Method for selecting a radiation form filter and X-ray imaging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9480443-B2
Application number	US-201514616775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2015
Priority date	Feb 26, 2014
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

A method is disclosed for selecting a radiation form, to change spatial distribution of the intensity and/or the spectrum of x-ray radiation of an x-ray source of an imaging system including a plurality of radiation form filters. The method includes acquiring a plurality of radiation absorption profiles of an examination object, of which image data is to be generated with the aid of the imaging system, in parallel with the patient axis from various directions; calculating an effective radiation absorption profile by averaging the recorded radiation absorption profiles; and selecting the radiation form filter on the basis of the effective radiation absorption profile of the examination object from a plurality of radiation form filters. An x-ray imaging system is further disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for selecting a radiation form filter, to change spatial distribution of at least one of intensity and spectrum of x-ray radiation of an x-ray source of an imaging system, including a plurality of radiation form filters, the method comprising:
acquiring a plurality of radiation absorption profiles of an examination object, from image data generated with the imaging system, in parallel with the axis of the examination object from various directions;
calculating an effective radiation absorption profile by averaging the plurality of radiation absorption profiles; and
selecting the radiation form filter, on the basis of the calculated effective radiation absorption profile, from a plurality of radiation form filters.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring of the plurality of radiation absorption profiles of an examination object includes recording the plurality of radiation absorption profiles from the anterior-posterior direction and the lateral direction.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the recording of the radiation absorption profiles comprises taking additional information into account relating to the examination object.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the additional information includes at least one of age, weight, size, body mass index and body region to be examined of the examination object.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: selecting a patient-specific measurement protocol by taking at least one of the effective radiation absorption profile and further measurement data into account.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: selecting a patient-specific measurement protocol by taking at least one of the effective radiation absorption profile and further measurement data into account.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the acquiring of the plurality of radiation absorption profiles of an examination object includes acquiring the plurality of radiation absorption profiles with x-rays.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the acquiring of the plurality of radiation absorption profiles of an examination object includes taking additional information into account relating to the examination object.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the additional information includes at least one of age, weight, size, body mass index and body region to be examined of the examination object.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring of the plurality of radiation absorption profiles of an examination object includes acquiring the plurality of radiation absorption profiles with x-rays.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the examination object is a patient and wherein the acquiring of the plurality of radiation absorption profiles of an examination object includes measuring contours of the patient.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the measuring of the patient contours includes measuring contours of the patient with a camera.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the averaging of the plurality of radiation absorption profiles comprises the weighting of a specific body region of the examination object.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting of the radiation form filter, on the basis of the effective radiation absorption profile of the examination object, includes selecting from a plurality of radiation form filters with individual radiation absorption profiles of the plurality of radiation form filters.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the selecting of radiation form filter from a plurality of radiation form filters includes selecting the radiation form filter from the plurality of radiation form filters with the individual radiation absorption profile which is best suited to the effective radiation absorption profile of the examination object.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the selecting of the radiation form filter from the plurality of radiation form filters includes applying a differential measurement method.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the differential measurement method includes a least-square method.

18. An x-ray imaging system, comprising:
an x-ray source;
an acquisition unit to acquire a plurality of radiation absorption profiles of an examination object, from image data generated with the imaging system, in parallel with the axis of the examination object from various directions;
a computing unit, to calculate an effective radiation absorption profile by averaging the plurality of radiation absorption profiles of the examination object; and
a selection unit to select, on the basis of the calculated effective radiation absorption profile of the examination object, a radiation form filter from a plurality of radiation form filters.

19. The x-ray imaging system of claim 18 , further comprising:
a radiation form filter facility, including a plurality of radiation form filters and an actuation unit, in order, during operation, to automatically bring a selected radiation form filter into the radiation path of the x-ray source.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Feuerlein Ute
• Koch Christiane
• Raupach Rainer

Classifications

• A61B6/0407

  Supports, e.g. tables or beds, for the body or parts of the body · CPC title

• A61B6/467

  characterised by special input means · CPC title

• A61B6/545

  involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters · CPC title

• A61B6/4035 Primary

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

• A61B6/542

  involving control of exposure · CPC title