Mobile medical imaging device and method of operating the medical imaging device

Abstract

The medical imaging device of this disclosure includes a detector control unit for controlling the operation of the detector, a detector including a first transceiver at a predetermined position, a source assembly including a second transceiver and a 3D camera on the front, and a main control unit for controlling the operation of the medical imaging device. When the intensity of the signal from the first transceiver received by the second transceiver is greater than a predetermined critical signal intensity, the main control unit activates the medical imaging device, acquires a 3D camera image of at least one of the subject and the detector based on the 3D camera, displays the radiation irradiation area in the 3D camera image based on the state information of the source assembly, displays the area of ​​the detector in the 3D camera image, outputs a message guiding the user to align the irradiation area and the area of ​​the detector, and when the area of ​​the detector and the irradiation area match, transmits a radiation irradiation preparation signal to the first transceiver using the second transceiver.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a medical imaging device and a method of operating a medical imaging device. More specifically, the present disclosure includes a method for aligning a source assembly of a medical imaging device with a detector to obtain a clear radiation image.

Background Art

[0002] Aligning a medical imaging device with a detector is an important step in obtaining high-quality images and minimizing radiation exposure to both patients and healthcare providers. The following steps can be performed to align a medical imaging device with a detector.

[0003] First, the position of the source assembly can be determined. The source assembly for generating radiation must be positioned at a fixed distance from the region of interest with respect to the patient. The distance varies depending on the type of medical imaging device and the region being imaged, but is generally about 1-2 meters. Next, the alignment of the radiation beam can be made. The radiation beam must be aligned so as to be perpendicular to the detector and pass through the region of interest of the patient. This can be accomplished by adjusting the position of the source assembly or by forming the radiation beam using a collimator.

[0004] Next, the position of the detector can be specified. The detector must be positioned on the opposite side of the patient from the source assembly and must be aligned with the radiation beam. Also, the detector can be placed as close to the patient as possible in order to minimize scattered radiation and improve the quality of the image. Finally, an alignment confirmation step can be performed. If the source assembly and the detector are in their predetermined positions, a test image can be taken to confirm the alignment. It can be checked whether the region of interest is at the center of the image and whether the image quality is sufficient for diagnosis.

[0005] In summary, proper alignment of a mobile medical imaging device with a detector is important for obtaining accurate and high-quality images. Therefore, various devices have been developed to accurately guide this. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] This disclosure describes a medical imaging device for precisely aligning the source assembly and detector of a mobile medical imaging device. However, the technical challenges are not limited to those described above, and other technical challenges may exist. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The medical imaging device according to this disclosure includes a detector control unit for controlling the operation of the detector, a detector including a first transmitting / receiving unit at a predetermined position, a source assembly including a second transmitting / receiving unit on the front, and a main control unit for controlling the operation of the medical imaging device, the main control unit acquires alignment information for aligning the detector and the source assembly.

[0008] The alignment information of the medical imaging device relating to this disclosure includes information related to at least one of the direction, distance, and angle to which the source assembly must move, based on at least one of the orientation information of the detector and the orientation information of the source assembly.

[0009] The medical imaging device relating to this disclosure outputs a signal indicating that the detector area and the irradiation area match when the detector area and the irradiation area match based on alignment information.

[0010] The detector of the medical imaging device according to this disclosure includes a plurality of first transmitting and receiving units, the source assembly includes a plurality of second transmitting and receiving units, and the main control unit obtains the SID (Source to Image Distance) from the source assembly to the detector based on a plurality of distances between the plurality of first transmitting and receiving units and the plurality of second transmitting and receiving units that correspond one-to-one.

[0011] The source assembly of the medical imaging device relating to this disclosure further includes a 3D camera for acquiring 3D camera images, and the main control unit acquires at least one of the orientation information of the source assembly and the detector based on the 3D camera images.

[0012] The main control unit of the medical imaging device relating to this disclosure acquires pre-alignment information using a first transceiver unit and a second transceiver unit, acquires post-alignment information based on 3D camera images, and determines final alignment information based on the pre-alignment information and post-alignment information.

[0013] The medical imaging device relating to this disclosure acquires first distance information between the first and second transmitting / receiving units based on signals between the first and second transmitting / receiving units, and displays the region of the detector using a 3D camera image based on the first distance information.

[0014] The main control unit of the medical imaging device relating to this disclosure displays the region of the detector on the 3D camera image, acquires second distance information to at least one object captured by the 3D camera, and acquires the SID (Source to Image Distance) from the source assembly to the detector based on the region of the detector and the second distance information.

[0015] The main control unit of the medical imaging device relating to this disclosure acquires second distance information to at least one object captured by a 3D camera, and obtains the SOD (Source to Object Distance) from the source assembly to the subject based on the second distance information.

[0016] The main control unit of the medical imaging device according to this disclosure acquires first distance information between the first and second transmitting / receiving units based on the signals between the first and second transmitting / receiving units, acquires the SID (Source to Image Distance) from the source assembly to the detector based on the first distance, and determines the thickness of the subject based on the SOD and SID.

[0017] The main control unit of the medical imaging device relating to this disclosure acquires body part identification information of the subject, models the subject in 3D or 2D based on the body part identification information and SOD to acquire a body part model, positions the center of the detector region at the center of the body part model that appears in the 3D camera image, and displays the detector region based on SID.

[0018] The 3D camera of the medical imaging device relating to this disclosure includes at least one of the following: a depth measuring camera, an RGBD (Red, Green, Blue, Depth) camera, or a TOF (Time of Flight) camera.

[0019] Furthermore, the program for implementing the aforementioned medical imaging device operation method can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] By providing means for quickly aligning the source assembly and detector of the medical imaging device of this disclosure, user convenience can be enhanced and the quality of medical images can be improved.

[0021] The effects that can be obtained from this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and any other effects not mentioned above can be clearly understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0022] [Figure 1] This is a drawing showing a mobile medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a diagram illustrating the process of using a medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This diagram shows block diagrams of various configurations that may be included in a medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] A detector according to one embodiment of this disclosure is shown. [Figure 5]A drawing for explaining a source assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] A flowchart for explaining the operation of a medical imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] A drawing for explaining a medical imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] A flowchart for explaining a method for obtaining a region of a detector in 3D camera video according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] A drawing for explaining the operation of a medical imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] A drawing for explaining the operation of a medical imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] It may be a drawing for explaining the operation of a medical imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] A drawing for explaining the operation of a medical imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] A drawing for explaining the operation of a medical imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] A drawing for explaining the operation of a medical imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] The advantages and features of the disclosed embodiments, and the methods for achieving them, will become clear by referring to the embodiments described later together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, and can be embodied in various different forms. However, this embodiment is provided only to make the present disclosure complete and to fully inform those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs of the scope of the invention.

[0024] The terms used in this specification will be briefly explained, and the disclosed embodiments will be specifically described.

[0025] The terminology used herein has been selected to the greatest extent possible to be widely used and general terms, taking into account the function of this disclosure; however, this may change depending on the intent of engineers in the relevant field, case law, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, in certain cases, the applicant has arbitrarily selected some terms, in which case their meaning will be described in detail in the description of the relevant invention. Therefore, the terminology used herein should not be merely nominal terms, but should be defined based on the meaning of the term and the overall content of this disclosure.

[0026] In this specification, singular expressions include plural expressions unless they are clearly identified as singular in context. Conversely, plural expressions include singular expressions unless they are clearly identified as plural in context.

[0027] When a part of the specification "includes" a certain component, this means that, unless otherwise stated, it does not exclude other components, but rather may include other components.

[0028] Furthermore, the term “part” as used in the specification means a software or hardware component that performs some role. However, the meaning of “part” is not limited to software or hardware. A “part” may be configured to reside on an addressable storage medium, or to be configured to regenerate one or more processors. Thus, as an example, a “part” may include components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, as well as processes, functions, attributes, processors, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. Components and the functions provided within a “part” may be combined with a smaller number of components and “parts,” or further separated into additional components and “parts.”

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, “Part” may be embodied in a processor and memory. The term “processor” should be interpreted broadly to include general-purpose processors, central processing units (CPUs), microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), controllers, microcontrollers, state machines, etc. In some environments, “processor” may also refer to application-specific semiconductors (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc. The term “processor” may also refer to combinations of processing devices such as, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors coupled with a DSP core, or any other combination of such configurations.

[0030] The term "memory" should be broadly interpreted to include any electronic component capable of storing electronic information. The term "memory" can also refer to various types of processor-readable media, such as arbitrary-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile arbitrary-access memory (NVRAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erase-programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), flash memory, magnetic or optical data storage devices, and registers. Memory is said to be in electronic communication with the processor if the processor can read / read information from it or record information into it. Memory integrated into a processor is in electronic communication with the processor.

[0031] The embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the attached drawings, so that they can be easily implemented by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Parts not relevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly illustrate this disclosure with the drawings.

[0032] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a mobile medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the process of using the medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is a diagram showing block diagrams of various configurations that may be included in the medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Referring to Figure 1, the mobile medical imaging device 100 of this disclosure may include wheels to enable movement. A medical imaging device according to one embodiment may be a device capable of photographing and / or inspecting the internal structures of a subject (or object) based on radiation, including X-rays. For example, the medical imaging device irradiates the human body with X-rays so that they pass through it, and scans the transmitted X-rays to obtain an internal image of the human body.

[0034] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the medical imaging device 100 may include a source assembly (110), a detector 120, and a main body 130. The main body 130 of the medical imaging device 100 may also include a high-voltage generating unit (not shown), a sensor unit 310, a communication unit 320, a memory 330, an output unit 340, an input unit 350, and / or a control unit 300.

[0035] Referring to Figure 2, the user can move the medical imaging device 100 to the vicinity of the patient bed 220. The user can place the detector 120 behind the subject. Thus, radiation emitted from the source assembly 110 can pass through the subject and reach the detector 120. The detector 120 can sense the radiation that has passed through the subject and convert it into an electrical signal. The detector 120 can also acquire a radiation image based on the electrical signal.

[0036] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the high-voltage generation unit according to one embodiment can generate a high voltage for X-ray generation and apply it to the X-ray source included in the source assembly. The high-voltage generation unit may be included in the main body 130, but is not limited thereto, and may also be included in the source assembly 110.

[0037] A source assembly 110 according to one embodiment may include an X-ray source to which a high voltage generated in a high-voltage generation unit is applied to generate X-rays. The X-ray source includes an X-ray tube, which may be represented by a two-electrode vacuum tube consisting of a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The source assembly may also include a collimator to guide the path of the X-rays irradiated by the X-ray source and adjust the irradiation area of ​​the X-rays.

[0038] A detector according to one embodiment detects X-rays irradiated from a source assembly and transmitted through an object. The detector may be a digital detector. The detector may be embodied using at least one of TFT (Thin Film Transistor), CCD (Charge Coupled Device), CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor), CR (Computed Radiography), and film. The detector may be included in the medical imaging device 100, or it may be a separate device that can be connected to and separated from the medical imaging device 100.

[0039] The medical imaging device 100 may include a control unit 300. In this disclosure, the control unit 300 may mean at least one of the main control unit included in the main unit 130 and the detector control unit included in the detector. In this disclosure, the control unit included in the main unit is referred to as the main control unit, and for control units included in other devices, it is clearly indicated which device the control unit is included in. For example, the detector control unit is a control unit included in a mobile detector and may be a different control unit from the main control unit 300. The main control unit 300 and the detector control unit are only included in different devices, but they may be similar in that they both include at least one of a processor and memory. At least some of the operations performed by the main control unit may be performed by the detector control unit. Also, at least some of the operations performed by the detector control unit may be performed by the main control unit. Therefore, at least one of the operations described in this disclosure as being performed by the main control unit may be understood as being performed by the detector control unit, and at least one of the operations described as being performed by the detector control unit may be understood as being performed by the main control unit.

