Method for regulating and controlling focus beam spot of X-ray tube, X-ray tube and medical equipment

Abstract

The invention provides an X-ray tube focus beam spot regulation and control method, an X-ray tube and medical equipment, and belongs to the technical field of X-ray tubes. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring the working parameter information of the X-ray tube at the current moment and the working parameter information of the X-ray tube at the previous moment; determining a working parameter difference according to the working parameter information at the current moment and the working parameter information at the previous moment; selecting a magnetic control current parameter according to the working parameter difference and the critical value, and adjusting the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage according to the magnetic control current parameter so as to regulate and control the size of a focus beam spot generated by the X-ray tube; wherein the magnetic control current parameters comprise a magnetic control current slope and a magnetic control current value. Through the method provided by the invention, the magnetic control current information of the next magnetic control stage can be dynamically adjusted in real time, the stability of the focus beam spot size in the dual-energy switching process can be ensured, and the problem of low focus beam spot size stability caused by magnetic field response lag when the tube voltage or / and the tube current change in a traditional regulation and control method is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of X-ray tube technology, and particularly relates to a method for controlling the focal spot of an X-ray tube, an X-ray tube, and medical equipment. Background Technology

[0002] X-rays are widely used in industrial flaw detection, security inspection, medical diagnosis, and medical treatment. In an X-ray tube, an electron emission device, after being energized and heated, emits a stream of electrons that, under the control of a magnetocontrol system, bombard a target disk at high speed, thus generating X-rays. By adjusting the tube voltage and / or tube current and other operating parameters of the X-ray tube, the intensity, wavelength, and other characteristics of the X-rays can be controlled to meet different application requirements.

[0003] However, during dual-energy switching, when the tube voltage and / or tube current change, the rapid change in the magnetron current leads to the introduction of eddy currents, causing the actual magnetic field waveform to lag significantly behind the current change waveform of the magnetron system. Consequently, when the tube voltage and / or tube current changes, the magnetic field has not yet responded, causing the focal spot size to continuously change due to the lag in magnetic field response. This results in a constantly fluctuating and unstable focal spot size generated by the X-ray tube. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a method for controlling the focal spot of an X-ray tube, an X-ray tube, and a medical device, which aims to solve the problem of low focal spot size stability caused by magnetic field response lag when the tube voltage and / or tube current changes during dual-energy switching.

[0005] This application provides a method for controlling the focal spot of an X-ray tube, including:

[0006] Obtain the current and previous operating parameter information of the X-ray tube;

[0007] Determine the difference in working parameters based on the working parameter information at the current moment and the working parameter information at the previous moment;

[0008] Based on the difference in operating parameters and the critical value, the magnetocurrent parameters are selected, and the magnetic field of the next magnetocurrent stage is adjusted according to the magnetocurrent parameters to control the focal spot size generated by the X-ray tube; wherein, the magnetocurrent parameters include the magnetocurrent slope and the magnetocurrent value.

[0009] In one embodiment, the step of selecting the magnetic control current parameter based on the difference between the operating parameters and the critical value, and adjusting the magnetic field in the next magnetic control stage based on the magnetic control current parameter, includes:

[0010] If the difference in operating parameters is less than the critical value, then the magnetic control current value at the current moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the current moment.

[0011] The magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted based on the current magnetic control current value.

[0012] In one embodiment, the step of selecting the magnetic control current parameter based on the difference between the operating parameters and the critical value, and adjusting the magnetic field in the next magnetic control stage based on the magnetic control current parameter, includes:

[0013] If the difference in operating parameters is greater than or equal to the critical value, the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the slope of the magnetic control current.

[0014] In one embodiment, the step of adjusting the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage according to the magnetic control current slope if the difference in operating parameters is greater than or equal to the critical value includes:

[0015] The magnetic control current value at the previous moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the previous moment, and the magnetic control current value at the current moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the current moment.

[0016] The difference in magnetic control current is determined based on the magnetic control current value at the previous moment and the magnetic control current value at the current moment.

[0017] If the difference in magnetic control current is less than the current difference threshold, the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the fixed magnetic control current slope.

[0018] In one embodiment, the step of adjusting the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage according to the magnetic control current slope if the difference in operating parameters is greater than or equal to the critical value includes:

[0019] The magnetic control current value at the previous moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the previous moment, and the magnetic control current value at the current moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the current moment.

[0020] The difference in magnetic control current is determined based on the magnetic control current value at the previous moment and the magnetic control current value at the current moment.

[0021] If the magnetic control current difference is greater than or equal to the current difference threshold, the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the slope of the first magnetic control current.

[0022] Alternatively, if the magnetic control current difference is less than the current difference threshold, the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the second magnetic control current slope; the second magnetic control current slope is less than the first magnetic control current slope.

[0023] This application provides an X-ray tube, comprising:

[0024] The electron emission module is used to emit an electron beam based on operating parameter information;

[0025] A magnetically controlled power supply, connected to the electron emission module, is used to acquire the current and previous operating parameter information of the electron emission module; determine the operating parameter difference based on the current and previous operating parameter information; select magnetically controlled current parameters based on the operating parameter difference and a critical value; and adjust the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage based on the magnetically controlled current parameters to control the focal spot size generated by the X-ray tube; wherein, the magnetically controlled current parameters include the magnetically controlled current slope and the magnetically controlled current value.

