JPH10137232A - X-ray equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

[PROBLEMS] To provide an X-ray imaging apparatus capable of reducing the exposure dose of a subject with a simple structure that can be manufactured at low cost. An X-ray irradiator 2a is swingably supported, and an X-ray detector 3a is movably supported along an imaging area of a subject. A fan beam forming unit 2d having a slit 2e for turning an X-ray from the X-ray irradiation unit 2a toward the X-ray detection unit into a fan beam can swing together with the X-ray irradiation unit 2a. The fan beam forming unit 2 d
Connecting member 7 for connecting X-ray irradiator 2a and X-ray detector 3a
Linked to The swing of the X-ray irradiating unit 2a and the fan beam forming unit 2d by the driving of the X-ray detecting unit 3a makes it possible to scan the imaging region of the subject with the fan beam-shaped X-rays.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an X-ray imaging apparatus for scanning an imaging area of a subject with X-rays in the form of a fan beam.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An X-ray emitted from an X-ray irradiator is formed into a fan beam by means of a linear slit. X that forms an image based on the line detection result
There is a radiography device.

The X-ray irradiating section is supported so as to be swingable, and the X-ray detecting section is movably supported along an imaging region of a subject. The X-ray irradiating section and the X-ray detecting section are connected to each other by a connecting member. The fan beam forming part having the slit is connected to the X-ray irradiation part so as to be able to swing together. When the X-ray detecting unit is driven along the imaging region, the X-ray irradiating unit and the fan beam forming unit oscillate together, and scanning by the fan beam-shaped X-rays is performed.

The distance between the X-ray irradiator and the X-ray detector is:
For example, the length is about 1.2 m to 1.8 m, and since the distance changes depending on the movement of the detection unit at the time of scanning, a stretchable rod-shaped member is used as the connecting member. In the fan beam forming unit, the slit is formed at a position away from the X-ray irradiation unit. this is,
This is because the opening width that defines the fan beam thickness of the slit can be increased as the distance from the X-ray irradiation unit increases, so that the slit processing is easy and the dimensional accuracy is improved. In addition, the fan beam forming section was connected only to the X-ray irradiation section.

[0005]

In the conventional structure, the connecting member has a rod shape, the fan beam forming portion is connected only to the X-ray irradiating portion, and the slit is formed at a position away from the X-ray irradiating portion. Therefore, the connecting member vibrates due to the swing of the X-ray irradiating unit when the detecting unit moves, and the slit of the fan beam forming unit also vibrates due to the vibration of the connecting member.

Therefore, in order to surely make the X-ray into a fan beam, it is necessary to increase the opening width defining the fan beam thickness of the slit in consideration of the amplitude of the vibration. For this reason, reduction of the exposure dose of the subject has been hindered.

An object of the present invention is to provide an X-ray imaging apparatus capable of solving the above-mentioned problems.

[0008]

According to the present invention, an X-ray irradiator, an X-ray detector, and an X-ray irradiator are swingably supported, and the X-ray detector is photographed by a subject. Fan beam forming means having support means for movably supporting along an area, and a slit capable of swinging along with the X-ray irradiating portion and forming an X-ray from the X-ray irradiating portion to the X-ray detecting portion in a fan beam shape; Unit, and a connecting member for connecting the X-ray irradiating unit and the X-ray detecting unit, and the X-ray irradiating unit and the fan beam forming unit swing by the driving of the X-ray detecting unit. An X-ray imaging apparatus capable of scanning an imaging region of a subject with a line, wherein the fan beam forming unit is connected to the connection member.

According to the configuration of the present invention, since the fan beam forming unit is connected to the connecting member, the vibration of the connecting member due to the swing of the X-ray irradiation unit when the detecting unit moves can be suppressed. By suppressing the vibration of the connecting member, the vibration of the slit of the fan beam forming portion can also be suppressed. Thereby, the opening width that defines the fan beam thickness of the slit can be reduced, and the X-ray exposure of the subject can be reduced.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

A digital X-ray apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises an X-ray tube unit 2 for irradiating a subject with X-rays,
An X-ray sensor unit 3 for detecting X-rays emitted to the subject, a holding member 4 for holding the X-ray tube unit 2 and the X-ray sensor unit 3, and a support for supporting the holding member 4 And a member 5. A subject is arranged between the X-ray tube unit 2 and the X-ray sensor unit 3.

The holding member 4 includes a first housing 4a containing the X-ray tube unit 2, a second housing 4b containing the X-ray sensor unit 3, a first housing 4a and a second housing 4b. And a third housing 4c that supports the third housing 4c. The first housing 4a is
The third housing 4c is held so as to be displaceable in a direction approaching the second housing 4b and in a direction away from the second housing 4b, and is drivable in a direction of the displacement by a driving mechanism (not shown) built in the third housing 4c. I have. The second housing 4b is fixed to the third housing 4c.

As shown in FIG. 2, the X-ray tube unit 2 includes an X-ray tube (X-ray irradiation unit) 2a and the X-ray tube 2
a supporting shaft 2c fixed to the X-ray tube 2a
And a fan beam forming unit 2d fixed to the The X-ray tube 2a is swingably supported by the first housing 4a about the axis of the support shaft 2c. The axis of the support shaft 2c is a horizontal axis passing through the focal point of the emitted X-rays in the X-ray tube 2a. The fan beam forming portion 2d includes a slit forming portion 2d 'arranged at a position distant from the focal point to the X-ray sensor unit 3 side, and a connecting portion 2d connecting the slit forming portion 2d' to the X-ray tube 2a. And the slit forming portion 2d '.
A linear slit 2 for converting an X-ray emitted from an X-ray tube 2a toward a line sensor (X-ray detecting unit) 3a to be described later into a fan beam as shown by a dashed line L in FIG.
e is formed such that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the swing center axis of the X-ray tube 2a. The larger the distance D between the slit 2e and the X-ray tube 2a, the larger the opening width in the short direction that defines the fan beam thickness of the slit 2e, so that the slit processing is easy and the dimensional accuracy is high. .