[0040] The main control unit (300, or control unit) can control the operation of the medical imaging device 100. For example, the medical imaging device 100 may include a main control unit 300 for controlling the operation of a wheel actuator or source assembly 110 that can move the main body 130. The main control unit 300 may include one processor or may include multiple processors. The main control unit 300 may be included in the main body 130. If the main control unit 300 includes multiple processors, at least some of the multiple processors may be located at a location physically separated from the main body 130. Furthermore, the medical imaging device 100 is not limited to this and can be implemented in a variety of ways.

[0041] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the main control unit 300 can control the operation of the medical imaging device 100. For example, the medical imaging device 100 may include a plurality of actuators, and the operation of the medical imaging device 100 can be controlled by controlling the operation of the plurality of actuators. For example, the main control unit 300 can control a source assembly drive unit for moving the source assembly 110. The main control unit 300 may also control the source assembly 110 to emit X-rays and the detector 120 to receive the X-rays that have passed through the object in order to acquire an X-ray image.

[0042] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the main control unit 300 can generate medical images. For example, the main control unit 300 can generate medical images by scanning a detector that has been irradiated with X-rays.

[0043] The medical imaging device 100 may include a sensor unit 310. The sensor unit 310 can acquire diverse information using at least one sensor. The sensor unit 310 may be equipped with sensors that utilize measuring means such as pressure, potential, and optics. For example, the sensor unit 310 may include at least one of a distance measuring sensor or an encoder. The sensor may also include, but is not limited to, a pressure sensor, an infrared sensor, an LED sensor, a touch sensor, etc. The sensor unit may include a main body, a source assembly, a detector, and at least one of a source assembly arm or a detector arm.

[0044] Furthermore, the medical imaging device 100 may include a communication unit 320. The communication unit 320 may be configured for the medical imaging device 100 to communicate with internal modules or external devices via wired / wireless connections. External devices may include external servers or user terminals. User terminals may include PCs, smartphones, tablets, or wearable devices. The communication unit 320 may include wired / wireless communication modules for network connectivity. Examples of wireless communication technologies include WLAN (Wireless LAN) (Wi-Fi), Wibro (Wireless broadband), WiMAX (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), and HSDPA (High Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access). Examples of wired communication technologies include XDSL (Digital Subscriber Line), FTTH (Fibers to the home), and PLC (Power Line Communication). The network connection unit may also include a short-range communication module, enabling it to send and receive data with any device / terminal located at a short distance. For example, short-range communication technologies such as Bluetooth®, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), IrDA (Infrared Data Association), UWB (Ultra-Wideband), and ZigBee® may be used, but are not limited to these.

[0045] The medical imaging device 100 may include a memory 330. The main control unit 300 can execute instructions stored in the memory. The memory 330 may be located within or outside the main control unit 300. The memory 330 can store a variety of information related to the medical imaging device 100. For example, the memory 330 may include, but is not limited to, the operation method and related information of the source assembly 110, captured images, and user authentication information.

[0046] Memory 330 can be embodied through a non-volatile storage medium capable of persistently storing arbitrary data. For example, memory 330 may include, but is not limited to, disks, optical disks, and magneto-optical storage devices, as well as storage devices based on flash memory and / or battery-backup memory. Memory 330 may mean, but is not limited to, a primary storage device directly accessible to the processor, such as random access memory (RAM) including dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM), which is a volatile storage device in which stored information is instantaneously erased when the power is turned off. Such memory 330 may be operated by the main control unit 300. The main control unit 300 may also execute instructions contained in memory 330.

[0047] Furthermore, the medical imaging device 100 may further include an operating unit that provides an interface for operating the medical imaging device 100. The operating unit may include an output unit 340 and an input unit 350.

[0048] The output unit 340 can output sound and video that indicate imaging-related information such as X-ray irradiation and allows confirmation of the device's status, under the control of the main control unit 300. The output unit 340 may include a speaker or a display. The output unit 340 can output medical images generated by the main control unit 300. The output unit 340 can output information necessary for the user to operate the medical imaging device 100, such as a UI (user interface), user information, or subject information. Examples of the output unit 340 include speakers, printers, CRT displays, LCD displays, PDP displays, OLED displays, FED displays, LED displays, VFD displays, DLP displays, FPD displays, 3D displays, transparent displays, and various other output devices that are obvious to those skilled in the art.

[0049] The medical imaging device 100 may be connected to the workstation by wired or wireless connection. The workstation may be located in a space physically separate from the medical imaging device 100.

[0050] The workstation may include a storage server. The storage server may store medical images, information about the subject, information about the user (healthcare professional), etc. The workstation may also include a review device. The review device can receive medical images from the storage server based on the user's command and diagnose the medical images. The workstation and medical imaging device 100 can transmit, store, process, and output data in accordance with the DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) standard. The workstation may also include a PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System).

[0051] The workstation may include an output unit, an input unit, and a control unit. The output unit and input unit provide the user with an interface for operating the workstation and the medical imaging device 100. The control unit of the workstation can control the workstation and the medical imaging device 100.

[0052] The medical imaging device 100 can be controlled via a workstation, or it can also be controlled by the main control unit 300 included in the medical imaging device 100. Therefore, the user may control the medical imaging device 100 via a workstation, or via the operation unit and main control unit 300 included in the medical imaging device 100. In other words, the user may control the medical imaging device 100 remotely via a workstation, or they may control the medical imaging device 100 directly.

[0053] The control unit of the workstation and the main control unit 300 of the medical imaging device 100 may be separate, but are not limited to this. The control unit of the workstation and the main control unit 300 of the medical imaging device 100 may be embodied in a single integrated control unit, and this integrated control unit may be included in only one of the workstation or the medical imaging device 100. Hereinafter, the main control unit 300 may mean the control unit of the workstation and / or the control unit of the medical imaging device 100.

[0054] The output and input units of the workstation and the output unit 340 and input unit 350 of the medical imaging device 100 can each provide the user with an interface for operating the medical imaging device 100. The workstation and the medical imaging device 100 may each include, but are not limited to, output and input units. The output unit or input unit may be embodied in only one of the workstation and the medical imaging device 100.

[0055] Hereinafter, input unit 350 means the input unit of the workstation and / or the input unit of the medical imaging device 100, and output unit 340 means the output unit of the workstation and / or the output unit of the medical imaging device 100.

[0056] The input unit 350 can receive commands from the user for operating the medical imaging device 100 and various information related to X-ray imaging. The main control unit 300 can control and operate the medical imaging device 100 based on the information input to the input unit 350. The input unit 350 may include a joystick, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, shooting button, unlock button, voice recognition device, fingerprint recognition device, iris recognition device, and human motion recognition device, and may also include other input devices obvious to those skilled in the art.

[0057] The human motion recognition device included in the input unit 350 may be implemented using at least one camera. For example, the human motion recognition device may be implemented using a 3D camera or depth sensor included in the source assembly 110. Based on the human motion recognition device, the main control unit 300 can control the operation of the medical imaging device 100. Refer to Figure 14 to illustrate the human motion recognition device.

[0058] Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] Referring to Figure 14, the first gesture 1410 represents a user waving their hand from side to side. For example, a user can perform the first gesture 1410 by waving their hand from side to side in the space where the human motion recognition device recognizes the gesture. Based on the signal from the human motion recognition device that it has recognized the first gesture 1410, the main control unit 300 can perform the realignment of the source assembly 110 and the detector 120. For example, the main control unit 300 can perform the process for aligning the source assembly 110 and the detector 120 again from the beginning. This process may be the same as part of the process illustrated in Figure 6, for example.

[0060] The second gesture 1420 indicates a movement in which the user holds up one finger and moves their hand to at least one of the following directions: left, right, forward, or backward. For example, the user can perform the second gesture 1420 by holding up one of their fingers and moving their hand to at least one of the following directions: left, right, forward, or backward, within the space where the human motion recognition device recognizes the gesture. Based on the signal from the human motion recognition device that it has recognized the second gesture 1420, the main control unit 300 can control the movement of the source assembly 110. The main control unit 300 can also change the position of at least one of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 as they appear in the 3D camera image 710 based on the movement of the source assembly 110. For example, if the user holds up one finger and moves their hand to the left, the source assembly can move to the left relative to the fixed detector 120. Also, as the source assembly 110 moves to the left, the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 in the 3D camera image 710 in Figure 7 can move to the left.

[0061] The third gesture 1430 indicates the user holding two fingers upright. For example, the user can perform the third gesture 1430 by holding two of their fingers upright in the space where the human motion recognition device recognizes the gesture. Based on the signal from the human motion recognition device that it has recognized the third gesture 1430, the main control unit 300 can determine that alignment is complete. Based on the completion of alignment, the main control unit 300 can also fix the source assembly 110 in place so that it does not move, or prepare to irradiate it with radiation. Based on the completion of alignment, the main control unit 300 can send a signal to the detector control unit so that the detector 120 prepares to receive radiation.

[0062] The fourth gesture 1440 involves the user rotating their hand clockwise while holding up one finger. For example, a user can perform the fourth gesture 1440 by rotating their hand clockwise while holding up one finger in a space where the human motion recognition device can recognize the gesture. Based on the signal from the human motion recognition device that it has recognized the fourth gesture 1440, the main control unit 300 can increase the output of the source assembly 110. However, it is not limited to this, and the main control unit 300 can also decrease the output of the source assembly 110 based on the signal from the human motion recognition device that it has recognized the fourth gesture 1440.

[0063] The fifth gesture 1450 involves the user rotating their hand counterclockwise while holding up one finger. For example, a user can perform the fifth gesture 1450 by rotating their hand counterclockwise while holding up one finger in a space where the human motion recognition device can recognize the gesture. Based on the signal from the human motion recognition device that it recognizes the fifth gesture 1450, the main control unit 300 can lower the output of the source assembly 110. However, it is not limited to this, and the main control unit 300 can also increase the output of the source assembly 110 based on the signal from the human motion recognition device that it recognizes the fifth gesture 1450.

[0064] The sixth gesture 1460 indicates a movement in which the user makes a circle with their fingers and moves their hand to the right. For example, the user can perform the sixth gesture 1460 by making a circle with their thumb and index finger and moving their hand to the right in a space where the human motion recognition device can recognize the gesture. The main control unit 300 can change the shooting position based on the signal from the human motion recognition device that recognizes the sixth gesture 1460. For example, the main control unit 300 can select the following item from a predetermined list of shooting positions based on the sixth gesture 1460. However, it is not limited to this, and the main control unit 300 can select a predetermined shooting position corresponding to the sixth gesture 1460 based on the sixth gesture 1460. The predetermined shooting position may be, for example, the chest. The main control unit 300 can obtain and apply predetermined radiation irradiation setting information corresponding to the selected shooting position from memory.

[0065] The seventh gesture 1470 indicates a user making a circle with their fingers and moving their hand to the left. For example, a user can make the seventh gesture 1470 by making a circle with their thumb and index finger and moving their hand to the left in a space where the human motion recognition device can recognize the gesture. Based on the signal from the human motion recognition device that it has recognized the seventh gesture 1470, the main control unit 300 can change the shooting position. For example, based on the seventh gesture 1470, the main control unit 300 can select a previous item from a predetermined list of shooting positions. However, it is not limited to this, and the main control unit 300 can select a predetermined shooting position corresponding to the seventh gesture 1470 based on the seventh gesture 1470. The predetermined shooting position may be, for example, the abdomen. The main control unit 300 can obtain and apply predetermined radiation irradiation setting information corresponding to the selected shooting position from memory.

[0066] The above describes the gestures 1410-1470 shown in Figure 14 and the resulting operation of the medical imaging device 100. However, the gestures are not limited to these, and one of the gestures 1410-1470 may correspond to one of the various operations of the medical imaging device 100. Furthermore, the gestures that the human motion recognition device can recognize are not limited to those shown in Figure 14.