[0026] In one embodiment, the X-ray tube further includes:

[0027] A magnetic focusing module, connected to the magnetically controlled power supply, is used to focus and control the magnetic field through which the electron beam passes, based on the magnetically controlled current parameters provided by the magnetically controlled power supply, so as to control the focal spot size corresponding to the electron beam.

[0028] In one embodiment, the X-ray tube further includes:

[0029] A magnetic deflection module, connected to the magnetically controlled power supply, is used to deflect and control the magnetic field through which the electron beam passes, based on the magnetic deflection current provided by the magnetically controlled power supply.

[0030] In one embodiment, the electron emission module includes:

[0031] The cathode module is used to emit the electron beam based on the tube voltage signal sent by the tube voltage source;

[0032] A gate, disposed around the cathode module, is used to adjust the tube current according to the gate voltage signal sent by the gate voltage source, thereby controlling the electron beam.

[0033] This application provides a medical device including the X-ray tube described in any of the above embodiments.

[0034] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention compared with the prior art are as follows:

[0035] The system acquires the current and previous operating parameters of the X-ray tube in real time and calculates the difference between these parameters, comparing it to a critical value. If the difference is less than the critical value, it indicates relatively small changes in the current values, placing the system in a relatively stable or acceptable range. In this case, the current magnetocurrent value is determined based on the current operating parameters to adjust the magnetic field for the next magnetocurrent stage. If the difference is greater than or equal to the critical value, it indicates relatively large changes in the current values, indicating significant changes during dual-energy switching. In this case, the magnetocurrent slope is adjusted to modify the magnetocurrent's variation, thus regulating the magnetic field for the next magnetocurrent stage. Based on the difference in operating parameters and the critical value, magnetocurrent parameters are selected for different switching conditions. By adjusting the magnetocurrent parameters under different switching conditions, the magnetocurrent information of the magnetic focusing module in the next magnetocurrent stage can be dynamically adjusted in real time, ensuring that the actual magnetic focusing magnetic field response matches the changes in tube voltage and / or tube current. The real magnetic field response of magnetic focusing matches the changes in tube voltage and / or tube current, which can ensure that the density distribution of the focal spot in the X-ray tube remains unchanged, improve the stability of the focal spot size, and ensure the stability of the focal spot size during dual-energy switching. This solves the problem of low focal spot size stability caused by the lag in magnetic field response when the tube voltage and / or tube current changes in traditional control methods. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 A waveform diagram illustrating the rapid switching scenario of the tube voltage provided in this application;

[0037] Figure 2 A waveform diagram illustrating the rapid switching scenario of tube current provided in this application;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the change in focal spot size controlled by traditional methods.

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the stability of the focal spot size.

[0040] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart illustrating the steps of the X-ray tube focal spot control method provided in this application;

[0041] Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating the control of tube voltage and / or tube current, magnetic control current, and magnetic induction intensity in one embodiment provided in this application;

[0042] Figure 7 A schematic diagram illustrating the control of tube voltage and / or tube current, magnetic control current, and magnetic induction intensity in one embodiment provided in this application;

[0043] Figure 8A schematic diagram illustrating the control of tube voltage and / or tube current, magnetic control current, and magnetic induction intensity in one embodiment provided in this application;

[0044] Figure 9 A schematic diagram illustrating the control of tube voltage and / or tube current, magnetic control current, and magnetic induction intensity in one embodiment provided in this application;

[0045] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the X-ray tube provided in this application;

[0046] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure of the medical device provided in this application;

[0047] Figure 12 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the medical device provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0048] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects to be solved by this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0049] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0050] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0051] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0052] Please see Figure 1The clinical application of X-ray tube 100 requires rapid tube voltage switching. In this scenario, the tube voltage V1 will vary between two values, corresponding to the first change diagram 810, and the tube current I... tube The basic structure remains unchanged, corresponding to the second change diagram 820. As the tube voltage V1 changes from time t1 to t2, the magnetic focusing module 120 also needs to synchronously adjust to maintain the stability of the focal spot size. In the scenario of rapid tube voltage switching, the output tube current I is not adjusted through the gate voltage V2. tube However, during the switching of the tube voltage V1, the tube current I... tube Due to factors such as control or space charge force, there will be approximately a 10% variation between the two tube voltages. Therefore, the adjustment of the magnetic focusing module 120 needs to be based not only on the tube voltage V1, but also on the tube current I monitored by the X-ray tube. tube Or the pre-stored tube current I corresponding to the change in tube voltage V1. tube Obtain the corresponding tube current I from the relationship of change tube Then adjust the magnetic focusing module 120.

