X-ray imaging apparatus and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9649080-B2
Application number	US-201514694161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2015
Priority date	Dec 5, 2012
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed herein are an X-ray imaging apparatus which recognizes a marker located at a part to be subjected to X-ray imaging from an image of a subject imaged by a camera and which controls a respective movement of each of an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector to a respective position which corresponds to the recognized marker, and a method for controlling the same. An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray tube which radiates X-rays toward a subject, an X-ray detector which detects X-rays which propagate through the subject, an imaging unit which generates an image of the subject, a recognizes which recognizes a part to be subjected to X-ray imaging from the image of the subject, and a position controller which controls a movement of the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector to a position corresponding to the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:
an X-ray tube which is configured to radiate X-rays toward a subject;
an imaging unit which is configured to generate an image of the subject; and
a position controller which is configured to recognize a part to be subjected to X-ray imaging from the generated image of the subject and performs control such that the X-ray tube is moved to a position corresponding to the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging,
wherein the imaging unit comprises a wide-angle camera having an angle of view that encompasses an entirety of the subject such that the image of the subject is generated in a single stage.

2. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the position controller is further configured to recognize a marker from the generated image of the subject in order to recognize the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging of the subject, and
the marker is located at the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging of the subject.

3. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the position controller is further configured to control each of a center of an X-ray radiation region of the X-ray tube and a center of an X-ray detection region of an X-ray detector to match with a position of the marker.

4. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the position controller is further configured to calculate the position of the marker, and to calculate a control amount for causing respective positions of each of the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector to respectively correspond to the calculated position of the marker based on a relative position between the generated image of the subject and at least one of the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector.

5. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the position controller is further configured to recognize at least one of a shape, a color, a material and a size of the marker.

6. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the marker comprises an object having a recognizable feature and comprises a user's hand having a specific shape.

7. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the position controller is further configured to recognize an object having at least one of a shape, a color, material, and a size of the marker from the generated image of the subject.

8. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the imaging unit is mounted on the X-ray tube, and
the position controller is further configured to update a position calculation result of the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging while the X-ray tube moves to the respective position which corresponds to the part to be subjected X-ray imaging.

9. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the position controller is further configured to recognize a pre-stored feature of the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging from the generated image of the subject.

10. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
an X-ray detecting unit configured to detect X-rays transmitted through the subject,
wherein the position controller is further configured to perform control such that the X-ray detecting unit is moved to a position corresponding to the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging.

11. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:
a gantry which comprises an X-ray tube which radiates X-rays toward a subject and an X-ray detector which detects X-rays which propagate through the subject;
a slider which moves the subject to a bore of the gantry;
an imaging unit which generates an image of the subject; and
a position controller which is configured to recognize a part to be subjected to X-ray imaging from the generated image of the subject, and to control a movement of the slider such that a position of the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging corresponds to a respective position of at least one of the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector,
wherein the imaging unit comprises a wide-angle camera having an angle of view that encompasses an entirety of the subject such that the image of the subject is generated in a single stage.

12. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein:
the position controller is further configured to recognize a marker from the generated image of the subject in order to recognize the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging, and
the marker is located at the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging.

13. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the position controller is further configured to calculate a position of the marker, and to calculate a control amount for causing the slider to move based on a relative position between the generated image of the subject and at least one of the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector.

14. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the position controller is further configured to recognize a pre-stored feature of the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging from the generated image of the subject.

15. A method for controlling an X-ray imaging apparatus which comprises an X-ray tube which radiates X-rays toward a subject and an X-ray detector which detects X-rays which propagate through the subject, the method comprising:
generating an image of the subject;
recognizing a part to be subjected to X-ray imaging from the generated image of the subject; and
controlling a respective movement of each of the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector to a respective position which corresponds to the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging,
wherein the image of the subject is generated by using a wide-angle camera having an angle of view that encompasses an entirety of the subject such that the image of the subject is generated in a single stage.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the recognizing of the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging comprises recognizing a marker from the generated image of the subject in order to recognize the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging of the subject.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the controlling of the respective movement of each of the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector to the position which corresponds to the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging comprises controlling each of a center of an X-ray radiation region of the X-ray tube and a center of an X-ray detection region of the X-ray detector to match with a position of the marker.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the controlling of the respective movement of each of the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector to the position which corresponds to the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging comprises calculating a position of the marker, and calculating a control amount for causing respective positions of each of the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector to respectively correspond to the calculated position of the marker based on a relative position between the generated image of the subject and at least one of the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector.

19. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising pre-storing information relating to a feature which comprises information relating to at least one of a shape, a color, a material and a size of the marker.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the marker comprises an object having a recognizable feature and comprises a user's hand having a specific shape.

21. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the recognizing of the part to be subjected to X-ray imaging of the s

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kwak Ho Seong
• Choi Choong Hwan
• Oh Do Kwan
• Han Woo Sup

Classifications

• A61B6/08

  Auxiliary means for directing the radiation beam to a particular spot, e.g. using light beams · CPC title

• A61B6/4464

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

• A61B6/4429

  related to the mounting of source units and detector units · CPC title

• A61B6/032 Primary

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/4233

  using matrix detectors · CPC title