[0067] As mentioned above, since the medical imaging device 100 is controlled based on gestures, it can be more convenient for the user. For example, the user can control the medical imaging device 100 from any position without having to return to the main unit 130, which can reduce the user's movement when capturing medical images. In addition, since it is not necessary to be close to the medical imaging device 100 to input gestures, the amount of radiation exposure can be reduced, and the user's safety can be ensured.

[0068] Referring again to Figure 3, the user can input a command for X-ray irradiation through the input unit 350, and the input unit 350 may be provided with a switch for inputting such a command. The switch may be designed so that an irradiation command for X-ray irradiation is input only when it is pressed at least once.

[0069] For example, when a user presses a switch, the switch receives a preparation command instructing preheating for X-ray irradiation, and if the user presses the switch further, it receives an irradiation command for actual X-ray irradiation. When a user operates the switch in this way, the main control unit 300 generates a signal corresponding to the command input through the switch operation, i.e., a preparation signal, and transmits it to the high-voltage generation unit which generates a high voltage for X-ray generation.

[0070] The high-voltage generator receives a preparation signal from the main control unit 300 and begins preheating. Once preheating is complete, it transmits a ready signal to the main control unit 300. The detector also needs to be prepared for X-ray detection. The main control unit 300 transmits a preparation signal to the detector along with the preheating of the high-voltage generator, allowing the detector to prepare to detect X-rays that have passed through the target object. Upon receiving the preparation signal, the detector prepares to detect X-rays, and once the detection preparation is complete, it transmits a detection readiness complete signal to the main control unit 300.

[0071] Once the preheating of the high-voltage generation unit is complete and the detector is ready for X-ray detection, the main control unit 300 transmits an irradiation signal to the high-voltage generation unit, which generates a high voltage and applies it to the X-ray source, causing the X-ray source to irradiate with X-rays.

[0072] When the control unit 300 transmits an irradiation signal, it can transmit an audible or optical output signal to the output unit 340 so that the target object can identify that it is being irradiated with X-rays, causing the output unit 340 to output a predetermined sound or light. In addition, the output unit 340 can output sounds or lights indicating other imaging-related information besides X-ray irradiation. The output unit 340 may be included in the operation unit, but is not limited to that, and the output unit 340 or a part of the output unit 340 can be located at a different location from the operation unit. For example, it may be located on the wall of the imaging room where X-ray imaging of the target object is performed.

[0073] The control unit 300 controls the position of the X-ray irradiation unit and detector, the shooting timing, and the shooting conditions according to the shooting conditions set by the user.

[0074] Specifically, the main control unit 300 controls the high-voltage generator and detector in response to commands input through the input unit 350 to control the X-ray irradiation timing, X-ray intensity, and X-ray irradiation area. The main control unit 300 also adjusts the position of the detector and controls the operation timing of the detector according to predetermined imaging conditions.

[0075] Furthermore, the main control unit 300 generates medical images of the target body using the image data received through the detector. Specifically, the main control unit 300 receives image data from the detector, removes noise from the image data, and adjusts the dynamic range and interleaving to generate medical images of the target body.

[0076] The workstation may further include a communications unit (not shown) that can be connected via a network to servers, medical devices, and portable terminals. The workstation may be one of the external devices.

[0077] The source assembly 110 and the detector 120 will be described in detail below, along with Figures 4 and 5.

[0078] Figure 4 shows a detector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0079] The medical imaging device 100 may include a detector 120. Figure 4 shows the rear surface of the detector 120. The rear surface of the detector 120 may mean the back surface of the surface to which radiation is irradiated. The detector 120 may be detachable from the medical imaging device 100; that is, the detector 120 can move independently of the medical imaging device 100. However, it is not limited to this and may be coupled to the medical imaging device 100.

[0080] The detector 120 may include a detector control unit for controlling the operation of the detector. The detector control unit can control the operation of the detector 120. The detector control unit can determine the time for receiving radiation. The time for receiving radiation may include the start and end times for receiving radiation. The detector control unit can generate a medical image based on the received signal.

[0081] The detector 120 may include a first transceiver 410 at a predetermined position. Figure 4 shows one embodiment of the first transceiver 410. However, the position of the first transceiver 410 is not limited to Figure 4. The first transceiver 410 may be configured to communicate wirelessly with a second transceiver included in the source assembly 110. The first transceiver 410 may include a first transmitter and a first receiver. The detector 120 may include a plurality of first transceivers 410. The first transceivers 410 may be located on the surface of the detector 120 that receives radiation. The first transceivers 410 may be arranged along the corners of the detector 120. The first transceivers 410 may be located on the left and right sides of the detector 120. For example, two first transceivers 410 may be located on the left side and two on the right side of the detector 120. When multiple first transmitting / receiving units 410 are arranged on the detector 120 in this manner, the medical imaging device 100 can accurately align the detector 120 and the source assembly 110. However, it is not limited to this, and the first transmitting / receiving units 410 can be positioned near the vertices of the rectangular detector 120.

[0082] Figure 5 is a drawing illustrating a source assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0083] Figure 5 may be a view of the radiation irradiation surface of the source assembly 110. The source assembly 110 may be connected to the main body 130 via a source arm 140. As mentioned above, the source assembly 110 may include an X-ray source 501 and a collimator 502. The collimator 502 may be rotatable relative to the X-ray source 501 around an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the source arm 140. The radiation irradiation range may be determined by the collimator 502. Therefore, the radiation irradiation range can also be rotated around an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the source arm 140 by rotating the collimator 502.

[0084] The source assembly 110 may include a second transceiver 510 on its front. The second transceiver 510 may include a second transmitter and a second receiver. The front of the source assembly 110 may mean the surface facing the direction from which radiation is emitted from the source assembly 110. The front of the source assembly 110 may also be a surface perpendicular to the direction from which radiation is emitted. The second transceiver 510 can communicate with the first transceiver 410. The first transceiver 410 and the second transceiver 510 can communicate using Ultra Wide Band (UWB).

[0085] The source assembly 110 may include a plurality of second transceivers 510. The second transceivers 510 may be positioned at the front corners of the source assembly 110. When multiple second transceivers 510 are arranged on the source assembly 110 in this manner, the medical imaging device 100 can accurately align the detector 120 and the source assembly 110.

[0086] The source assembly 110 may include a 3D camera 520. The 3D camera 520 may be configured to acquire at least one of the attitude information of the detector 120 and the attitude information of the source assembly 110. The 3D camera 520 may include at least one of a depth measuring camera, an RGBD (Red, Green, Blue, Depth) camera, or a TOF (Time of Flight) camera. The 3D camera 520 is a type of imaging device that measures the distance to an object appearing in the image by measuring the time it takes for light to reflect from the camera off an object and return to the camera. The 3D camera 520 can commonly be used in applications such as robotics, virtual / augmented reality, autonomous vehicles, and interior navigation.

[0087] The 3D camera 520 can use a special type of image sensor that is sensitive to both intensity and time. The 3D camera 520 can emit a modulated light signal (visible light or infrared light) and measure the time it takes for the light to reflect off an object and return to the camera. The 3D camera 520 may also measure the phase shift of the modulated signal to calculate the distance to the object. The 3D camera 520 can repeat this process many times per second to generate a 3D map of the image. The 3D camera 520 can also emit infrared light and sense the light that reflects off an object and returns, thereby acquiring an infrared image of the object. However, it is not limited to this, and the 3D camera 520 may also emit visible light and sense the light that reflects off an object and returns to acquire a visible light image of the object. In the drawings of this disclosure, the medical imaging device 100 may be described primarily as acquiring an infrared image, but is not limited to this. Any mention of an infrared image below may be changed to a 3D camera image. Furthermore, 3D camera image is a term that includes at least one of infrared image and visible light image, and is an image that can be displayed by the medical imaging device 100, and may be an image of a subject being photographed by the medical imaging device 100 and the surface of objects around it.

[0088] The 3D camera 520 can operate in a wide range of lighting conditions and is less affected by ambient light and reflections. Furthermore, the 3D camera 520 has a high frame rate, allowing it to capture fast-moving objects in real time.

[0089] The source assembly 110 may additionally include a gyro sensor 530. The gyro sensor 530 can measure the orientation of the source assembly 110 in three-dimensional space. For example, the gyro sensor 530 can measure the degree of rotation with respect to at least one of a first axis parallel to the ground, a second axis parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the first axis, and a third axis perpendicular to the ground. The detector 120 may also include a gyro sensor, and the medical imaging device 100 can guide the radiation irradiation direction of the source assembly 110 to align perpendicularly to the plane of the detector 120 based on the gyro sensor of the detector 120 and the gyro sensor 530 of the source assembly 110.

[0090] The operation of the main control unit 300 included in the main unit 130 will be described below.

[0091] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0092] The main control unit 300 can perform step (610) of activating the medical imaging device if the signal strength from the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 received by the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 is greater than a predetermined critical signal strength. The signal strength from the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 received by the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 may be determined based on the distance between the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 and the first transmitting / receiving unit 410. That is, the closer the distance between the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 and the first transmitting / receiving unit 410, the greater the signal strength from the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 received by the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 may be. Also, the distance between the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 and the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 may mean the distance between the source assembly 110 and the detector 120. That is, if the distance between the source assembly 110 and the detector 120 is within the activation critical distance, the medical imaging device may be activated.

[0093] For the first transceiver 410 and the second transceiver 510 to communicate, they may be in an activated state. More specifically, when a user activates the mobile detector 120 by pressing a button, the detector control unit can use the first transceiver 410 to transmit a signal to the second transceiver 510. When the main control unit 300 confirms that the second transceiver 510 has received a signal from the detector 120, it can activate the medical imaging device 100. Here, activation of the medical imaging device 100 may mean, for example, entering a partial slip mode or radiation irradiation mode from a deep sleep mode. Deep sleep mode means a state in which almost all functions included in the detector are deactivated. For example, deep sleep mode may mean a state in which all functions except at least one of the main control unit 300 and the second transceiver 510 are deactivated. Partial slip mode may mean a state in which only some functions are deactivated. Radiation irradiation mode may mean the state immediately before radiation irradiation or the state in which preparations are being made for radiation irradiation. Furthermore, the medical imaging device 100 may also mean displaying a screen on its display for preparing for radiation irradiation.

[0094] The main control unit 300 can perform the following steps to activate the medical imaging device 100. The main control unit 300 can perform the step of receiving detector identification information using the second transmitting / receiving unit 510. The main control unit 300 can also acquire detector characteristic information based on the detector identification information. The main control unit 300 can reflect the detector identification information in the radiation irradiation setting information. The radiation irradiation setting information may include at least one of the following: radiation intensity, radiation irradiation timing, radiation irradiation duration, and radiation irradiation range. In this way, the medical imaging device 100 can irradiate with radiation optimally according to the detector, thereby obtaining high-quality medical images.

[0095] Although the above description was based on the medical imaging device 100, a similar process can be carried out in the detector 120 as well.

[0096] The detector control unit included in the detector 120 can activate the detector if the signal strength from the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 received by the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 is greater than a predetermined critical signal strength. More specifically, when the user activates the detector by pressing a button on the mobile medical imaging device 100, the main control unit 300 can use the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 to transmit a signal from the first transmitting / receiving unit 410. The detector control unit can activate the detector 120 when it confirms that the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 has received a signal from the medical imaging device 100. Here, the activation of the detector 120 may mean, for example, entering a partial slip mode or a radiation reception mode from a deep sleep mode. Deep sleep mode means that almost all functions included in the detector are deactivated, and partial slip mode means that only some functions are deactivated. More functions may be activated in partial slip mode than in deep sleep mode. For example, in partial slip mode, only the configuration for generating radiation images may be deactivated, while other functions may remain activated. At this time, the activated state can be at least one of the following: communication function or input / output function. The radiation reception mode can mean a state in which radiation can be received and a radiation image can be obtained. That is, when the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 receives an irradiation preparation signal from the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 indicating that the area of ​​the detector and the irradiation area coincide, the detector control unit enters the radiation reception mode, and the radiation receiving element included in the detector can sense the radiation and generate an electrical signal. The detector control unit senses the radiation for a predetermined time and then terminates radiation reception, and can generate a medical image based on the radiation signal received up to that point.