[0053] Please see Figure 2 The clinical application of X-ray tube 100 requires rapid tube current switching. When the tube voltage V1 changes, the gate voltage V2 will also adjust synchronously to change the tube current I. tube The magnitude of the voltage is adjusted to ensure that the X-ray tube output power is the same under tube voltage V1 and gate voltage V2, as shown in the third variation diagram 830. From time t1 to time t2, tube voltage V1 decreases, and gate voltage V2 increases to draw more tube current I. tube To maintain stable power output, as shown in the fourth variation diagram 840. From time t2 to time t3, the tube voltage V1 has completed switching, the gate voltage V2 remains unchanged, and the tube current I... tube Continue laying the line at the preset value.

[0054] Please see Figure 3 The tube voltage V1 or the tube current I tube When the fifth change diagram 850 is changed, if the first magnetic focusing field strength waveform diagram 860 remains unchanged, the final obtained focal spot size will continuously change during the time period from time t1 to time t4, as shown in the diagram. Figure 3 The dimensional variations shown in Figure 870 are unacceptable in actual X-ray tube operation.

[0055] Please see Figure 4 The target condition of the focal spot size or the condition required by the X-ray tube, such as Figure 4 The medium-sized stability diagram is shown in Figure 891. The tube voltage V1 or tube current I... tubeAs the sixth change diagram 880 changes, the second magnetic focusing field strength waveform 890 also changes synchronously, ensuring that the focal spot size remains stable throughout the entire process, presenting as shown in the diagram. Figure 4 The medium-sized stability diagram is shown in Figure 891.

[0056] Please see Figure 5 This application provides a method for controlling the focal spot of an X-ray tube, comprising:

[0057] Step S10: Obtain the current operating parameter information and the previous operating parameter information of the X-ray tube;

[0058] Step S20: Determine the difference in working parameters based on the working parameter information at the current moment and the working parameter information at the previous moment;

[0059] Step S30: Select the magnetocontrol current parameters based on the difference in working parameters and the critical value, and adjust the magnetic field of the next magnetocontrol stage according to the magnetocontrol current parameters to control the focal spot size generated by the X-ray tube; wherein, the magnetocontrol current parameters include the magnetocontrol current slope and the magnetocontrol current value.

[0060] In this embodiment, the current operating parameter information of the X-ray tube includes the current tube voltage and / or tube current. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown, the current and previous times of the X-ray tube are referenced to the operating time of the X-ray tube, such as... Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8The first actual waveform 711 in the first waveform diagram 710, the second actual waveform 741 in the second waveform diagram 740, and the third actual waveform 771 in the third waveform diagram 770 show the values ​​t1, t2, t3, t4, t5, t6, etc. A feedback time interval 712 is formed between time t1 and time t2. The magnetically controlled power supply 110 receives the tube voltage and / or tube current from the previous and current times fed back by components such as the tube voltage source 212 or the gate voltage source 214. The tube voltage can be directly obtained from the tube voltage source 212. The tube current can be the measured value of the X-ray tube, or it can be obtained by converting the tube current based on the gate voltage provided by the gate voltage source 214, or by inferring the tube current change pattern during the tube voltage change. Furthermore, the magnetically controlled power supply 110 calculates the difference between the current operating parameter information and the previous operating parameter information to determine the operating parameter difference. In one embodiment, the magnetically controlled power supply 110 includes a magnetic control board (which can also be understood as a board chip or electronic circuit board). The magnetic control board includes a microprocessor, a drive circuit, a communication interface, and a power management circuit, etc. The magnetically controlled power supply 110 enables functions such as signal processing and control, power regulation, and status monitoring and feedback.

[0061] The operating parameter difference is the difference between the current tube voltage and the previous tube voltage, and / or the difference between the current tube current and the previous tube current. The critical value ranges from 1% to 3% of the operating parameters at the previous moment. If the operating parameter difference is less than the critical value, it indicates that the current value change is relatively small, in a relatively stable state or within an acceptable range of change. In this case, the magnetic control current value is determined based on the current operating parameter information to adjust the magnetic field in the next magnetic control stage. The magnetic control current value can be obtained from the magnetic focusing function table in the pre-stored board. The magnetic focusing function table includes various parameters, settings, or commands corresponding to different combinations of tube voltage and current. Based on the current operating parameter information, the corresponding magnetic control current value in the magnetic focusing function table in the pre-stored board can be obtained. If the operating parameter difference is greater than or equal to the critical value, it indicates that the current value change is relatively large, in a situation of large changes during dual-energy switching. In this case, the magnetic control current slope is changed to alter the magnetic control current change, thereby adjusting the magnetic field in the next magnetic control stage. The slope of the magnetically controlled current can be understood as the rate of change of the current, which characterizes the rate at which the magnetically controlled current changes with time and can describe how fast or slow the magnetically controlled current changes.

[0062] Based on the difference in operating parameters and the critical value, the magnetic control current parameters for the next magnetic control stage of the magnetic focusing module 120 in the X-ray tube are selected to determine, for example, the slope of the magnetic control current or the value of the magnetic control current for the next magnetic control stage. The next magnetic control stage characterizes the next stage of magnetic field change controlled by the magnetic focusing module 120, such as... Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 The T1 to T2 stage, T2 to T3 stage, T3 to T4 stage, etc. are shown in the figure.

