X-ray imaging apparatus and control method of x-ray imaging apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12558046-B2
Application number	US-202418604966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2024
Priority date	Mar 20, 2023
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

Provided is an X-ray imaging apparatus that enables an operator to freely manually move an X-ray source along a rail installed on a ceiling or a floor, and can capture a fluoroscopic image. An X-ray control unit continuously emitting X-rays from an X-ray source and permits fluoroscopy only in a case in which one or more predetermined conditions, including a condition in which the X-ray source is stopped at a predetermined position on a rail corresponding to a position at which an X-ray detector is held, are satisfied. Specifically, the X-ray control unit enables an operation of a fluoroscopy switch, and continuously supplies a tube current and a tube voltage to the X-ray tube in a case in which the operator operates the fluoroscopy switch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:
a rail installed on a ceiling or a floor surface; an X-ray source; an X-ray source support mechanism unit that supports the X-ray source to be movable along the rail; a steering wheel provided in the X-ray source support mechanism unit; an imaging table for a standing position or for a recumbent position that holds an X-ray detector at an imaging target part of a subject; a still image capturing switch for giving an instruction to capture a still image of the subject; a fluoroscopy switch for giving an instruction to capture a fluoroscopic image of the subject; and an X-ray control unit, wherein, in a case in which one or more predetermined conditions are satisfied, the X-ray control unit permits an operation of the fluoroscopy switch, and the predetermined conditions include a condition in which the X-ray source that is moved by an operator operating the steering wheel is stopped at a predetermined position on the rail corresponding to a position at which the X-ray detector is held.

2 . The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the rail is provided with a first mark indicating the predetermined position, and a side surface of a portion of the X-ray source support mechanism unit that is in contact with the rail is provided with a second mark as a mark, and in a case in which the X-ray source is stopped at the predetermined position on the rail, the second mark is located at the position indicated by the first mark.

3 . The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the X-ray source support mechanism unit includes a brake that stops movement of the X-ray source by control of the X-ray control unit, and in a case in which the operator operates the steering wheel to move the X-ray source and the X-ray source approaches the predetermined position on the rail corresponding to the position at which the X-ray detector is held, the X-ray control unit operates the brake so that the X-ray source is stopped at the predetermined position.

4 . The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the imaging table for a recumbent position includes a top plate on which the subject is placed, a tray on which the X-ray detector is placed, a detector holding part that holds the tray to be slidable along a longitudinal direction of the top plate, and a position sensor that detects whether or not the X-ray detector held by the detector holding part is located at a predetermined second position, and the predetermined conditions in which the X-ray control unit permits the operation of the fluoroscopy switch include a condition in which the position sensor detects that the X-ray detector is located at the second position.

5 . The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the imaging table for a recumbent position includes a tray on which the X-ray detector is placed, and an orientation detection unit that detects whether or not an orientation of the X-ray detector placed on the tray is a predetermined orientation, and the predetermined conditions in which the X-ray control unit permits the operation of the fluoroscopy switch include a condition in which the orientation detection unit detects that the X-ray detector is directed in the predetermined orientation.

6 . The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the orientation detection unit includes two sensors disposed on a surface of the tray on which the X-ray detector is placed, and an interval between the two sensors is longer than a short side of the X-ray detector and shorter than a long side of the X-ray detector.

7 . The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the X-ray control unit obtains a distance between the X-ray detector and the X-ray source, and the predetermined conditions in which the X-ray control unit permits the operation of the fluoroscopy switch include a condition in which the distance between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector is a predetermined distance.

8 . The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the X-ray source is provided with a stop and an aperture adjustment unit that adjusts an aperture of the stop, and the predetermined conditions in which the X-ray control unit permits the operation of the fluoroscopy switch include a condition in which the aperture adjusted by the aperture adjustment unit is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

9 . The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the imaging table for a standing position includes a detector holding part that holds the X-ray detector at a height desired by the operator, and a height sensor that detects the height of the X-ray detector held by the detector holding part, the X-ray source support mechanism unit includes a driving unit that adjusts a height of the X-ray source by control of the X-ray control unit, the X-ray control unit controls an operation of the driving unit so that the X-ray source is disposed at a position facing the X-ray detector in accordance with the height of the X-ray detector detected by the height sensor, and the predetermined conditions in which the X-ray control unit permits the operation of the fluoroscopy switch include a condition in which the X-ray source is disposed at the position facing the X-ray detector.

10 . A control method of an X-ray imaging apparatus including a rail installed on a ceiling or a floor surface, an X-ray source, an X-ray source support mechanism unit that supports the X-ray source to be movable along the rail, a steering wheel provided in the X-ray source support mechanism unit, and an imaging table for a standing position or for a recumbent position that holds an X-ray detector at an imaging target part of a subject, the control method comprising:
continuously emitting X-rays from the X-ray source to enable fluoroscopy only in a case in which one or more predetermined conditions, including a condition in which the X-ray source is stopped at a predetermined position on the rail corresponding to a position at which the X-ray detector is held, are satisfied.

Assignees

• Fujifilm Healthcare Corp
• Fujifilm Corp

Inventors

• Takenouchi Shinobu
• Ogawa Atsushi

Classifications

• A61B6/487

  involving fluoroscopy · CPC title

• A61B6/547

  involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device · CPC title

• A61B6/4476

  related to motor-assisted motion of the source unit · CPC title

• A61B6/4283

  characterised by a detector unit being housed in a cassette · CPC title

• A61B6/4233

  using matrix detectors · CPC title