[0097] After activating the detector, the detector control unit can use the first transceiver 410 to transmit at least one of the detector identification information and the detector characteristic information to the second transceiver 510. The main control unit of the source assembly 110 can determine radiation irradiation setting information based on at least one of the detector identification information and the detector characteristic information. Since the medical imaging device 100 acquires medical images that reflect the individual characteristics of the detector, it can acquire high-quality medical images.

[0098] The main control unit 300 can perform the step (620) of acquiring a 3D camera image of at least one of the subject and the detector based on the 3D camera 520. As mentioned above, the 3D camera 520 may be implemented to measure the distance to at least one object photographed from the 3D camera 520 using at least one of infrared or visible light. Therefore, the 3D camera 520 can not only measure the distance to the photographed object but also acquire a 3D camera image. The 3D camera image may be an image based on at least one of the infrared or visible light emitted from the 3D camera 520, which is reflected from the subject and surrounding objects and received again by the 3D camera 520. That is, the 3D camera image may show the subject and the objects around it. The 3D camera image may show the surface of the subject and the objects around it. The radiation image may differ from the 3D camera image in that it may show the interior of the subject and the objects around it. Also, since the detector 120 will be placed behind the subject, the 3D camera image may also include the detector 120. However, this is not the only possibility; the detector 120 may be obscured by the subject and not appear in the 3D camera image. Radiation emitted from the source assembly 110 can pass through the subject and reach the detector 120. The main control unit 300 can detect the detector when it appears in the 3D camera image using a machine learning model. Furthermore, even if the detector does not appear in the 3D camera image, the main control unit 300 can sense the position of the detector 120 relative to the source assembly 110 based on signals from the first transceiver 410 and the second transceiver 510.

[0099] Refer to Figure 7 to illustrate stages (630) and (640).

[0100] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating a medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0101] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the step (630) of displaying the radiation irradiation area in the 3D camera image based on the state information of the source assembly 110 can be performed. The state information of the source assembly 110 can mean at least one of the mode of the source assembly and the position information of the wings included in the collimator. For example, when the mode of the source assembly 110 is the shooting mode, the medical imaging device 100 can display the radiation irradiation area 720 in the 3D camera image 710. The 3D camera 520 can be positioned in a fixed position relative to the source assembly 110. Therefore, the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 irradiated by the source assembly 110 can be located in a fixed position in the 3D camera image from the 3D camera 520. The main control unit 300 can display the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 at a predetermined position in the 3D camera image. However, it is not limited to this, and the main control unit 300 can display the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 based on the position information of the wings included in the collimator. Figure 7 shows the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 simultaneously in the 3D camera image 710, but is not limited to this. The main control unit 300 can display at least one of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720.

[0102] Furthermore, the state information of the source assembly 110 may include position information of the wings included in the collimator. The wings included in the collimator may include a material that does not transmit radiation. The wings of the collimator can block a portion of the radiation generated by the X-ray source and determine the radiation irradiation area. Based on the state information of the source assembly 110, including the position information of the wings included in the collimator, the main control unit 300 can determine at least one of the size and position of the radiation irradiation area 720 displayed in the 3D camera image 710. The main control unit 300 can also display the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 based on its position. The main control unit 300 can display the radiation irradiation area 720 in the 3D camera image 710 based on at least one of the size and position of the radiation irradiation area 720.

[0103] Furthermore, the main control unit 300 can perform the step (640) of displaying the detector region 730 in the 3D camera image 710. The main control unit 300 can perform the process of finding the detector region 730, which will be described later. The main control unit 300 can display at least one of the detector region 730 and the center 731 of the detector region 730 in the 3D camera image 710.

[0104] The medical imaging device 100 may include an output unit 340. The output unit 340 may include a display 760. The display 760 may be included in at least one of the main unit 130 or the source arm 140. The medical imaging device 100 can display at least one of the following on the display 760: a 3D camera image, a radiation irradiation area, and a detector area.

[0105] Referring again to Figure 6, the main control unit 300 can perform step (650) of outputting a message guiding the system to align the irradiation area and the detector area 730 based on the alignment information. The main control unit 300 can determine alignment information related to at least one of the direction, distance, and angle that the source assembly 110 must move in order to align the detector 120 and the source assembly 110 based on at least one of the 3D camera, the first transceiver 410, and the second transceiver 510. The main control unit 300 can acquire the alignment information in order to perform step (650) of outputting a message. The alignment information may be information for aligning the source assembly 110 and the detector 120. Here, the alignment of the detector 120 and the source assembly 110 may mean that the irradiation area and the detector area coincide, or that the line connecting the center of the detector and the center of the source assembly 110 is parallel to the direction of radiation irradiation. The alignment information may include at least one of the first alignment information, the second alignment information, and the third alignment information.

[0106] The main control unit 300 can acquire at least one of the attitude information of the detector 120 and the attitude information of the source assembly 110 based on the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 and the second transmitting / receiving unit 510. The main control unit 300 can further use the 3D camera to acquire at least one of the attitude information of the detector 120 and the attitude information of the source assembly 110. Alternatively, the main control unit 300 can further use the 3D camera to correct at least one of the attitude information of the detector 120 and the attitude information of the source assembly 110.

[0107] The main control unit 300 can perform the step of acquiring information to adjust the angle of the source assembly 110 so that the radiation irradiation direction of the source assembly 110 is perpendicular to the radiation receiving surface of the detector 120, based on at least one of the attitude information of the detector 120 and the attitude information of the source assembly 110. The attitude information of the detector 120 can be acquired based on at least one of the gyro sensor included in the detector 120 or the first transceiver 410. The detector 120 can directly measure its attitude information based on the gyro sensor, or it may be measured indirectly by triangulation by the first transceiver 410 and the second transceiver 510. The attitude information of the detector 120 may include at least one of the degree of inclination (tilt) of the detector 120 relative to the source assembly 110 or the ground, and distance. The attitude information of the detector 120 may include the degree to which the detector 120 has rotated with respect to at least one of the following axes: a first axis parallel to the ground, a second axis parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the first axis, and a third axis perpendicular to the ground. The attitude information of the detector 120 may include the distance from a point on the source assembly 110 to a point on the detector 120. The attitude information of the detector 120 may include the coordinates from a point on the source assembly 110 or a point on the main body 130 to a point on the detector 120. The point on the source assembly 110 may be the center of the source assembly 110 or the center of the front surface of the source assembly 110. The point on the detector 120 may be the center of the radiation irradiation surface of the detector 120. However, the point on the main body 130, the point on the source assembly 110, and the point on the detector 120 may be any point included in the main body 130, the source assembly 110, and the detector 120, respectively, and is not limited to the above description. The attitude information of the detector 120 can include the inclination of the radiation irradiation surface of the detector 120 relative to the front surface of the source assembly 110.

[0108] The main control unit 300 included in the medical imaging device 100 can acquire attitude information of the source assembly 110 based on at least one of the gyro sensor or the second transceiver 510. The attitude information of the source assembly 110 may include at least one of the degree of inclination (tilt) of the source assembly 110 relative to the detector 120 or the ground, and distance. The main control unit 300 can directly measure the attitude information of the source assembly 110 based on the gyro sensor, or it may be measured indirectly by triangulation by the first transceiver 410 and the second transceiver 510. The attitude information of the source assembly 110 may include information on the rotation of the source assembly 110 with respect to at least one of the first axis, second axis, and third axis. The attitude information of the source assembly 110 may include the distance from one point on the detector 120 or one point on the main body 130 to one point on the source assembly 110. The attitude information of the source assembly 110 may include the coordinates from one point on the source assembly 110 to one point on the detector 120. The orientation information of the source assembly 110 can include the inclination of the front surface of the source assembly 110 relative to the radiation irradiation surface of the detector 120.

[0109] The above describes the process of acquiring attitude information based on the first and second transmitting / receiving units, but is not limited to this. The main control unit 300 may acquire at least one of the attitude information of the source assembly 110 and the attitude information of the detector 120 based on the 3D camera 520. That is, the main control unit 300 can acquire at least one of the attitude information of the source assembly 110 and the attitude information of the detector 120 based on the 3D camera image from the 3D camera 520. The 3D camera 520 included in the source assembly 110 can capture images of the detector 120. The main control unit 300 can measure the depth (distance) from the front of the source assembly 110 to each point included in the radiation irradiation surface of the detector based on the 3D camera image from the 3D camera. The main control unit 300 can output at least one of the attitude information of the source assembly 110 and the attitude information of the detector 120. In other words, the main control unit 300 can control the output unit 340 to output at least one of the attitude information of the source assembly 110 and the attitude information of the detector 120.

[0110] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when performing step (650), the main control unit 300 may determine alignment information relating to at least one of the direction, distance, and angle to which the source assembly must move, based on at least one of the attitude information of the detector 120 and the attitude information of the source assembly 110, in order to align the detector and the source assembly. In the present disclosure, the alignment information to which the source assembly must move is described as being based on, but is not limited to, and the alignment information to which the source assembly must move may be replaced with alignment information to which the detector must move and be described in the same way. The alignment information may include first to third alignment information. Here, the alignment of the detector 120 and the source assembly 110 may mean that the irradiation area and the area of ​​the detector coincide, or that the line connecting the center of the detector and the center of the source assembly 110 is parallel to the direction of radiation irradiation.

[0111] According to this disclosure, the main control unit 300 can acquire at least one of pre-position information and pre-alignment information using the first transceiver unit 410 and the second transceiver unit 510. The main control unit 300 can also determine at least one of rear-position information and rear-alignment information based on the 3D camera image from the 3D camera 520. The pre-position information may include at least one of the pre-detector position information and the pre-source assembly position information. The rear-position information may include at least one of the rear-detector position information and the rear-source assembly position information. The pre-alignment information may include at least one of the first pre-alignment information, the second pre-alignment information, and the third pre-alignment information. The rear-alignment information may include at least one of the first rear-alignment information, the second rear-alignment information, and the third rear-alignment information. The above describes how rear-position information and rear-alignment information are acquired based on the 3D camera 520, but is not limited to this, and pre-position information and pre-alignment information may also be acquired based on the 3D camera 520. The following describes this process in more detail.

[0112] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the main control unit 300 can independently determine attitude information using the 3D camera 520. Here, the attitude information may include at least one of the attitude information of the source assembly 110 and the attitude information of the detector 120. Alternatively, the attitude information may be determined using the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 and the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 first, and then the 3D camera 520 may be used to supplementarily correct the attitude information. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the attitude information may be determined using the 3D camera 520 first, and then the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 and the second transmitting / receiving unit may be used to supplementarily correct the attitude information.

[0113] For example, the main control unit 300 can determine attitude information using the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 and the second transmitting / receiving unit. Next, the main control unit 300 can determine rear attitude information based on the 3D camera image from the 3D camera 520. The front attitude information can include the attitude information of the front detector and the attitude information of the front source assembly. The rear attitude information can include the attitude information of the rear detector and the attitude information of the rear source assembly.

[0114] The main control unit 300 can determine the final attitude information based on the forward attitude information and the backward attitude information. More specifically, the main control unit 300 can determine that the forward attitude information must be corrected if the difference in magnitude between the forward attitude information and the backward attitude information is greater than a predetermined critical alignment information. Here, the magnitude of the attitude information can be one of the magnitude of distance or the magnitude of angle. If the main control unit 300 determines that correction is necessary, it can determine the final attitude information by weighting the forward attitude information and the backward attitude information.