[0063] pass Figure 3 and Figure 4 The comparison diagrams shown below—including the fifth change diagram 850, the first magnetic focusing field strength waveform diagram 860, and the size change diagram 870—and the sixth change diagram 880, the second magnetic focusing field strength waveform diagram 890, and the size stability diagram 891—demonstrate that, in order to obtain the size stability diagram 891 where the focal spot size remains stable throughout the entire process, the changes in tube voltage and / or tube current must be consistent with and synchronized with the changes in magnetic flux density. The changes in magnetic flux density are achieved through magnetically controlled current, specifically through the parameters of the magnetically controlled current.

[0064] To obtain a magnetic field that changes synchronously with the actual changes in tube voltage and / or tube current, the corresponding magnetically controlled current parameters are obtained through simulation. Furthermore, by converting the obtained magnetically controlled current parameters, the expected changes in tube voltage and / or tube current can be obtained, such as... Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 The first expected waveform 713 in the first waveform diagram 710, the second expected waveform 743 in the second waveform diagram 740, and the third expected waveform 772 in the third waveform diagram 770 show the operating parameter information. A proportional relationship exists between the expected tube voltage and / or tube current and the actual tube voltage and / or tube current. Consequently, a proportional relationship also exists between the actual tube voltage and / or tube current and the magnetic control current parameters. Conversely, when the magnetic control power supply 110 acquires the actual tube voltage and / or tube current in real time, it converts the actual tube voltage and / or tube current according to the corresponding proportional relationship to obtain the corresponding expected tube voltage and / or tube current. Then, according to the expected changes in tube voltage and / or tube current, the corresponding magnetic control current parameters are selected to respond, further obtaining the required synchronously changing magnetic field so that the focal spot size remains stable throughout the process.

[0065] The magnetic control current parameters are preset parameters, including the magnetic control current slope and the magnetic control current value. Based on the difference in operating parameters and the critical value, the corresponding magnetic control current slope and / or magnetic control current value is selected. By using the preset magnetic control current slope and / or magnetic control current value, a configuration can be formed as follows: Figure 6 , Figure 7 as well as Figure 8 The first magnetically controlled current waveform 720, the second magnetically controlled current waveform 750, and the third magnetically controlled current waveform 780 shown are illustrated. These waveforms, formed by the magnetically controlled current parameters, can be understood as the current change waveforms required for the magnetic focusing module 120 to control the signal. The first magnetically controlled current waveform 720 corresponds to the first magnetic flux density waveform 730 controlled by the magnetic focusing module 120. The second magnetic flux density waveform 750 corresponds to the second magnetic flux density waveform 760 controlled by the magnetic focusing module 120. The third magnetic flux density waveform 780 corresponds to the third magnetic flux density waveform 790 controlled by the magnetic focusing module 120. Under the control of the first magnetic flux density waveform 730, the second magnetic flux density waveform 760, and the third magnetic flux density waveform 790, the focal spot size generated by the X-ray tube can be controlled. It can be seen that the magnetic flux density waveform of the magnetic focusing magnetic field changes linearly, which makes the focal spot size more stable after the magnetic focusing magnetic field control.

[0066] The X-ray tube focal spot control method provided in this application obtains the difference between the current and previous operating parameters of the X-ray tube in real time, compares it with a critical value, selects the magnetocontrol current parameters under different switching conditions, and changes the magnetocontrol current according to the magnetocontrol current parameters under different switching conditions. This allows for dynamic and real-time adjustment of the magnetocontrol current information of the magnetocontrol module 120 in the next magnetocontrol stage, ensuring that the actual magnetocontrol magnetic field response matches the changes in tube voltage and / or tube current. Matching the actual magnetocontrol magnetic field response with the changes in tube voltage and / or tube current ensures that the density distribution of the focal spot in the X-ray tube remains unchanged, improving the stability of the focal spot size. This ensures the stability of the focal spot size during dual-energy switching and solves the problem of low focal spot size stability caused by the lag in magnetic field response when tube voltage and / or tube current changes in traditional control methods.

[0067] In one embodiment, step S30, which involves selecting the magnetic control current parameter based on the difference between the operating parameters and the critical value, and adjusting the magnetic field for the next magnetic control stage based on the magnetic control current parameter, includes:

[0068] Step S310: If the difference in operating parameters is less than the critical value, then determine the value of the magnetic control current at the current moment based on the operating parameter information at the current moment.

[0069] Step S320: Adjust the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage according to the current magnetic control current value.

[0070] In this embodiment, if the difference in operating parameters is less than a critical value, it indicates that the operating parameter information at the current moment has little change compared to the operating parameter information at the previous moment, and is in a relatively stable state or within an acceptable range of change, thus not requiring large-scale adjustment through the magnetic control current slope. In the magnetic focusing function table of the pre-stored board, each operating parameter corresponds to a magnetic control current value. The magnetic control current value at the current moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the current moment, and the magnetic field is adjusted for the next magnetic control stage. In one embodiment, please refer to... Figure 6 As shown, taking time T6 of the first magnetic control current waveform 720 as an example, the tube voltage received in the first actual waveform 711 is the same as the tube voltage obtained at the previous time, that is, the difference in operating parameters is less than the critical value. Therefore, the magnetic field for the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the corresponding magnetic control current value. The magnetic control current will drop to the current value corresponding to the actual operating parameters. This change occurs from time T6 to time T7, to adapt to... Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 The first expected waveform diagram 713, the second expected waveform diagram 743, and the third expected waveform diagram 772 shown herein ensure the stability of the focal spot size during dual-energy switching.

