Extremity imaging apparatus for cone beam computed tomography

摘要

An apparatus for cone beam computed tomography of an extremity has a digital radiation detector and a first device to move the detector along a circular detector path extending so that the detector moves both at least partially around a first extremity of the patient and between the first extremity and a second, adjacent extremity. The detector path has radius R1 sufficient to position the extremity approximately centered in the detector path. There is a radiation source with a second device to move the source along a concentric circular source path having a radius R2 greater than radius R1, radius R2 sufficiently long to allow adequate radiation exposure of the first extremity for an image capture by the detector. A first circumferential gap in the source path allows the second extremity to be positioned in the first circumferential gap during image capture.

主权项

1. An apparatus for cone beam computed tomographic imaging of one extremity of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
a digital radiation detector; a detector mechanism attached to the detector and configured to move the detector along a detector path, a shape of the detector path comprising a first circular arc, the detector path defining a detector axis whereat at least a portion of the one extremity of the patient is positioned to be imaged by the apparatus; a radiation source; and a source mechanism attached to the source and configured to move the source along a source path, a shape of the source path comprising a second circular arc, the source path defining a source plane and a source axis, the source axis coaxial with the detector axis, wherein a distance from the detector path to the detector axis is shorter than a distance from the source path to the source axis, and wherein the one extremity of the patient is positioned at the detector axis by moving at least a portion of the one extremity of the patient through a gap in the second circular arc.