[0115] Final attitude information = W1*front attitude information+W2*back attitude information

[0116] Here, W1 and W2 are predetermined constants, and W1 + W2 can be 1. Also, W1 can be greater than or equal to W2. The main control unit 300 can determine alignment information based on the final attitude information.

[0117] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the main control unit 300 can determine alignment information using the 3D camera 520. Alternatively, the alignment information may be determined first using the first and second transmitting / receiving units 410 and 510, and then supplementarily corrected using the 3D camera 520. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the alignment information may be determined first using the 3D camera 520, and then supplementarily corrected using the first and second transmitting / receiving units 410 and 520.

[0118] For example, the main control unit 300 can acquire pre-alignment information using the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 and the second transmitting / receiving unit 510. Pre-alignment information may be information acquired without the help of the 3D camera 520. Pre-alignment information may be uncorrected alignment information. Next, the main control unit 300 can acquire post-alignment information based on the 3D camera image from the 3D camera 520.

[0119] The main control unit 300 can determine the final alignment information based on the pre-alignment information and the post-alignment information. The final alignment information is corrected alignment information and may include final first alignment information, final second alignment information, and final second alignment information. More specifically, the main control unit 300 can determine that the pre-alignment information must be corrected if the difference in magnitude between the pre-alignment information and the post-alignment information is greater than a predetermined critical alignment information. Here, the magnitude of the alignment information may be one of the magnitude of distance or the magnitude of angle. If the main control unit 300 determines that correction is necessary, it can determine the final alignment information by weighting the pre-alignment information and the post-alignment information.

[0120] Final sorting information = W3 * Pre-sorting information + W4 * Post-sorting information

[0121] Here, W3 and W4 are predetermined constants, and W3 + W4 = 1. Also, W3 can be greater than or equal to W4.

[0122] The main control unit 300 can decide not to correct the pre-alignment information if the difference in magnitude between the pre-alignment information and the post-alignment information is smaller than or equal to a predetermined critical alignment information. In other words, the main control unit 300 can determine the pre-alignment information based on the final alignment information. Based on the final alignment information, the main control unit 300 can guide the movement of the source assembly 110 or the detector 120.

[0123] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the main control unit 300 can acquire information for adjusting the angle of the source assembly 110 so that the radiation irradiation direction of the source assembly 110 is perpendicular to the radiation receiving surface of the detector 120, based on the difference between the attitude information of the detector 120 and the attitude information of the source assembly 110. The above has been described with reference to the first axis, second axis, and third axis, but other coordinate systems may be used. For example, an axis parallel to or perpendicular to at least one predetermined plane of the source assembly 110 or detector 120 may be used, centered on at least one predetermined point of the source assembly 110 or detector 120. Also, the center of the coordinate system may be included in either the source assembly 110 or the detector 120. That is, the center of the coordinate system may be movable based on either the source assembly 110 or the detector 120. According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the output unit can display the angle at which the source arm 140 must rotate relative to a roll axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the source assembly 110, a pitch axis perpendicular to the roll axis, and a yaw axis perpendicular to the roll and pitch axes, so that the radiation irradiation direction of the source assembly 110 is perpendicular to the radiation receiving surface of the detector 120. Thus, the rotation direction and rotation angle of the source assembly 110 so that the radiation irradiation direction of the source assembly 110 is perpendicular to the radiation receiving surface of the detector 120 can be called third alignment information.

[0124] The main control unit 300 can perform the step of acquiring first alignment information for the source assembly 110 to adjust the source assembly 110 so that the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 of the source assembly 110 coincides with the center 731 of the detector area 730, based on the attitude information of the detector 120. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the main control unit 300 may also perform the step of acquiring first alignment information for the source assembly 110 to adjust the source assembly 110 so that the radiation irradiation area 720 of the source assembly 110 coincides with the detector area 730, based on the attitude information of the detector 120. Furthermore, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the main control unit 300 may also perform the step of acquiring first alignment information for the source assembly 110 so that the radiation irradiation area 720 of the source assembly 110 includes the detector area 730, based on the attitude information of the detector 120. This disclosure uses the expression "so that the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 coincides with the center 731 of the detector area 730," but all such expressions can be replaced with "so that the radiation irradiation area 720 includes the detector area 730."

[0125] The first alignment information includes the direction and distance that at least one of the detector 120 or the source assembly 110 must move in order for the detector 120 and the source assembly 110 to align. When moving according to the first alignment information, the line connecting the center of the detector 120 and the center of the radiation irradiation surface of the source assembly 110 may be parallel to the direction of radiation irradiation. That is, the detector 120 and the source assembly 110 can be aligned. The first alignment information may include information that the detector 120 moves in a direction parallel to the radiation receiving surface, or the first alignment information may include information that the source assembly 110 moves in a direction parallel to a plane perpendicular to the direction of radiation irradiation.

[0126] The attitude information of the detector 120 may represent the position of the detector 120 relative to the source assembly 110. The attitude information of the detector 120 may represent the three-dimensional position from a predetermined point included in the source assembly 110 to a predetermined point included in the detector 120. The attitude information of the detector 120 may include SID (Source to Image Distance). The main control unit 300 can acquire first alignment information which indicates that the source assembly 110 must move on a plane parallel to the front surface of the source assembly 110. The front surface of the source assembly 110 may represent the plane located in the direction from which radiation is emitted from the source assembly 110. The front surface of the source assembly 110 may be a plane perpendicular to the direction from which radiation is emitted. The front surface of the source assembly 110 may be controlled to be parallel to the plane of the detector.

[0127] Referring to Figure 7, the main control unit 300 can display an arrow 741 on the display indicating that the source assembly 110 must move upward or downward on a plane parallel to the front surface. The longer or thicker the arrow 741 is displayed, the greater the distance the source assembly 110 must move. The distance the source assembly 110 must move may also be displayed around the arrow 741, but is not limited to this. The main control unit 300 can also display an arrow 742 indicating that the source assembly 110 must move to the right or left on a plane parallel to the front surface. The longer or thicker the arrow 742 is displayed, the greater the distance the source assembly 110 must move. The distance the source assembly 110 must move may also be displayed around the arrow 742, but is not limited to this. The distance the source assembly 110 must move can be obtained based on the first alignment information.

[0128] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the main control unit 300 can display the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 731 of the detector area 730 on a display. The center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 731 of the detector area 730 can be displayed in various colors. The center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 731 of the detector area 730 can be displayed in different colors from each other, but are not limited to this, and may be displayed in the same color from each other. The center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 may be white, for example.

[0129] The center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 731 of the detector area 730 can have a variety of shapes. The center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 731 of the detector area 730 can have the same shape as each other, but are not limited to this, and may have different shapes as well. For example, the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 731 of the detector area 730 may be circular.

[0130] The main control unit 300 can acquire at least one of the direction and distance for the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 to reach the center 731 of the detector area 730 as first alignment information. Based on the first alignment information, the main control unit 300 can display at least one of the direction and distance for the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 to reach the center 731 of the detector area 730 on the display. The user can move the source assembly 110 so that the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 731 of the detector area 730 coincide while viewing the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 731 of the detector area 730. The medical imaging device 100 of this disclosure can display the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the center 731 of the detector area 730 so that the user can quickly align the source assembly 110 and the detector 120.

[0131] The main control unit 300 can display third alignment information on a display for ensuring that the radiation receiving surface of the detector 120 and the radiation irradiation direction of the source assembly 110 are perpendicular. The third alignment information may include at least one of the rotation direction and rotation angle that the source assembly 110 must rotate in order for the radiation receiving surface of the detector 120 and the radiation irradiation direction of the source assembly 110 to be perpendicular. The third alignment information may include at least one of the rotation direction and rotation angle for at least one of the roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis. The medical imaging device 100 of this disclosure displays the third alignment information, allowing the user to quickly align the radiation receiving surface of the detector 120 and the radiation irradiation direction so that they are perpendicular.

[0132] The main control unit 300 can perform the step of acquiring second alignment information for the source assembly 110 to adjust the distance between the source assembly 110 and the detector 120 based on at least one of the attitude information of the detector 120 and the SOD (Source to Object Distance). The direction of the second alignment information may be perpendicular to the direction of the first alignment information. The direction of the second alignment information may be perpendicular to the front surface of the source assembly 110. The direction of the second alignment information may be parallel to the direction of radiation irradiation. The main control unit 300 can perform the step of acquiring second alignment information based on the SID (Source to Image Distance) included in the attitude information of the detector 120. The main control unit 300 may also perform the step of acquiring second alignment information based on the SOD (Source to Object Distance).

[0133] For example, if the main control unit 300 finds a difference between the measured SID and a predetermined reference SID, it can acquire second alignment information to ensure the measured SID is identical to the reference SID. The second alignment information may include at least one of the directions and distances that the source assembly 110 must move in order for the measured SID to be identical to the reference SID. Also, for example, if the main control unit 300 finds a difference between the measured SOD and a predetermined reference SOD, it can acquire second alignment information to ensure the measured SOD is identical to the reference SOD. The second alignment information may include at least one of the directions and distances that the source assembly 110 must move in order for the measured SOD to be identical to the reference SOD.

[0134] In the above, the step of acquiring the first alignment information was described, followed by the step of acquiring the second alignment information. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the steps of acquiring the first alignment information and the second alignment information can be performed simultaneously. Furthermore, according to various embodiments of this disclosure, the step of acquiring the second alignment information may be performed after the step of acquiring the first alignment information, or the step of acquiring the second alignment information may be performed before the step of acquiring the first alignment information.

[0135] The control unit 300 can output a signal indicating that the detector region 730 and the illumination region 720 coincide when they coincide. The control unit 300 can use alignment information to align the detector region 730 and the illumination region 720. The control unit 300 can control the output unit 340 to output a signal indicating that they coincide. The control unit 300 can output a signal indicating that they coincide before or during step (660). Outputting a signal indicating that they coincide can be performed before, after, or simultaneously with step (650). The coincidence of the detector region 730 and the illumination region 720 may mean that the detector and source assembly are aligned. The control unit 300 can output that the detector region 730 and the illumination region 720 coincide via at least one of the display or speaker. The coincidence of the detector region 730 and the irradiation region 720 may indicate that the edges of the detector region 730 and the irradiation region 720 coincide with each other. However, it is not limited to this, and the coincidence of the detector region 730 and the irradiation region 720 may indicate that the center 731 of the detector region 730 and the center 731 of the irradiation region 720 coincide. In this disclosure, the coincidence of the center 731 of the detector region 730 and the center 721 of the irradiation region 720 can be replaced by the coincidence of the edges of the detector region 730 and the irradiation region 720. With the medical imaging device of this disclosure, the user can easily determine when the detector region 730 and the irradiation region 720 coincide, and can easily determine the optimal time for imaging.

[0136] If the center 721 of the radiation irradiation area 720 at the current position of the source assembly 110 does not coincide with the center 731 of the detector area 730, the control unit 300 can perform the step of displaying the radiation irradiation area 720 and the detector area 730 at the current position of the source assembly 110 in different colors on the 3D camera image 710. If the center of the detector area 730 and the center of the radiation irradiation area 720 coincide, the control unit 300 can perform the step of displaying the radiation irradiation area 720 and the detector area 730 in the same color on the 3D camera image 710. Therefore, the user can easily identify when the centers of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the detector area 730 coincide.

