Device and method for aligning an X-ray grating to an X-ray radiation source, and X-ray image acquisition system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10959693-B2
Application number	US-201816500858-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2018
Priority date	Dec 12, 2017
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for aligning an X-ray grating to an X-ray radiation source, the device (10) comprising at least two flat X-ray grating segments (11-19); at least one alignment unit (31-39) for aligning one of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments; wherein the at least two flat X-ray grating segments (11-19) are arranged in juxtaposition and are forming an X-ray grating (20); wherein the at least two flat X-ray grating segments (11-19) each comprise a grating surface (41-49) for X-ray radiation, each grating surface (41-49) comprising a geometrical center; wherein normals (21-29) to each of the grating surfaces (41-49) define a common plane (73), wherein the normals (21-29) intersect the geometrical center of the grating surface (41-49); wherein at least a first of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments (11-19) is rotatable around an axis (131-139) that is perpendicular to the common plane (73); and wherein the first of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments (11-19) that is rotatable around the axis (131-139) is connected to a first of the at least one alignment unit (31-39). The invention provides a device (10) and a method (100) which provide an improved X-ray grating (20).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for aligning an X-ray grating to an X-ray radiation source, the device comprising:
at least two flat X-ray grating segments;
at least one alignment unit for aligning one of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments;
wherein the at least two flat X-ray grating segments are arranged in juxtaposition and are forming an X-ray grating;
wherein the at least two flat X-ray grating segments each comprise a grating surface for X-ray radiation, each grating surface comprising a geometrical center;
wherein normals to each of the grating surfaces define a common plane, wherein the normals intersect the geometrical center of the grating surface;
wherein at least a first of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments is rotatable around an axis that is perpendicular to the common plane; and
wherein the first of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments is connected to a first of the at least one alignment unit.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first of the at least one alignment unit is configured to rotate the first of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments around the axis to change the angle between the normals within the common plane such that said normals intersect at a point of intersection, and to change a position of the intersection points to a single common intersection point defining a focal point of the X-ray grating.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each flat X-ray grating segment is rotatable around an axis, and each is connectable to individual of at least one alignment units.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments is rotatable around at least two axes and/or is translatable along the at least two axes.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a number of flat X-ray grating segments in the range of two to hundred, wherein each is connectable to an individual of the at least one alignment unit.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the X-ray grating is a G2 grating of an X-ray image acquisition device.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the axes of the flat X-ray grating segments are arranged along a curve.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the grating surface has a width and a length in the range of 1 cm to 100 cm, and a height of 43 cm.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises further flat X-ray grating segments that are arranged in juxtaposition and which are arranged next to the at least two flat X-ray grating segments to form a two-dimensional matrix of flat X-ray grating segments.

10. An X-ray image acquisition system comprising:
an X-ray radiation source;
an X-ray grating assembly comprising a device comprising:
at least two flat X-ray grating segments;
at least one alignment unit for aligning one of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments;
wherein the at least two flat X-ray grating segments are arranged in juxtaposition and are forming an X-ray grating;
wherein the at least two flat X-ray grating segments each comprise a grating surface for X-ray radiation, each grating surface comprising a geometrical center;
wherein normals to each of the grating surfaces define a common plane, wherein the normals intersect the geometrical center of the grating surface;
wherein at least a first of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments is rotatable around an axis that is perpendicular to the common plane; and
wherein the first of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments is connected to a first of the at least one alignment unit;

an X-ray radiation detector;
wherein the X-ray grating assembly is arranged between the X-ray radiation source and the X-ray radiation detector.

11. The X-ray image acquisition system according to claim 10 , wherein the X-ray image acquisition system further comprises
a processor configured to control the at least one alignment unit to change the position of a focal point.

12. The X-ray image acquisition system according to claim 10 , wherein each alignment unit is individually and/or dynamically controllable by the processor to dynamically adjust the position of a focal point.

13. A method for aligning an X-ray grating to a X-ray radiation source, the method comprising:
providing at least two flat X-ray grating segments;
aligning one of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments with at least one alignment unit;
wherein the at least two flat X-ray grating segments are arranged in juxtaposition and are forming an X-ray grating;
wherein the at least two flat X-ray grating segments each comprise a grating surface for X-ray radiation, each grating surface comprising a geometrical center;
wherein normals to each of the grating surfaces define a common plane, wherein the normals intersect the geometrical center of the grating surface;
wherein at least a first of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments is rotatable around an axis that is perpendicular to the common plane; and
wherein the first of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments is connected to a first of the at least one alignment unit.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method for aligning an X-ray grating to a X-ray radiation source, the method comprising:
providing at least two flat X-ray grating segments;
aligning one of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments with at least one alignment unit;
wherein the at least two flat X-ray grating segments are arranged in juxtaposition and are forming an X-ray grating;
wherein the at least two flat X-ray grating segments each comprise a grating surface for X-ray radiation, each grating surface comprising a geometrical center;
wherein normals to each of the grating surfaces define a common plane, wherein the normals intersect the geometrical center of the grating surface;
wherein at least a first of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments is rotatable around an axis that is perpendicular to the common plane; and
wherein the first of the at least two flat X-ray grating segments is connected to a first of the at least one alignment unit.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv
• TNO

Inventors

• Kok Christiaan
• Vogtmeier Gereon
• Koehler Thomas
• Jacobs Johannes Wilhelmus Maria
• Unnikrishnan Sandeep
• Hermes Dorothee
• Van Mol Antonius Maria Bernardus

Classifications

• A61B6/484 Primary

  involving phase contrast X-ray imaging · CPC title

• A61B6/4291 Primary

  the detector being combined with a grid or grating · CPC title

• G21K2207/005

  Methods and devices obtaining contrast from non-absorbing interaction of the radiation with matter, e.g. phase contrast · CPC title

• G21K1/06

  using diffraction, refraction or reflection, e.g. monochromators (G21K1/10, G21K7/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• G21K1/02

  using diaphragms, collimators · CPC title