[0071] In one embodiment, step S30, which involves selecting the magnetic control current parameter based on the difference between the operating parameters and the critical value, and adjusting the magnetic field for the next magnetic control stage based on the magnetic control current parameter, includes:

[0072] In step S330, if the difference in working parameters is greater than or equal to the critical value, the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the slope of the magnetic control current.

[0073] In this embodiment, if the difference in operating parameters is greater than or equal to the critical value, it indicates that the current numerical change is relatively large, and the dual-energy switching process is characterized by significant fluctuations. Therefore, the slope of the magnetocontrol current is adjusted to modify its variation, thereby regulating the magnetic field in the next magnetocontrol stage. By adjusting the magnetic field through the slope of the magnetocontrol current, the magnetic field strength can be precisely increased at the desired rate over time, allowing for rapid adaptation to the dual-energy switching process and improving the control accuracy of the magnetic field. This further ensures the stability of the focal spot size during dual-energy switching.

[0074] In one embodiment, step S330, the step of adjusting the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage according to the magnetic control current slope if the difference in operating parameters is greater than or equal to a critical value, includes:

[0075] Step S331: Determine the magnetic control current value at the previous moment based on the operating parameter information at the previous moment, and determine the magnetic control current value at the current moment based on the operating parameter information at the current moment.

[0076] Step S332: Determine the difference between the magnetic control current and the magnetic control current based on the magnetic control current value at the previous moment and the magnetic control current value at the current moment.

[0077] Step S333: If the difference in magnetic control current is less than the current difference threshold, then adjust the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage according to the fixed magnetic control current slope.

[0078] In this embodiment, the magnetic control current value at the previous moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the previous moment. When determining the magnetic control current value at the current moment based on the operating parameter information at the current moment, the correspondence between the operating parameter information and the magnetic control current value can be based on the magnetic focusing function table of the pre-stored board. The magnetic control current difference indicates the change in the magnetic control current, which can also be understood as the amplitude difference between the magnetic control current information at the previous moment and the magnetic control current information at the current moment. Based on the screening of the magnetic control current value or the magnetic control current slope through the operating parameter difference and the critical value, a more refined screening is performed on the magnetic control current difference to cope with different operating conditions.

[0079] When the difference in magnetically controlled current is less than the current difference threshold, it indicates that the change in the difference in magnetically controlled current is small during dual-energy switching, and the fluctuation between magnetically controlled currents is small. The rising slope of the magnetically controlled current can be kept constant within this range, meaning the current change is based on a fixed magnetically controlled current slope. After the time interval for the change in magnetically controlled current is the feedback time interval 712, real-time feedback of operating parameter information (e.g., tube voltage and / or tube current) will be received again, and the above-mentioned steps will be repeated. In one embodiment, the current difference threshold ranges from 1% to 3% of the previous magnetically controlled current value. By comparing the difference in magnetically controlled current with the current difference threshold, the slope of the magnetically controlled current can be selected, allowing different magnetically controlled current slopes to match different magnetically controlled current changes. This better matches the changes in the magnetically controlled current during dual-energy switching, thereby improving the stability of the focal spot size and ensuring its stability during dual-energy switching.

[0080] In one embodiment, step S330, the step of adjusting the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage according to the magnetic control current slope if the difference in operating parameters is greater than or equal to a critical value, includes:

[0081] Step S334: Determine the magnetic control current value at the previous moment based on the operating parameter information at the previous moment, and determine the magnetic control current value at the current moment based on the operating parameter information at the current moment.

[0082] Step S335: Determine the difference between the magnetic control current and the magnetic control current based on the magnetic control current value at the previous moment and the magnetic control current value at the current moment.

[0083] Step S336: If the difference in magnetic control current is greater than or equal to the current difference threshold, then adjust the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage according to the slope of the first magnetic control current.

[0084] In this embodiment, the description of step S334 can be referred to the description of step S331 in the above embodiment. The description of step S335 can be referred to the description of step S332 in the above embodiment. When the difference in magnetic control current is greater than or equal to the current difference threshold, it indicates that the difference in magnetic control current changes greatly and the fluctuations between magnetic control currents are large during the dual-energy switching process. It is necessary to adjust the slope of the magnetic control current. Selecting a large slope for adjustment can accurately realize that the magnetic field strength increases at the desired rate over time and respond to changes in a timely manner.