[0137] Referring to Figure 6, when the center 731 of the detector region 730 and the center 721 of the radiation irradiation region 720 coincide, the main control unit 300 can perform step (660) of transmitting a radiation irradiation preparation signal to the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 of the detector 120 using the second transmitting / receiving unit 510. Based on the radiation irradiation preparation signal, the detector 120 can enter radiation reception mode. Based on the radiation irradiation preparation signal, the detector 120 may begin receiving radiation. After the detector 120 enters radiation reception mode, if the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 receives a signal from the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 indicating the end of radiation irradiation, the readout circuit unit included in the detector can process the electrical signal generated by the radiation receiving element to acquire radiation image information. In this way, the detector 120 communicates with the source assembly 110 to start and end radiation reception, thus enabling the acquisition of high-quality medical images with low noise. Furthermore, since the detector 120 communicates with the source assembly 110 to terminate radiation reception, the medical imaging device 100 can shorten the time the subject is unnecessarily exposed to radiation, thereby reducing the subject's radiation exposure. In addition, the medical imaging device 100 can obtain medical images of sufficient quality while reducing the subject's radiation exposure. However, it is not limited to this, and the detector control unit may not receive a signal indicating the end of radiation irradiation, but instead use the radiation receiving element to receive radiation for a predetermined period of time.

[0138] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for acquiring the region of a detector using 3D camera footage according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0139] The main control unit 300 can perform the following operations to display the detector region 730 using the 3D camera image 710.

[0140] The main control unit 300 can perform a step (810) of acquiring first distance information between the second transceiver 510 and the first transceiver 410 based on the signals between the second transceiver 510 and the first transceiver 410. The first distance information may be the distance between the first transceiver 410 and the second transceiver 510, but may also include SID, which is the distance between the source assembly 110 and the detector 120. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, after acquiring the first distance information between the second transceiver 510 and the first transceiver 410, the main control unit 300 may determine the SID based on the first distance information. More specifically, the main control unit 300 can use triangulation to determine the position of the first transceiver 410 relative to a plurality of second transceivers 510 in three-dimensional space. The main control unit 300 can determine the position of the detector in three-dimensional space by determining the positions of each of the plurality of first transceivers 410 included in the detector 120.

[0141] The main control unit 300 can perform the step (820) of determining the size of the detector on the 3D camera image based on the detector's position in three-dimensional space, first distance information, and SID. Here, the size of the detector may mean the size of the detector as it appears in the 3D camera image. The main control unit 300 may have previously stored the size of the detector based on the detector's position in three-dimensional space, first distance information, and SID in a detector size table or a detector size function. The main control unit 300 can determine the size of the detector based on the detector's position in three-dimensional space, first distance information, and SID based on at least one of the detector size table and the detector size function. The size of the detector may become smaller as the distance between the detector 120 and the source assembly 110 increases.

[0142] The main control unit 300 can determine the shape of the detector 120 on the 3D camera image 710 based on the detector's position in three-dimensional space, first distance information, and at least one of the SIDs. The shape of the detector 120 does not have to be rectangular if the radiation receiving surface of the detector is inclined with respect to the radiation irradiation surface of the source assembly 110.

[0143] The main control unit 300 can perform the step (830) of displaying the detector region 730 in the 3D camera image based on at least one of the first distance information, SID, and detector size. The 3D camera image of the main control unit 300 can be acquired by the 3D camera 520. The main control unit 300 can use the 3D camera 520 to acquire not only the 3D camera image but also the distance to each point that appears in the image. The main control unit 300 can determine the detector region 730 as a set of points where the distance to each point acquired using the 3D camera 520 corresponds to at least one of the first distance information and SID. Furthermore, the main control unit 300 can determine the detector region 730 as only the region that corresponds to at least one of the detector size and detector shape from the set of points that correspond to at least one of the first distance information and SID.

[0144] However, the main control unit 300 is not limited to this, and may determine the detector region 730 based on an image processing algorithm. For example, the main control unit 300 can perform the step of acquiring the detector region using the 3D camera image acquired by the 3D camera 520. That is, the main control unit 300 may determine the detector region 730 using the 3D camera image based on an object recognition algorithm. The object recognition algorithm may be a machine learning model for determining the detector region 730. The machine learning model can determine the detector region 730 even if the detector region 730 is partially obscured by the subject 210 in the 3D camera image. The main control unit 300 can also acquire second distance information to at least one object captured by the 3D camera 520 that is included in the 3D camera image. The second distance information may represent the distance from the 3D camera 520 or source assembly 110 to each point that appears in the 3D camera image. The main control unit 300 can obtain the SID (Source to Image Distance) from the source assembly to the detector based on the detector region 730 and the second distance information.

[0145] The main control unit 300 can use different algorithms to determine the detector region 730 based on the 3D camera image. In various embodiments of this disclosure, if the appearance of at least a portion of the detector 120 is visible in the 3D camera image 710, the main control unit 300 can use at least one of the 3D camera, the gyro sensor of the source assembly 110, and the gyro sensor of the detector 120 to determine the detector region 730. For example, the main control unit 300 can determine the detector region 730 based on the 3D camera 520 through image processing of the 3D camera image. Even if the detector appears in the 3D camera image 710, the entire detector is not visible, so the main control unit 300 can use at least one of the gyro sensor of the source assembly 110 and the gyro sensor of the detector 120 to obtain the detector's orientation relative to the 3D camera image 710, based on the orientation of the source assembly. As mentioned above, the detector's orientation may mean the degree to which the detector is tilted. The main control unit 300 can display the region 730 of the detector tilted in the 3D camera image 710 based on the detector's orientation.

[0146] In various embodiments of this disclosure, if the appearance of the detector 120 cannot be confirmed in the 3D camera image 710, the main control unit 300 can utilize at least one of the 3D camera, the gyro sensor of the source assembly 110, the gyro sensor of the detector 120, the first transceiver 410, and the second transceiver 510. Since the process of utilizing the 3D camera, the gyro sensor of the source assembly 110, and the gyro sensor of the detector 120 has been described above, only the process of utilizing the first transceiver 410 and the second transceiver 510 will be described. The main control unit 300 can obtain the position of the first transceiver 410 relative to a plurality of second transceivers 510 using triangulation. By obtaining the positions of the plurality of first transceivers 410 included in the detector 120, the main control unit 300 can determine the position of the detector in three-dimensional space. Based on the position of the detector in three-dimensional space, the main control unit 300 can obtain at least one of the distance from the source assembly 110 to the detector and the orientation of the detector relative to the source assembly 110. The main control unit 300 can determine the detector region 730 using the 3D camera image 710 based on the detector's position in three-dimensional space.

[0147] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0148] Referring to Figure 9, the detector 120 can include a plurality of first transceivers 921, 922, 923, and 924. The source assembly 110 can also include a plurality of second transceivers 911, 912, 913, and 914. More specifically, the plurality of first transceivers can include the 1-1 transceiver 921, the 1-2 transceiver 922, the 1-3 transceiver 923, and the 1-4 transceiver 924. The plurality of second transceivers can also include the 2-1 transceiver 911, the 2-2 transceiver 912, the 2-3 transceiver 913, and the 2-4 transceiver 914.

[0149] The main control unit 300 can use at least three of the multiple second transmitting / receiving units 911, 912, 913, and 914 to obtain the position of at least one of the multiple first transmitting / receiving units 921, 922, 923, and 924 using a triangulation method. Similarly, the detector control unit can use at least three of the multiple first transmitting / receiving units 921, 922, 923, and 924 to obtain the position of at least one of the multiple second transmitting / receiving units 911, 912, 913, and 914 using a triangulation method. Based on the position of at least one of the multiple second transmitting / receiving units 911, 912, 913, and 914, the detector control unit can obtain the attitude (tilt) of the detector 120 relative to the source assembly 110.

[0150] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the detector control unit can adjust the sensors on the radiation receiving surface of the detector to be more sensitive at points far from the source assembly 110, or it can adjust the sensors on the radiation receiving surface of the detector to be less sensitive at points close to the source assembly 110. Furthermore, the detector control unit or the main control unit 300 can perform image processing to improve the clarity of the medical image based on the distance between each radiation receiving point of the detector and the source assembly 110. Thus, the medical image can be clear even if the surface of the detector 120 is not perpendicular to the direction of radiation irradiation from the source assembly 110.

[0151] The main control unit 300 can obtain the distance between one of the multiple second transceivers and multiple first transceivers. For example, the main control unit 300 can obtain the distance from the 2-1 transceiver 911 included in the second transceiver to the 1-1 transceiver 921, the 1-2 transceiver 922, the 1-3 transceiver 923, and the 1-4 transceiver 924, respectively. The times of the multiple second transceivers and multiple first transceivers may be synchronized. When the 1-1 transceiver 921, the 1-2 transceiver 922, the 1-3 transceiver 923, and the 1-4 transceiver 924 transmit a signal to the 2-1 transceiver 911, they can also send the transmission time. The main control unit 300 can determine the distance from the 2-1 transceiver unit 911 to the 1-1 transceiver unit 921, the 1-2 transceiver unit 922, the 1-3 transceiver unit 923, and the 1-4 transceiver unit 924 based on the time when signals were transmitted from the 1-1 transceiver unit 921, the 1-2 transceiver unit 922, the 1-3 transceiver unit 923, and the 1-4 transceiver unit 924, respectively, and the time when signals were received by the 2-1 transceiver unit 911. The 2-2 transceiver unit 912, the 2-3 transceiver unit 913, and the 2-4 transceiver unit 914 can also perform the same process.

[0152] The control unit 300 can associate one of the multiple first transceivers and multiple second transceivers with the first transceiver closest to it, thereby creating a one-to-one correspondence between the multiple first transceivers and multiple second transceivers. The main control unit 300 can associate the first transceiver 921 closest to the second-first transceiver 911 with the second-first transceiver 911. Similarly, the main control unit 300 can associate the first transceiver 922 closest to the second-second transceiver 912 with the second-second transceiver 912. The main control unit 300 can associate the first transceiver 923 closest to the second-third transceiver 913 withfourth transceiver 914 with the first-fourth transceiver 924 closest to the second-fourth transceiver 914 with the second-fourth transceiver 914 with the second-fourth transceiver 914 with the second-fourth transceiver 914.

[0153] If the source assembly 110 and the detector 120 are completely misaligned, it may be difficult to match the multiple first and second transmitters and receivers one-to-one using the closest distance. In this case, the medical imaging device 100 may output a message instructing the user to adjust the source assembly 110 so that it faces the detector 120 or so that it is parallel to it.

[0154] However, the process is not limited to this, and the following steps may also be performed. The main control unit 300 can obtain 16 pieces of distance information from 16 possible combinations of the four first transceivers 410 and the four second transceivers 510. If the multiple first transceivers and the multiple second transceivers cannot be matched one-to-one, the main control unit 300 can remove the combination corresponding to the shortest distance information from the 16 possible combinations. The main control unit 300 can then match the multiple second transceivers 510 and the multiple first transceivers 410 one-to-one by matching each of the multiple second transceivers 510 with the multiple first transceivers 410 closest to it from the remaining 15 combinations. If the multiple first transceivers and the multiple second transceivers still cannot be matched one-to-one, the combination corresponding to the shortest distance information from the 15 possible combinations can be removed, and the above process can be repeated using the remaining 14 combinations.

[0155] The above describes the process of measuring distance based on the second transceiver 510 included in the source assembly 110, but is not limited to this. The detector control unit can obtain the distance between one of the plurality of first transceivers and the plurality of second transceivers. The detector control unit can obtain first distance information between the second transceiver and the first transceiver based on the signal between the second transceiver and the first transceiver. The first distance information may be the distance between the second transceiver and the first transceiver, and may include the SID. However, it is not limited to this, and the detector control unit may obtain the SID based on the first distance information.

