Imaging systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025345015-A1
Application number	US-202519275015-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2025
Priority date	Dec 28, 2019
Publication date	Nov 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure is related to an imaging system. The imaging system may include at least one array radiation source and a detector. Each of the at least one array radiation source may include a plurality of point radiation sources. The at least one array radiation source may be configured to emit at least one radiation beam. The detector may be configured to detect at least part of the at least one radiation beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An imaging system, comprising:
at least one array radiation source each of which includes a plurality of point radiation sources, the at least one array radiation source being configured to emit at least one radiation beam; and a detector configured to detect at least part of the at least one radiation beam.

2 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein
the at least one array radiation source includes a planar array radiation source, the planar array radiation source includes at least one radiation source panel, and the plurality of point radiation sources are configured on the at least one radiation source panel.

3 . The imaging system of claim 2 , wherein the planar array radiation source includes two radiation source panels arranged at an angle.

4 . The imaging system of claim 3 , wherein the angle between the two radiation source panels is adjustable.

5 . The imaging system of claim 3 , wherein a range of the angle between the two radiation source panels is from 140° to 180°.

6 . The imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control device configured to control the at least one array radiation source to move along a guide rail to adjust a distance between the at least one array radiation source and the detector.

7 . The imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control device configured to adjust at least one parameter of the at least one array radiation source.

8 . The imaging system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one parameter of the at least one array radiation source includes at least one of:
a position of the at least one array radiation source, a position of at least one of the plurality of point radiation sources, an orientation of the at least one of the plurality of point radiation sources, or a radiation dose of the at least one radiation beam.

9 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein at least two radiation beams emitted by the array radiation sources are of different energy ranges.

10 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein
a plurality of energy ranges of a plurality of radiation beams emitted by the array radiation sources do not overlap, and an energy difference between consecutive energy ranges is not less than an energy resolution of the detector.

11 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of point radiation sources includes at least one of:
a high voltage generator configured to generate a high-voltage for a tube; the tube configured to generate the radiation beam based on the high-voltage; a filtering device configured to absorb a radiation beam lower than a preset energy range; or a control device configured to control the high-voltage generated by the high voltage generator or the energy range of the radiation beam generated by the tube.

12 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the point radiation source includes at least one of a cold cathode ray source or a hot cathode ray source.

13 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the point radiation source includes an electromagnetic coil configured to control a moving direction of the radiation beam.

14 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the point radiation source is a monochromatic radiation source.

15 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one radiation beam includes a plurality of X-ray photons, and the detector is further configured to:
detect an energy of each of at least a portion of detected X-ray photons, and count the detected X-ray photons of different energy ranges.

16 . The imaging system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a processing device configured to
for each of the plurality of point radiation sources, determine a candidate image corresponding to the each point radiation source based on the energy range of the radiation beam emitted by the each point radiation source, energies of detected X-ray photons corresponding to the radiation beam, and the count of the detected X-ray photons corresponding to the radiation beam; and
generate a target image based on the candidate images corresponding to the plurality of point radiation sources.

17 . The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system is a digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) system.

18 . The imaging system of claim 17 , wherein the subject is a breast, and the imaging system further comprises:
a compression component located between the at least one array radiation source and the detector, the compression component being configured to position the breast, and the at least one array radiation source comprising:
a linear array radiation source including a plurality of first point radiation sources, the linear array radiation source being configured on a chest-wall side of the breast, and
a planar array radiation source including a plurality of second point radiation sources.

19 . The imaging system of claim 18 , wherein an arrangement density of the plurality of first point radiation sources is higher than an arrangement density of the plurality of second point radiation sources.

20 . The imaging system of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of first point radiation sources are arranged along a straight line.

Assignees

• Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare Co Ltd

Inventors

• Xiang Jun
• Feng Juan
• Wang Weiyi
• Zhang Yu
• Wang Hanyu
• Niu Jie
• Yin Hui

Classifications

• A61B6/588

  Setting distance between source unit and detector unit · CPC title

• A61B6/542

  involving control of exposure · CPC title

• A61B6/502

  for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography · CPC title

• A61B6/4241

  using energy resolving detectors, e.g. photon counting · CPC title

• A61B6/4035

  the source being combined with a filter or grating · CPC title