A tetrahedron beam computed tomography system including an x ray source array that sequentially emits a plurality of x ray beams at different positions along a scanning direction and a collimator that intercepts the plurality of x-ray beams so that a plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams emanate from the collimator towards an object. The system includes a first detector receiving a first set of fan-shaped x ray beams after they pass through the object, the first detector generating a first imaging signal for each of the received first set of fan-shaped x-ray beams and a second detector receiving a second set of fan-shaped x ray beams after they pass through the object, the second detector generating a second imaging signal for each of the received second set of fan-shaped x-ray beams. Each detector and source pair form a tetrahedral volume. In other embodiments, the system may also have more than two detectors arrays and/or more than one source array. Each pair of source array and detector array forms a tetrahedral volume. Using multiple detector arrays and source arrays can increase field of view, reduce the length of detector and source arrays so that the imaging system is more compact and mobile.

Claims

69 · 4 independent · depth 7

69 granted claims

›1.independentA tetrahedron beam computed tomography system comprising:nan x-ray source array that sequentially emits a plurality of x-ray beams at different positi…+23

›2.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said x-ray source array comprises a linear array of kV x-ray sources.d2

›3.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said collimator comprising a plurality of slots, wherein each of said plurality of…d2+1

›5.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam cone beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said x-ray source array comprise a plurality of discrete sources of x-ra…d2

›6.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said first detector is a two-dimensional array of individual detector elements.d2

›7.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said first detector is a one-dimensional array of individual detector elements.d2

›8.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said first detector is straight and said second detector is straight.d2

›9.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said first detector is curved and said second detector is curved.d2

›10.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said x-ray source array is linear, wherein a longitudinal axis of the x-ray source…d2+7

›11.↳ 10The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 10, wherein said first detector is offset from a central plane that bisects said x-ray source…d3+6

›12.↳ 11The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 11, wherein said second detector is offset from said central plane.d4+5

›13.↳ 12The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 12, wherein said first detector is straight and said second detector is straight.d5

›14.↳ 12The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 12, wherein said first detector is curved and said second detector is curved.d5

›16.↳ 12The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 12, further comprising a third detector receiving a third set of fan-shaped x-ray beams after…d5+2

›15.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, further comprising a third detector receiving a third set of fan-shaped x-ray beams after …d2

›19.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said x-ray source array, said first detector and said second detector are mounted …d2+1

›21.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said x-ray source array performs an axial scan of said object.d2

›22.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said x-ray source array performs a helical scan of said object.d2

›23.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said computer reconstructs said first and second imaging signals using a CT recons…d2

›24.↳ 1The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 1, wherein said computer reconstructs said first and second imaging signals using a digital t…d2

›25.independentA method of forming an image of an object, the method comprising:nhaving an x-ray source array, first detector and second detector rotate about an axi…+15

›26.↳ 25The method of claim 25, wherein said x-ray source array comprises a linear array of kV x-ray sources.d2

›27.↳ 25The method of claim 25, wherein said first detector is straight and said second detector is straight.d2

›28.↳ 25The method of claim 25, wherein said first detector is curved and said second detector is curved.d2

›29.↳ 25The method of claim 25, wherein said x-ray source array is linear, wherein a longitudinal axis of the x-ray source array is parallel to said rotation …d2+4

›34.↳ 25The method of claim 25, further comprising having a third set of fan-shaped x ray beams after they pass through said object received by a third detect…d2

›35.↳ 25The method of claim 25, wherein said x-ray source array, said first detector and said second detector are mounted on a rotation gantry.d2+1

›37.↳ 25The method of claim 25, wherein said x-ray source array performs an axial scan of said object, wherein said object is stationary.d2

›38.↳ 25The method of claim 25, wherein said x-ray source array performs a helical scan of said object, wherein said helical scan is in part due to said objec…d2

›39.↳ 25The method of claim 25, wherein said reconstructing of said multiple imaging signals is performed by using a CT reconstruction algorithm.d2

›40.↳ 25The method of claim 25, wherein said reconstructing of said multiple imaging signals is performed by using a digital tomosynthesis algorithm.d2

›41.independentA tetrahedron beam computed tomography system comprising:na first x-ray source array that sequentially emits a first plurality of x-ray beams at diffe…+13

A tetrahedron beam computed tomography system comprising:na first x-ray source array that sequentially emits a first plurality of x-ray beams at different positions along a first scanning direction;a first collimator that intercepts said first plurality of x-ray beams so that fan-shaped x-ray beams emanate from said first collimator towards an object;a second x-ray source array that sequentially emits a second plurality of x-ray beams at different positions along a second scanning direction;a second collimator that intercepts said second plurality of x-ray beams so that fan-shaped x-ray beams emanate from said second collimator towards said object;a first detector receiving one or both of 1) a first plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said first x-ray source array and 2) a first plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said second x-ray source array after they pass through said object, said first detector generating a first imaging signal for each of said received one or both of said first plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said first x-ray source array and said first plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said second x-ray source array;a second detector receiving one or both of 1) a second plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said first x-ray source array and 2) a second plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said second x-ray source array after they pass through said object, said second detector generating a second imaging signal for each of said received one or both of said second plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said first x-ray source array and said second plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said second x-ray source array;a computer connected to said first detector and said second detector so as to receive 1) said first imaging signals for each of said first plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams received by said first detector and 2) said second imaging signals for each of said second plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams received by said second detector, wherein said first x-ray source array, said second x-ray source array, said first detector and said second detector rotate about a rotation axis so as to rotate about said object so that multiple imaging signals are reconstructed by said computer to generate a three-dimensional tetrahedron beam computed tomography image therefrom; anda display connected to said computer and displaying said three-dimensional tetrahedron beam computed tomography image.