[0156] The detector control unit can obtain the distances from the 1-1 transceiver unit 921, which is included in the first transceiver unit, to the 2-1 transceiver unit 911, the 2-2 transceiver unit 912, the 2-3 transceiver unit 913, and the 2-4 transceiver unit 914, respectively. Furthermore, the detector control unit can associate one of the multiple first transceivers with the second transceiver unit closest to it, thereby creating a one-to-one correspondence between the multiple first transceivers and the multiple second transceivers. For example, when the 2-1 transceiver unit 911, the 2-2 transceiver unit 912, the 2-3 transceiver unit 913, and the 2-4 transceiver unit 914 transmit a signal to the 1-1 transceiver unit 921, they can also transmit the transmission time. The main control unit 300 can determine the distances from the 1-1 transceiver 921 to the 2-1 transceiver 911, 2-2 transceiver 912, 2-3 transceiver 913, and 2-4 transceiver 914 based on the time when signals were transmitted from the 2-1 transceiver 911, the 2-2 transceiver 912, the 2-3 transceiver 913, and the 2-4 transceiver 914, respectively, and the time when signals were received by the 1-1 transceiver 921. The detector control unit can associate the 2-1 transceiver 911, which is closest to the 1-1 transceiver 921, with the 1-1 transceiver 921. Similarly, the detector control unit can associate the 2-2 transceiver 912, which is closest to the 1-2 transceiver 922, with the 1-2 transceiver 922. The detector control unit can associate the 2-3 transceiver 913, which is closest to the 1-3 transceiver 923, with the 1-3 transceiver 923. The detector control unit can make the 2nd to 4th transceiver unit 914, which is closest to the 1st to 4th transceiver units 924, correspond to the 1st to 4th transceiver units 924.

[0157] As described above, at least one of the main control unit 300 and the detector control unit can obtain the SID (Source to Image Distance) from the source assembly to the detector based on multiple distances between multiple first transceivers and multiple second transceivers that correspond one-to-one. More specifically, at least one of the main control unit 300 and the detector control unit can obtain first distance information using one of the average, minimum, maximum, and median of the multiple distances. The main control unit 300 can obtain SID(940) from the first distance, which has been modified based on at least one of the SID generation table or SID generation function.

[0158] The object 210 in Figure 9 may be smaller than the detector. Therefore, the object may not obstruct the signal between the first transceiver 410 and the second transceiver 510. However, if the object 210 is larger than the detector, as shown in Figure 10, the object may obstruct the signal between the first transceiver 410 and the second transceiver 510. Even if the object 210 obstructs the signal, there may be no problem in matching the multiple first transceivers 410 and the multiple second transceivers 510 on a one-to-one basis. However, if the object 210 obstructs the signal, problems may arise for the main control unit 300 to measure SID(940). This is because the signal between the first transceiver 410 and the second transceiver 510 is obstructed by the object 210, making it difficult for the main control unit 300 to measure the straight-line distance between the first transceiver 410 and the second transceiver 510. To solve this, the main control unit 300 can measure the first distance information between the second transceiver and the first transceiver. The first distance information may be the distance between the corresponding first and second transmitting / receiving units. Here, the first distance information may have an error due to obstruction by the subject.

[0159] The main control unit 300 can guide the source assembly 110 to move so that the space between the source assembly 110 and the detector 120 is not obstructed by the subject. The user can move the source assembly 110 for a while based on the guidance. The medical imaging device 100 can obtain the position of the detector from a third transceiver located in a fixed position in the patient room. The fixed position in the patient room may be a separate beacon including the third transceiver. However, it is not limited to this, and the third transceiver may be included in the main body 130 of the medical imaging device 100, because even if the source assembly 110 moves, the main body 130 may remain fixed in the patient room. The main control unit 300 can guide the source assembly 110 to move back to the shooting position. The main control unit 300 can determine the position of the source assembly 110 relative to the third transceiver at the shooting position. Based on the position of the detector 120 and the position of the source assembly 110 from the third transceiver, the main control unit 300 can display the area 730 of the detector on the 3D camera image 710. Furthermore, the main control unit 300 can determine the SID based on the position of the detector 120 and the position of the source assembly 110 from the third transmitting / receiving unit. However, it is not limited to this, and the medical imaging device 100 may perform the following processes.

[0160] If the difference between multiple first distance information measured by multiple first transmitting / receiving units and multiple second transmitting / receiving units is greater than or equal to a critical distance, the main control unit 300 can output a message guiding the movement of the source assembly 110. Here, the first distance information may include at least one of 1-1 distance information, 1-2 distance information, 1-3 distance information, and 1-4 distance information. If the difference between the measured multiple first distance information is less than or equal to a critical distance, the main control unit 300 can measure SOD(930), which is the distance from the source assembly 110 to the subject 210, based on the 3D camera 520. SOD(930) may, but is not limited to, be included in the second distance information.

[0161] The main control unit 300 can determine the distance to the nearest object in the 3D camera 520 as SOD(930). The main control unit 300 can also determine the distance from at least one of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the detector area 730 to the nearest object in the 3D camera 520 as SOD(930). The main control unit 300 can modify the first distance based on SOD(930). The main control unit 300 can obtain the modified first distance based on SOD(930) based on at least one of the first distance modification table and the first distance modification function. For example, the first distance modification table and the first distance modification function can generate a modified first distance by reducing the first distance as SOD(930) decreases. This is because a shorter SOD(930) means that the subject 210 is thicker. The main control unit 300 can also determine SID(940) based on the modified first distance. The main control unit 300 can obtain SID(940) from a first distance that has been modified based on at least one of the SID generation table or SID generation function.

[0162] Figure 11 may be a diagram illustrating the operation of a medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0163] As mentioned above, the main control unit 300 can use the 3D camera 520 to measure the distance between the front of the source assembly 110 and an object appearing in the 3D camera image 710. The user can position the source assembly 110 so that it faces the subject 210 in order to acquire medical images. The main control unit 300 can perform the step of acquiring second distance information from the 3D camera 520 to at least one object included in the 3D camera image. The main control unit 300 can perform the step of acquiring second distance information from the 3D camera 520 to at least one object included in at least one of the radiation irradiation area 720 and the detector area 730 of the 3D camera image 710. Based on the second distance information, the main control unit 300 can acquire the SOD (Source to Object Distance) from the source assembly to the subject. For example, the main control unit 300 can determine the shortest distance among the second distance information as the SOD(930). This is because the user positions the subject as close as possible to the source assembly 110. The SOD may represent the distance from the source to the subject.

[0164] Furthermore, the medical imaging device 100 can obtain the width 1110 of the subject 210. For example, if the distances 1121 and 1122 between the source assembly 110 and the object appearing on the 3D camera image 710 are greater than a predetermined critical distance for the subject, the main control unit 300 can remove the object and determine the area of ​​the subject. The main control unit 300 can also determine the width of the area of ​​the subject as the width 1110 of the subject 210. For example, in Figure 11, the width 1110 can represent the width of the subject. The main control unit 300 can also determine the center 1130 of the area of ​​the subject as the center 731 of the detector area 730. Therefore, the medical imaging device 100 can determine the center 731 of the detector area 730 even if the detector 120 is obscured by the subject 210.

[0165] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the main control unit 300 can determine the thickness of the subject. For example, the main control unit 300 can obtain first distance information between the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 and the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 based on the signal between the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 and the first transmitting / receiving unit 410. The main control unit 300 can also obtain the SID (Source to Image Distance) from the source assembly to the detector based on the first distance. The main control unit 300 can determine the thickness of the subject based on the SOD and SID. For example, the main control unit 300 can determine the thickness of the subject by subtracting the SOD from the SID. The main control unit 300 can determine radiation irradiation setting information based on the thickness of the subject. The main control unit 300 may store a radiation irradiation table that associates radiation irradiation setting information with the thickness of the subject. The main control unit 300 can obtain radiation irradiation setting information corresponding to the thickness of the subject from the radiation irradiation table. For example, the thicker the subject, the stronger the radiation intensity or the longer the radiation irradiation time can be. The medical imaging device 100 of this disclosure automatically determines the thickness of the subject and determines radiation irradiation setting information that matches it, thereby achieving a high-quality medical imaging device and potentially increasing user convenience.

[0166] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the following embodiments may also be possible. The 3D camera image may include a subject and a patient bed 220. The distance from the source assembly 110 to the patient bed 220 may be similar to the distance from the source assembly 110 to the detector 120. Therefore, the main control unit 300 can obtain all SOD and SID based on second distance information, which is the distance between at least one object appearing in the 3D camera image 710 and the source assembly 110. The main control unit 300 can determine the SOD and SID based on the second distance information based on user input or a machine learning model. The machine learning model may be a model for determining that only the subject and the patient bed 220 are present in the 3D camera image. The main control unit 300 can determine the smallest value of the second distance information as the SOD. The main control unit 300 can also determine the largest value of the second distance information as the SID.

[0167] The process for acquiring the first to third alignment information will be explained below with reference to Figures 12 and 13. The operation of the medical imaging device shown in Figures 12 and 13 can be performed before or with step (650).

[0168] As described above, when performing step (650), the main control unit 300 can determine alignment information related to at least one of the direction, distance, and angle to which the source assembly must move in order to align the detector and source assembly, based on at least one of the 3D camera, the first transceiver 410, and the second transceiver 510. Here, alignment of the detector 120 and the source assembly 110 may mean that the irradiation area and the area of ​​the detector coincide, or that the line connecting the center of the detector and the center of the source assembly 110 is parallel to the direction of radiation irradiation. The alignment information may include first to third alignment information. The multiple first transceivers may include the 1-1 transceiver 921, the 1-2 transceiver 922, the 1-3 transceiver 923, and the 1-4 transceiver 924. The multiple second transceivers may include the 2-1 transceiver 911, the 2-2 transceiver 912, the 2-3 transceiver 913, and the 2-4 transceiver 914. The main control unit 300 can measure the distance between at least three of the multiple first transmitting / receiving units and one of the multiple second transmitting / receiving units. The main control unit 300 can also measure the distance between at least three of the multiple second transmitting / receiving units and one of the multiple second transmitting / receiving units. The distance can be measured based on the time it takes for a signal to travel between one of the multiple first transmitting / receiving units and one of the multiple second transmitting / receiving units. The main control unit 300 can use triangulation to determine the position (coordinates) of the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 included in the detector 120 relative to the second transmitting / receiving unit 510 included in the source assembly 110. Alternatively, the main control unit 300 can obtain the position (coordinates) of the source assembly 110 relative to the detector 120. The main control unit 300 can determine alignment information that the source assembly must move in order for the detector 120 and the source assembly 110 to align, based on the position of the source assembly 110 relative to the detector 120.In other words, the main control unit 300 can acquire at least one of the first alignment information, second alignment information, and third alignment information based on the first transceiver unit 410 and the second transceiver unit 510. The process of acquiring at least one of the first alignment information, second alignment information, and third alignment information will be explained with reference to Figures 12 and 13.

[0169] The above describes the process of acquiring alignment information using the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 and the second transmitting / receiving unit 510, but it is not limited to this. When determining alignment information, the main control unit 300 can acquire a set of coordinates for multiple first transmitting / receiving units and a set of coordinates for multiple second transmitting / receiving units using 3D camera images based on the 3D camera 520. For example, since the 3D camera 520 is included in the source assembly 110, the main control unit 300 can determine a predetermined position in the 3D camera image as a set of coordinates for multiple second transmitting / receiving units. Also, after searching for the detector region, the main control unit 300 can determine a predetermined position in the detector region as a set of coordinates for multiple first transmitting / receiving units. Furthermore, the main control unit 300 can acquire at least one of the first alignment information, second alignment information, and third alignment information in the manner described in Figures 12 and 13.