[0085] During dual-energy switching, if the difference between the magnetic control current and the two steady states differs significantly under different tube currents or power, Figure 9 The waveform diagram shown illustrates the magnetic induction intensity B of the fourth magnetic induction intensity waveform 930, which is controlled by the fourth magnetic control current waveform 920. focusing The presence of rising edges and brief falling edges can cause fluctuations in the focal spot size, which is unacceptable in practical applications. Therefore, in order to avoid producing such... Figure 9 The fourth waveform diagram 910, the fourth magnetic control current waveform diagram 920, and the corresponding fourth magnetic induction intensity waveform 930 controlled by the magnetic focusing module 120, shown as working parameter information, can control the slope of the change of the magnetic control current during dual-energy switching under different tube current or power conditions, so as to make the magnetic induction intensity B focusing Presented as Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 The first magnetic induction intensity waveform 730, the second magnetic induction intensity waveform 760, and the third magnetic induction intensity waveform 790 are shown in the figure.

[0086] During the dual-energy switching process, when the difference in magnetic control current is greater than or equal to the current difference threshold (which can also be understood as when the difference in magnetic control current between the two steady states is large), the magnetic control current is changed according to the large first magnetic control current slope, forming a pattern such as... Figure 7 The second magnetically controlled current waveform 750 is shown, and a corresponding second magnetic induction intensity waveform 760 is formed.

[0087] If the difference in magnetically controlled current is less than the current difference threshold (which can also be understood as when the difference in magnetically controlled current between the two steady states is small), then the magnetically controlled current is changed according to the small second magnetically controlled current slope, forming a result such as... Figure 8The third magnetocontrol current waveform 780 is shown, and a corresponding third magnetic induction intensity waveform 790 is formed. The slope of the second magnetocontrol current is less than that of the first magnetocontrol current. By comparing the magnetocontrol current difference with a current difference threshold, the slope of the magnetocontrol current can be selected, allowing different magnetocontrol current slopes to match different magnetocontrol current changes. This better matches the changes in magnetocontrol current during dual-energy switching, further improving the stability of the focal spot size and ensuring its stability during dual-energy switching.

[0088] In one embodiment, the parameters of different types of X-ray tubes 100 are determined through testing before actual use. During dual-energy switching, when the tube voltage switches, the difference in the corresponding magnetic control current value is assessed. If the magnetic control current difference does not change significantly during dual-energy switching, and is less than the current difference threshold, the magnetic field is adjusted according to the fixed magnetic control current slope. If the magnetic control current difference changes significantly during dual-energy switching, and is greater than or equal to the current difference threshold, the magnetic field is adjusted according to different first and second magnetic control current slopes, which can be selected according to the actual application scenario. In one embodiment, the fixed magnetic control current slope, the first magnetic control current slope, and the second magnetic control current slope can all be preset in the magnetic control power supply 110 and called upon according to different situations during actual application.

[0089] Please see Figure 10 This application provides an X-ray tube 100. The X-ray tube 100 includes an electron emission module 210 and a magnetron power supply 110. The electron emission module 210 is used to emit an electron beam according to operating parameter information. The magnetron power supply 110 is connected to the electron emission module 210. The magnetron power supply 110 is used to acquire the current operating parameter information and the previous operating parameter information of the electron emission module 210. Based on the current operating parameter information and the previous operating parameter information, the operating parameter difference is determined. Based on the operating parameter difference and a critical value, a magnetron current parameter is selected. Based on the magnetron current parameter, the magnetic field of the next magnetron stage is adjusted to control the focal spot size generated by the X-ray tube. The magnetron current parameter includes the magnetron current slope and the magnetron current value.

[0090] In this embodiment, the magnetically controlled power supply 110 is connected to the electron emission module 210 and is used to acquire the current and previous operating parameter information of the electron emission module 210. The magnetically controlled power supply 110 receives the previous and current operating parameter information (e.g., tube voltage and / or tube current) fed back by components such as the tube voltage source 212 or the gate voltage source 214 in the electron emission module 210. The tube voltage (V1) can be directly obtained from the tube voltage source 212. The tube current can be the measured value of the X-ray tube. Alternatively, the tube current can be calculated based on the gate voltage (V2) provided by the gate voltage source 214 in the electron emission module 210. Or, it can be obtained by inference based on the change law of the tube current during the change of the tube voltage.

[0091] The magnetically controlled power supply 110 is used to acquire the current and previous operating parameter information of the electron emission module 210. Based on the current and previous operating parameter information, the operating parameter difference is determined. Based on the operating parameter difference and a critical value, the magnetically controlled current parameter is selected. The description of the steps for adjusting the magnetic field in the next magnetic control stage according to the magnetically controlled current parameter to regulate the focal spot size generated by the X-ray tube can be found in steps S10 to S30 of the above embodiment.

[0092] In one embodiment, the X-ray tube 100 further includes a magnetic focusing module 120. The magnetic focusing module 120 is connected to the magnetically controlled power supply 110. The magnetic focusing module 120 is used to focus and control the magnetic field through which the electron beam passes, according to the magnetically controlled current parameters provided by the magnetically controlled power supply 110, so as to control the focal spot size of the electron beam.