›42.↳ 41The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 41, wherein said x-ray source array comprises a linear array of kV x-ray sources.d2

›43.↳ 41The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 41, wherein said first x-ray source array is linear that extends along a longitudinal directi…d2+3

›47.↳ 41The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 41, wherein said first detector is offset from a central plane that bisects said first x-ray …d2+1

›49.↳ 41The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 41, wherein said first x-ray source array, said second x-ray source array, said first detecto…d2+1

›51.↳ 41The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 41, wherein said first x-ray source array and second x-ray source array perform an axial scan…d2

›52.↳ 41The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 41, wherein said first x-ray source array and said second x-ray source array perform a helica…d2

›53.↳ 41The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 41, wherein said computer reconstructs said first and second imaging signals using a CT recon…d2

›54.↳ 41The tetrahedron beam computed tomography system of claim 41, wherein said computer reconstructs said first and second imaging signals using a digital …d2

›55.independentA method of forming an image of an object, the method comprising:nhaving a first x-ray source array, a second x-ray source array, a first detector and…+14

A method of forming an image of an object, the method comprising:nhaving a first x-ray source array, a second x-ray source array, a first detector and a second detector rotate about an axis of rotation relative to an object;sequentially emitting a first plurality of x-ray beams from said first x-ray source array at different positions along a first scanning direction;intercepting said first plurality of x-ray beams so that fan-shaped x-ray beams emanate towards said object;sequentially emitting a second plurality of x-ray beams from said second x-ray source array at different positions along a second scanning direction;intercepting said second plurality of x-ray beams so that fan-shaped x-ray beams emanate towards said object;having one or both of 1) a first plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said first x-ray source array and after they pass through said object and 2) a first plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said second x-ray source array and after they pass through said object that are received by said first detector, wherein said first detector generates a first imaging signal for each of said received first plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said first x-ray source array and said received first plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said second x-ray source array;having one or both of 1) a second plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said first x-ray source and after they pass through said object and 2) a second plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said second x-ray source and after they pass through said object that are received by said second detector, wherein said second detector generates a second imaging signal for each of said received second plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said first x-ray source and said received second plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said second x-ray source;receiving 1) said first imaging signals for each of said first plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said first x-ray source and for each of said first plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said second x-ray source and 2) said second imaging signals for each of said second plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said first x-ray source and for each of said second plurality of fan-shaped x-ray beams from said second x-ray source, wherein rotation of said first x-ray source array, said second x-ray source array, said first detector and said second detector about said axis of rotation results in multiple imaging signals being reconstructed to generate a three-dimensional tetrahedron beam computed tomography image therefrom; anddisplaying said three-dimensional tetrahedron beam computed tomography image.

›56.↳ 55The method of claim 55, wherein said first x-ray source array comprises a first kV x-ray source array and said second x-ray source array comprises a s…d2

›57.↳ 55The method of claim 55, wherein said first x-ray source array is linear that extends along a longitudinal direction and said second x-ray source array…d2+3

›61.↳ 55The method of claim 55, wherein said first detector is offset from a central plane that bisects said first x-ray source and is perpendicular to said r…d2+2

›64.↳ 55The method of claim 55, wherein said first x-ray source array, said second x-ray source array, said first detector and said second detector are mounte…d2+1

›66.↳ 55The method of claim 55, wherein said first x-ray source array and said second x-ray source array perform an axial scan of said object, wherein said ob…d2

›67.↳ 55The method of claim 55, wherein said first x-ray source array and said second x-ray source array perform a helical scan of said object, wherein said h…d2

›68.↳ 55The method of claim 55, wherein said reconstructing of said multiple imaging signals is performed by using a CT reconstruction algorithm.d2

›69.↳ 55The method of claim 55, wherein said reconstructing of said multiple imaging signals is performed by using a digital tomosynthesis algorithm.d2

Classifications

11 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section A — Human necessities

A61B6/02
A61B6/00
A61B6/03
A61B6/06

Section G — Physics

G21K1/02

Section H — Electricity

H05G1/70

USPC · US Patent Classification

378/4378/21378/9378/19378/22

Claim changes

Soon

Coming soonHow the claims changed between publication and grant

See which claims were amended, added or cancelled during examination, with every added and removed word marked.

AmendedAddedCancelledUnchanged

The published claims of this patent are not paired with the granted ones in what we hold.

File wrapper

Pendency

3.5 y

1,278 days filing → grant

Office actions

non-final + final

Responses

2 RCE

Examiner

Glen Kao

art unit 2882 · TC 2800

Law firm

Law firm · Log in to unlock

Citations: 374 back · 0 forward

See the full prosecution history — every USPTO and applicant action on this file, in order.

Term & fees

See the term timeline — pendency span, in-force span, the maintenance fees paid and both computed expiry dates.

Priority chain

2 priority documents

Priority

14 Apr 2006

earliest claimed

›Priority documents — 2

Type	Document	Date
provisional	US 60792207	14 Apr 2006
related publication	US 20120163531 A1	28 Jun 2012

Validity challenges

See the validity challenges on record — reexaminations, IPRs and PGRs, with their institution decisions and outcomes.

Citations

See every patent this one cites and every patent that cites it back — publication, assignee, and how each one was found.