant radius equal to the distance between the surface and the radiation source to substantially bisect the patient. 
     
     
       6. An imaging system for obtaining diagnostic images of a patient comprising: a radiation source for directing a fan beam of radiation toward the patient, the fan beam diverging about a radiation axis but substantially within a beam plane from a focal spot;   a linear array of detector elements opposing the radiation source along the radiation axis, each detector element subtending a first width of the fan beam along the linear array, the linear array for receiving the diverging beam of radiation after passage through the patient to produce a projection signal which includes a plurality of element signals corresponding to the detector elements and indicating the attenuation of the beam of radiation for given rays within the beam; and   a projector for mapping the element signals to pixels of a non-planar image surface generally normal to the radiation axis, each pixel subtending second widths of the fan beam varying from the first widths.   
     
     
       7. The imaging system of claim 6 wherein the non-planar image surface is a section of a cylinder having a constant radius equal to the distance between the surface and the radiation source the radius selected to substantially bisect the patient. .Iadd. 
     
     
       8.  The imaging system of claim 1 wherein the means for combining provides a weighting of the projection signal of areas of overlap between areas of the fan beam when the radiation axis scanning of the first and second paths. .Iaddend..Iadd.9. The imaging system of claim 1 wherein the imaging system is a bone densitometer. .Iaddend..Iadd.10. The imaging system of claim 9 wherein the bone densitometer is a dual energy bone densitometer. .Iaddend..Iadd.11. The imaging system of claim 9 wherein the radiation source is a polychromatic x-ray source. .Iaddend..Iadd.12. The imaging system of claim 9 wherein the fan beam is scanned in a raster pattern over the patient, the raster scan formed of the first and additional paths wherein the number of paths and the separation of the paths is chosen to ensure complete illumination of the total body of the patient. 
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.13.  The imaging system of claim 1 wherein the repositioning means rotates the radiation axis about the focal spot by a displacement distance within the beam plane while translating the focal spot by displacement distance within the beam plane so as to move the radiation axis from the first path to the second path. .Iaddend.