Radiographic imaging apparatus, method of controlling radiographic imaging apparatus and computed tomography apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016100816-A1
Application number	US-201514794403-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Oct 10, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A radiographic imaging apparatus includes: a radiographic image obtainer configured to acquire a first radiographic image of an object; and a processor configured to obtain attenuation information of the object based on the first radiographic image, determine candidate tube voltages and tube currents based on a quality of a second radiographic image to be obtained, and determine expected exposure doses corresponding to the determined candidate tube voltages and tube currents.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A radiographic imaging apparatus comprising:
a radiographic image obtainer configured to acquire a first radiographic image of an object; and a processor configured to obtain attenuation information of the object based on the first radiographic image, determine candidate tube voltages and candidate tube currents based on a quality of a second radiographic image to be obtained, and determine expected exposure doses corresponding to the determined candidate tube voltages and tube currents.

2 . The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to select a tube voltage and a tube current, from the candidate tube voltages and tube currents, that correspond to a smallest expected exposure dose among the determined expected exposure doses, and recommend the selected tube voltage and tube current to a user, to obtain the second radiographic image.

3 . The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine an equivalent corresponding to the object based on the attenuation information of the object, and determine the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using the determined equivalent.

4 . The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the equivalent corresponding to the object by referring to first data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, attenuation information, and the equivalent.

5 . The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the equivalent comprises a water equivalent object (WEO).

6 . The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using second data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, the equivalent, and candidate tube currents.

7 . The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the expected exposure doses corresponding to the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using third data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, candidate tube currents, and expected exposure doses.

8 . The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an input unit configured to receive a user's input related to the quality of the second radiographic image.

9 . The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine equivalents corresponding to portions of the object.

10 . The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the candidate tube voltages and tube currents based on the quality of the second radiographic image set for each of the equivalents corresponding to the portions of the object, and determine the expected exposure doses corresponding to the candidate tube voltages and tube currents based on the equivalents.

11 . The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to select a tube voltage and a tube current corresponding to a smallest expected exposure dose among the obtained expected exposure doses, and control an irradiation of radiographic rays corresponding to a same tube voltage and a same tube current over an entire object.

12 . The radiographic imaging apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to select a tube voltage and a tube current corresponding to a smallest expected exposure dose among the obtained expected exposure doses for each of the equivalents corresponding to the portions of the object, and control a generation of radiographic rays corresponding to the selected tube voltage and tube current corresponding to the portions of the object, to irradiate the portions of the object with the radiographic rays of different intensity.

13 . A method of controlling a radiographic imaging apparatus, the method comprising:
obtaining a radiographic image of an object; obtaining attenuation information of the object based on the radiographic image; determining candidate tube voltages and candidate tube currents based on set quality of an image; and determining expected exposure doses corresponding to the obtained candidate tube voltages and tube currents.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
selecting a tube voltage and a tube current that correspond to a smallest expected exposure dose among the obtained expected exposure doses; and recommending the selected tube voltage and tube current to a user.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the determining the candidate tube voltages and tube currents comprises:
determining the attenuation information of the object using the radiographic image; and determining an equivalent corresponding to the object based on the attenuation information.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the determining the equivalent comprises:
determining the equivalent corresponding to the object based on the attenuation information of the object by referring to first data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, attenuation information, and equivalent.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the equivalent comprises a water equivalent object (WEO).

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the determining the candidate tube voltages and tube currents comprises:
determining the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using second data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, equivalent, and candidate tube currents.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the determining the expected exposure doses comprises:
determining the expected exposure doses corresponding to the candidate tube voltages and tube currents using third data which define a relationship between the candidate tube voltages, candidate tube currents, and the expected exposure doses.

20 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving information related to the quality of the image from a user.

21 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining equivalents corresponding to portions of the object.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the determining the candidate tube voltages and tube currents comprises determining the candidate tube voltages and tube currents based on the quality of the image set for each of the equivalents corresponding to the portions of the object, and
the determining the expected exposure doses comprises determining the expected exposure doses corresponding to the obtained candidate tube voltages and tube currents based on the equivalents.

23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
selecting a tube voltage and a tube current corresponding to a smallest expected exposure dose among the obtained expected exposure doses; and irradiating an entire object with radiographic rays corresponding to a same tube voltage and a same tube current.

24 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
selecting a tube voltage and a tube current corresponding to a smallest expected exposure dose among the obtained expected exposure doses for the equivalents corresponding to the portions of the object; and irradiating the portions of the object with radiographic rays of different intensity, corresponding to the selected tube voltage and tube current corresponding to the portions of the object.

25 . A computed tomography (CT) apparatus comprising:

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jung Ji Young
• Kim Yeong-Seon
• Lee Chang Lae
• Yi Jong Hyon

Classifications

• A61B6/488

  involving pre-scan acquisition · CPC title

• A61B6/405

  Source units specially adapted to modify characteristics of the beam during the data acquisition process (A61B6/4021, A61B6/4035 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B6/032 Primary

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/545

  involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters · CPC title

• A61B6/4464

  the source unit or the detector unit being mounted to ceiling · CPC title