The X-ray sensor unit 3 comprises a plurality of X-ray detectors arranged in a straight line parallel to the center axis of oscillation of the X-ray tube 2a so as to detect the fan beam-shaped X-rays. And a line sensor 3a to be used. The line sensor 3a is moved by the second housing 4b in a straight line direction perpendicular to a straight line parallel to the swing center axis of the X-ray tube 2a and in a direction along the imaging region of the subject (the direction of arrow A in the figure). ), And can be reciprocated along the direction by a drive mechanism (not shown).

The line sensor 3a and the X-ray tube 2a
Is a connecting member 7 built in the third housing 4c.
Are linked by The connecting member 7 has a cylindrical first member 7a and a rod-shaped second member 7b inserted into the first member 7b so as to be movable in the axial direction. The second member 7b
Is fixed to the X-ray tube 2a via the support shaft 2c, and further connected to the fan beam forming section 2d. The first member 7a is rotatably attached to the line sensor 3a about an axis 3c parallel to the swing center of the X-ray tube 2a.

By driving the line sensor 3a, the X-ray tube 2a and the fan beam forming unit 2d are swung together with the X-ray tube, so that the X-ray of the fan beam can scan the imaging region of the subject. Have been. During the scanning, the distance between the connecting portion of the connecting member 7 with the support shaft 2c and the connecting portion of the connecting member 7 with the line sensor 3a changes, so that the connecting member 7 expands and contracts. The X-ray intensity transmitted through the subject by the scanning is detected as an image signal by each X-ray detector constituting the line sensor 3a. The image signal is digitized and processed by an image processing device (not shown), and a fluoroscopic image of the imaging region of the subject is reconstructed. The intensity of the X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube unit 2 may be changed according to the thickness of the imaging region.

The supporting member 5 supports the holding member 4 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis, and is also capable of being driven vertically. By the rotational driving about the horizontal axis, the X-ray tube unit 2 and the X-ray sensor unit 3 can be set in a state of being arranged side by side in the horizontal direction and a state of being arranged in parallel in the vertical direction.

According to the above configuration, the fan beam forming unit 2
By connecting d to the connecting member 7, the vibration of the connecting member 7 due to the swing of the X-ray tube 2a during the movement of the line sensor 3a can be suppressed. By suppressing the vibration of the connecting member 7, the vibration of the slit 2e of the fan beam forming section 2d can also be suppressed. As a result, the opening width that defines the fan beam thickness of the slit 2e can be reduced, and the X-ray exposure of the subject can be reduced.

FIG. 3 shows a modification of the present invention. The difference from the above embodiment is that the first member 7a of the connecting member 7 is fixed to the X-ray tube 2a via the support shaft 2c, and further connected to the fan beam forming part 2d. A second member 7b of the connecting member 7 is rotatably attached to the line sensor 3a about an axis 3c parallel to the swing center of the X-ray tube 2a. Others are the same as the above embodiment. As a result, the first housing 4a of the holding member 4 is displaced in a direction approaching the second housing 4b, and as shown in FIG. 4, the focus of the X-rays on the X-ray tube 2a and the line sensor 3a are shifted. The distance S is changed, and the magnification of the captured image can be changed.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the X-ray imaging apparatus to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the above-described digital X-ray imaging apparatus, but may be applied to an X-ray detection unit that exposes an X-ray film to perform fluoroscopic imaging.

[0021]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an X-ray imaging apparatus capable of reducing the exposure dose of a subject with a simple structure that can be manufactured at low cost.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the X-ray imaging apparatus of the present invention,
The first member and the first member are connected to each other so that the connecting member can expand and contract according to a change in the distance between the X-ray detection unit and the X-ray irradiation unit.
A second member inserted in the member so as to be movable in the axial direction,
Preferably, a fan beam forming part is connected to the first member. Thus, when changing the distance between the X-ray detecting unit and the X-ray irradiating unit, the second member does not interfere with the fan beam forming unit, so that the distance changing amount can be increased. That is, the magnification of the formed image can be adjusted over a wide range by changing the distance between the focus of the X-rays in the X-ray irradiation unit and the X-ray detection unit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an X-ray imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the X-ray imaging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of an X-ray imaging apparatus according to a modification of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view for explaining the operation of an X-ray imaging apparatus according to a modification of the present invention.

[Description of Signs] 2a X-ray tube 2d Fan beam forming unit 2e Slit 3a Line sensor 4 Holding member 7 Connecting member

Claims (1)

[Claims] An X-ray irradiator, an X-ray detector, and an X-ray irradiator are supported so as to be swingable, and the X-ray detector is movably supported along an imaging region of a subject. A support means, a fan beam forming section having a slit capable of swinging along with the X-ray irradiating section and forming a fan beam from the X-ray irradiating section toward the X-ray detecting section, and the X-ray irradiating section And a connecting member for connecting the X-ray detecting unit to the X-ray detecting unit. The X-ray irradiating unit and the fan beam forming unit swing by the driving of the X-ray detecting unit. An X-ray imaging apparatus capable of scanning an image, wherein the fan beam forming unit is connected to the connecting member.