[0093] In this embodiment, the electron beam, after being extracted from the electron emission module 210, is modulated by the magnetic focusing module 120. The magnetic focusing module 120 is a magnetic focusing system, which can be a beam optical element such as a quadrupole magnet or a solenoid magnet. For the focusing system, the magnetic induction intensity of the region corresponding to the size of the electron beam (which can also be understood as the size of the beam envelope) is linearly related to its position. Therefore, adjusting the focal spot size through the magnetic focusing module 120 has a relatively small impact on the electron density distribution. When the tube voltage and / or tube current changes, the magnetic focusing module 120 responds synchronously, changing the output magnetic induction intensity to ensure that the focal spot size on the target disk 410 remains unchanged. For a description of the magnetic control current parameters, please refer to the descriptions in the above embodiments.

[0094] In one embodiment, the X-ray tube 100 further includes a magnetic deflection module 130. The magnetic deflection module 130 is connected to the magnetically controlled power supply 110. The magnetic deflection module 130 is used to deflect and control the magnetic field through which the electron beam passes according to the magnetic deflection current provided by the magnetically controlled power supply 110.

[0095] In this embodiment, the magnetic deflection module 130 is a deflecting magnet used to adjust the position of the electron beam striking the target disk 410. The magnetic deflection module 130 includes a magnetic core structure and a coil. The coil is arranged around the surface of the magnetic core structure. The coil is connected to the magnetically controlled power supply 110. The magnetic core structure is a sheet-like or stacked structure. The coil is used to generate a deflecting magnetic field by passing magnetic deflection current information sent by the magnetically controlled power supply 110, thereby adjusting the position of the electron beam striking the target disk 410.

[0096] In one embodiment, the electron emission module 210 includes a cathode module 211 and a gate 213. The cathode module 211 emits an electron beam according to a tube voltage signal sent by a tube voltage source 212. The gate 213 is disposed around the cathode module 211. The gate 213 is used to adjust the tube current according to a gate voltage signal sent by a gate voltage source 214, thereby controlling the electron beam.

[0097] In this embodiment, the cathode module 211 includes a cathode 2111 and a cathode focusing edge 2112. The cathode focusing edge 2112 is the edge portion of the cathode focusing cover (also known as a focusing cup). The cathode 2111 is connected to the tube voltage source 212. The potential of the cathode 2111 (which can also be understood as the tube voltage) ranges from -160kV to -30kV. For scenarios involving rapid tube voltage switching, where the potential of the cathode 2111 changes rapidly, the potential of the cathode 2111 is adjusted by the tube voltage signal sent by the tube voltage source 212.

[0098] The grid 213 is at a floating potential relative to the cathode 2111. The voltage of the grid 213 is adjusted within the range of -15kV to 15kV relative to the cathode 2111 potential. This can also be understood as the voltage of the grid 213 being 15kV lower or higher than the cathode 2111 potential, or being adjusted within the range of -15kV to 15kV. The tube current in the X-ray tube 100 is adjusted in real time by changing the voltage of the grid 213. The voltage of the grid 213 is adjusted by a grid voltage signal sent by the grid voltage source 214, thereby adjusting the tube current. After the electron beam is extracted from the grid 213, it is modulated by the magnetic focusing module 120 and the magnetic deflection module 130.

[0099] In one embodiment, the X-ray tube 100 further includes a housing 310 and a target disk 410. The housing 310 surrounds and forms a vacuum chamber 311. The target disk 410 is disposed within the vacuum chamber 311. A cathode module 211 and a grid 213 are disposed within the vacuum chamber 311. Within the vacuum chamber 311, the electron beam emitted by the cathode module 211 is modulated by the grid 213 and a magnetic field before bombarding the target disk 410.

[0100] In this embodiment, the housing 310 surrounds and forms a vacuum chamber 311, ensuring that the entire system is within a vacuum range. The housing 310 can be made of glass or metal to maintain a vacuum environment inside. A magnetic focusing module 120 and a magnetic deflection module 130 are disposed outside the vacuum chamber 311. The magnetic focusing module 120 and the magnetic deflection module 130 apply magnetic fields to control the electron beam within the vacuum chamber 311. Electron beam emission, magnetic focusing, and magnetic deflection occur within the vacuum chamber 311. The vacuum environment provided by the housing 310 eliminates external interference during operation, improving the stability of the X-ray tube 100.

[0101] In one embodiment, the target disk 410 is provided with an inclined surface 411 for determining the focal spot size after the modulated electron beam bombards the target disk 410 by line projection.

[0102] In this embodiment, the target disk 410 is provided with an inclined surface 411. The inclined surface 411 forms an angle with the body of the target disk 410 for line projection. After the electron beam bombards the target disk 410, it generates X-rays 510. The X-rays 510 are used to image a portion of the patient's body.

[0103] This application provides a medical device, including the X-ray tube 100 in any of the above embodiments.

[0104] In this embodiment, the medical device includes an X-ray tube 100, which can be a CT scanner, X-ray machine, etc. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 11 The CT scanner 200 is shown. The CT scanner 200 includes an X-ray tube 100. The X-ray tube 100 generates X-rays 510. The X-rays 510 pass through a patient lying on a bed 610 and are collected by a detector 620 for imaging. The bed 610 moves along direction 630 (also understood as the Z direction). Therefore, the X-rays 510 generated by the X-ray tube 100 can scan more areas of the patient. Both the X-ray tube 100 and the detector 620 are fixedly mounted on a gantry 640. The gantry 640 is rigidly connected to both the X-ray tube 100 and the detector 620, and their relative positions remain unchanged.

[0105] Please see Figure 12 As shown, the gantry 640 rotates rapidly at a speed of 650 rpm in the XY plane to image the patient's target area in a 360° direction with X-rays. The XY plane is perpendicular to the direction of movement 630 (which can also be understood as the Z direction) of the bed 610. During the 360° scan, because the patient's slice thickness varies at different angles, the patient's dose also needs to be adjusted synchronously in real time, i.e., DOM imaging.

[0106] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0107] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0108] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0109] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices / terminal equipment and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device / terminal equipment embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the displayed or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0110] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0111] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0112] If the integrated module / unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can also be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. The computer-readable medium can include: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code, recording media, USB flash drives, portable hard drives, magnetic disks, optical disks, computer memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals, and software distribution media, etc. It should be noted that the content included in the computer-readable medium can be appropriately added or removed according to the requirements of legislation and patent practice in the jurisdiction. For example, in some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, computer-readable media do not include electrical carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

[0113] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the focal spot of an X-ray tube, characterized in that, include: Obtain the current and previous operating parameter information of the X-ray tube; The difference in operating parameters is determined based on the operating parameter information at the current moment and the operating parameter information at the previous moment; Based on the difference in operating parameters and the critical value, the magnetic control current parameters are selected, and the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the magnetic control current parameters to control the focal spot size generated by the X-ray tube; the magnetic control current parameters include the magnetic control current slope and the magnetic control current value.

2. The method for controlling the focal spot of an X-ray tube as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of selecting the magnetic control current parameter based on the difference between the operating parameters and the critical value, and adjusting the magnetic field in the next magnetic control stage based on the magnetic control current parameter, includes: If the difference in operating parameters is less than the critical value, then the magnetic control current value at the current moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the current moment. The magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted based on the current magnetic control current value.

3. The method for controlling the focal spot of an X-ray tube as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of selecting the magnetic control current parameter based on the difference between the operating parameters and the critical value, and adjusting the magnetic field in the next magnetic control stage based on the magnetic control current parameter, includes: If the difference in operating parameters is greater than or equal to the critical value, the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the slope of the magnetic control current.

4. The method for controlling the focal spot of an X-ray tube as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage according to the magnetic control current slope if the difference in operating parameters is greater than or equal to the critical value includes: The magnetic control current value at the previous moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the previous moment, and the magnetic control current value at the current moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the current moment. The difference in magnetic control current is determined based on the magnetic control current value at the previous moment and the magnetic control current value at the current moment. If the difference in magnetic control current is less than the current difference threshold, the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the fixed magnetic control current slope.

5. The method for controlling the focal spot of an X-ray tube as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage according to the magnetic control current slope if the difference in operating parameters is greater than or equal to the critical value includes: The magnetic control current value at the previous moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the previous moment, and the magnetic control current value at the current moment is determined based on the operating parameter information at the current moment. The difference in magnetic control current is determined based on the magnetic control current value at the previous moment and the magnetic control current value at the current moment. If the magnetic control current difference is greater than or equal to the current difference threshold, the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the slope of the first magnetic control current. Alternatively, if the magnetic control current difference is less than the current difference threshold, the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the second magnetic control current slope; the second magnetic control current slope is less than the first magnetic control current slope.

6. An X-ray tube, characterized in that, include: An electron emission module (210) is used to emit an electron beam according to operating parameter information; A magnetically controlled power supply (110) is connected to the electron emission module (210). The magnetically controlled power supply (110) is used to obtain the current working parameter information and the previous working parameter information of the electron emission module (210); and to determine the working parameter difference based on the current working parameter information and the previous working parameter information. Based on the difference in operating parameters and the critical value, the magnetic control current parameters are selected, and the magnetic field of the next magnetic control stage is adjusted according to the magnetic control current parameters to control the focal spot size generated by the X-ray tube; wherein, the magnetic control current parameters include the magnetic control current slope and the magnetic control current value.

7. The X-ray tube as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The X-ray tube also includes: The magnetic focusing module (120) is connected to the magnetic power supply (110) and is used to focus and control the magnetic field through which the electron beam passes according to the magnetic control current parameters provided by the magnetic power supply (110), so as to control the focal spot size corresponding to the electron beam.

8. The X-ray tube as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The X-ray tube also includes: The magnetic deflection module (130) is connected to the magnetic control power supply (110) and is used to deflect and control the magnetic field through which the electron beam passes according to the magnetic deflection current provided by the magnetic control power supply (110).

9. The X-ray tube as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The electron emission module (210) includes: The cathode module (211) is used to emit the electron beam according to the tube voltage signal sent by the tube voltage source (212); A gate (213) is disposed on the periphery of the cathode module (211) and is used to adjust the tube current according to the gate voltage signal sent by the gate voltage source (214) to control the electron beam.

10. A medical device, characterized in that, Including the X-ray tube as described in any one of claims 6 to 9.

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