[0170] Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0171] When determining alignment information, the main control unit 300 can measure the angle between the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector based on at least one of the first transmitting / receiving unit 410, the second transmitting / receiving unit 510, the 3D camera 520, and the gyro sensor. Based on the angle between the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector, the main control unit 300 can output the angle by which the source assembly must be rotated so that the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector have a predetermined angle (the rotation angle of the source assembly). The predetermined angle may mean the angle that the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector must make in order to capture medical images. The predetermined angle may include the case where the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector are parallel, in which case the predetermined angle may be, for example, 0 degrees. The predetermined angle may be greater than or equal to 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees. The predetermined angle may also be determined based on user input. The following describes this process in more detail.

[0172] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the main control unit 300 can measure the angle between the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector based on a plurality of first transmitting and receiving units and a plurality of second transmitting and receiving units. At least one of the attitude information of the detector and the attitude information of the source assembly may include the angle between the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector. The process for obtaining the angle between the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector will be described below.

[0173] The detector 120 may include a plurality of first transmitting and receiving units 410. The plurality of first transmitting and receiving units may include a 1-1 transmitting and receiving unit 921, a 1-2 transmitting and receiving unit 922, a 1-3 transmitting and receiving unit 923, and a 1-4 transmitting and receiving unit 924. The set of coordinates of the plurality of first transmitting and receiving units can be expressed as follows.

[0174] The set of coordinates for multiple first transmitting and receiving units is = {(x(a'), y(a')), (x(b'), y(b')), (x(c'), y(c')), (x(d'), y(d'))}

[0175] The coordinates may be the coordinates of each point on the display of the medical imaging device, or they may be coordinates relative to a predetermined origin in actual space. The predetermined origin can be located in the source assembly or detector.

[0176] If the center of the coordinate system is at the source assembly 110, the main control unit 300 can determine a set of coordinates for multiple first transceivers and transceivers by triangulation using multiple first transceivers and multiple second transceivers. If the center of the coordinate system is at the detector 120, the main control unit 300 can obtain a predetermined set of coordinates for multiple first transceivers from memory.

[0177] Similarly, the source assembly 110 may include a plurality of second transceivers 510. The plurality of second transceivers may include a second-first transceiver 911, a second-second transceiver 912, a second-third transceiver 913, and a second-fourth transceiver 914. The set of coordinates of the plurality of second transceivers can be expressed as follows.

[0178] The set of coordinates for multiple second transmitting and receiving units is = {(x(a), y(a)), (x(b), y(b)), (x(c), y(c)), (x(d), y(d))}

[0179] The coordinates of multiple first transceivers and multiple second transceivers can be represented by values ​​within the same coordinate system. If the center of the coordinates is at the source assembly 110, the main control unit 300 can obtain a predetermined set of coordinates for multiple second transceivers from memory. If the center of the coordinates is at the detector 120, the main control unit 300 can determine a set of coordinates for multiple second transceivers by triangulation using the multiple first transceivers and multiple second transceivers.

[0180] As described above, when multiple first transceivers 410 and multiple second transceivers 510 correspond one-to-one, the medical imaging device 100 can perform the step of acquiring first alignment information for the source assembly 110 to adjust the radiation irradiation area 720 of the source assembly 110 to include the detector area 730, based on the attitude information of the detector 120. For example, multiple first transceivers 410 may include a 1-1 transceiver 921 and a 1-2 transceiver 922. Also, multiple second transceivers 510 may include a 2-1 transceiver 911 corresponding to the 1-1 transceiver 921 and a 2-2 transceiver 912 corresponding to the 1-2 transceiver 922. The main control unit 300 can acquire the 1-1 distance between the 1-1 transceiver 921 and the 2-1 transceiver 911. The main control unit 300 can acquire the 1-2 distance between the 1-2 transceiver 922 and the 2-2 transceiver 912. If the difference between the 1-1 distance and the 1-2 distance is greater than or equal to a predetermined critical distance, the main control unit 300 can output a message instructing the system to move the source assembly 110 to adjust the 1-1 distance and the 1-2 distance to be similar. Here, the predetermined critical distance may be a value stored in memory. The predetermined critical distance may be a value that determines when there is a large difference between the 1-1 distance and the 1-2 distance. A large difference between the 1-1 distance and the 1-2 distance may mean that the detector 120 and the source assembly 110 are not aligned.

[0181] A message guiding the source assembly 110 to move so that the 1-1 distance and 1-2 distance are similar may be output based on the acquisition of third alignment information. The third alignment information may mean the direction in which the source assembly 110 rotates with respect to an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the source arm 140. Referring to Figure 12, the main control unit 300 can acquire the horizontal difference depth and the vertical difference depth as follows:

[0182] Horizontal difference depth=depth(a-a')-depth(b-b')

[0183] Vertical difference depth = depth(a-a')-depth(c-c')

[0184] The horizontal and vertical differential depths can correspond to the angles formed between the front surface of the measured source assembly and the surface of the detector. If the horizontal differential depth value is 0, the lines formed by ab and a'-b' can be parallel.

[0185] The main control unit 300 can obtain the rotation angle of the source assembly based on the angle formed between the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector, so that the angle between the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector is a predetermined angle. Alignment information may include the rotation angle of the source assembly. The main control unit 300 can also output the rotation angle of the source assembly.

[0186] If the horizontal difference depth value is a positive number, the main control unit 300 can acquire third alignment information to rotate the source assembly 110 so that the distance between b-b' becomes further away or the distance between a-a' becomes closer, relative to the vertical axis 1220. If the horizontal difference depth value is a negative number, the main control unit 300 can acquire third alignment information to rotate the source assembly 110 so that the distance between b-b' becomes closer or the distance between a-a' becomes further away, relative to the vertical axis 1220. The vertical axis 1220 is drawn arbitrarily in Figure 12, but it is not limited to this, and the vertical axis 1220 can be located in a different place than shown in Figure 12.

[0187] Furthermore, the main control unit 300 may acquire third alignment information based on a predetermined angle. As mentioned above, the predetermined angle can be a constant or acquired based on user input. The main control unit 300 can determine the depth offset based on the predetermined angle. The larger the predetermined angle, the larger the depth offset can be. If the value obtained by subtracting the depth offset value from the horizontal difference depth is 0, the line formed by ab and the line formed by a'-b' can form the predetermined angle. If the value obtained by subtracting the depth offset value from the horizontal difference depth is a positive number, the main control unit 300 can acquire third alignment information to rotate the source assembly 110 so that the distance between B-B' becomes further away or the distance between A-A' becomes closer with respect to the vertical axis 1220. If the value obtained by subtracting the depth offset value from the horizontal difference depth is negative, the main control unit 300 can acquire third alignment information to rotate the source assembly 110 so that the distance between B and B' becomes even closer or the distance between A and A' becomes even further, with respect to the vertical axis 1220. In Figure 12, the vertical axis 1220 is drawn arbitrarily, but it is not limited to this, and the vertical axis 1220 can be located in a different place than shown in Figure 12.

[0188] Furthermore, if the vertical difference depth value is 0, the line formed by ac and the line formed by a'-c' may be parallel. If the vertical difference depth value is a positive number, the main control unit 300 can acquire third alignment information to rotate the source assembly 110 so that the distance between c-c' becomes further away or the distance between a-a' becomes closer with respect to the horizontal axis 1210. If the vertical difference depth value is a negative number, the main control unit 300 can acquire third alignment information to rotate the source assembly 110 so that the distance between c-c' becomes closer or the distance between a-a' becomes further away with respect to the horizontal axis 1210.

[0189] Furthermore, the main control unit 300 can acquire third alignment information by further utilizing predetermined angles. For example, if the value obtained by subtracting the depth offset value from the vertical difference depth is 0, the line formed by ac and the line formed by a'-c' can form predetermined angles. If the value obtained by subtracting the depth offset value from the vertical difference depth is a positive number, the main control unit 300 can acquire third alignment information to rotate the source assembly 110 so that the distance between c-c' becomes further away or the distance between a-a' becomes closer with respect to the horizontal axis 1210. If the value obtained by subtracting the depth offset value from the vertical difference depth is a negative number, the main control unit 300 can acquire third alignment information to rotate the source assembly 110 so that the distance between c-c' becomes closer or the distance between a-a' becomes further away with respect to the horizontal axis 1210.

[0190] In the above, the third alignment information was determined using the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 and the second transmitting / receiving unit 510. However, it is not limited to this. When determining the alignment information, the main control unit 300 can measure the angle between the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector based on at least one of the 3D camera 520 and the gyro sensor 530. As mentioned above, the 3D camera 520 can determine the region 730 of the detector using a machine learning model. The main control unit 300 may also determine the inclination of the detector region using the depth information measured by the 3D camera 520. The main control unit 300 may also obtain depth(a-a'), depth(b-b'), and depth(c-c') using the depth information measured by the 3D camera 520. The main control unit 300 can obtain the horizontal difference depth and vertical difference depth based on the 3D camera 520 and obtain the third alignment information.

[0191] The tilt of the detector region can also be measured by a gyro sensor included in the detector. In this disclosure, the tilt of the detector 120 may be the tilt with respect to a fixed surface. The fixed surface may be, for example, the ground, or the tilt may be the tilt with respect to the radiation-emitting surface of the source assembly.

[0192] The gyro sensor 530 of the source assembly 110 can measure the tilt of the source assembly. In this disclosure, the tilt of the source assembly 110 may be a tilt with respect to a fixed surface. The fixed surface may be, for example, the ground, or it may be a tilt with respect to the surface of the detector.

[0193] When the main control unit 300 outputs a message guiding the alignment of the illumination area and the detector area, it can output the angle by which the source assembly must be rotated so that the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector are parallel, based on the angle formed by the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector. The angle by which the source assembly must be rotated (the rotation angle of the source assembly) may be included in the third alignment information. For example, the main control unit 300 can obtain the inclination of the source assembly 110 relative to the detector and guide the source assembly 110 to rotate in the opposite direction of that inclination so that the front surface of the source assembly and the surface of the detector are parallel.

[0194] Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a medical imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0195] When determining alignment information, the main control unit 300 can acquire positional information on the 3D camera image of a predetermined first alignment point in the illumination area and a predetermined second alignment point in the detector area based on at least one of the first transceiver unit, second transceiver unit, 3D camera, and gyro sensor. The positional information may include at least one of the coordinate values ​​of the predetermined first alignment point in the illumination area and the coordinate values ​​of the predetermined second alignment point in the detector area. The positional information may be, but is not limited to, information expressed within the coordinate system of the 3D camera image. The positional information may also be information expressed in a three-dimensional spatial coordinate system. For example, the positional information may be expressed in a coordinate system centered on at least one point among the source assembly 110 and the main body 130. If the coordinate systems of the coordinate values ​​are different, the main control unit 300 can perform a coordinate transformation to make them match in one of the coordinate systems of the 3D camera image and the three-dimensional spatial coordinate system.

[0196] The main control unit 300 can output at least one of the directions and distances that the source assembly must move in for the irradiation area and the detector area to coincide, based on the position information. The operation of the main control unit 300 will be described in more detail below.

[0197] The first alignment point may be the same as at least one of points a, b, c, and d. The first alignment point may also correspond to the position of at least one second transceiver 510. The second alignment point may be the same as at least one of points a', b', c', and d'. The second alignment point may correspond to the position of at least one first transceiver 410.

[0198] When the main control unit 300 outputs a message guiding the user to align the irradiation area and the detector area, it can output at least one of the directions and distances that the source assembly must move in order for the irradiation area and the detector area to coincide, based on the position information. At least one of the directions and distances that the source assembly must move in may be included in at least one of the first alignment information and the second alignment information.

[0199] The following describes Figure 13 in more detail. The main control unit 300 can acquire position information based on a plurality of first transmitting and receiving units and a plurality of second transmitting and receiving units. At least one of the attitude information of the detector and the attitude information of the source assembly can include position information.

[0200] The detector 120 may include a plurality of first transceivers 410. The plurality of first transceivers may include a 1-1 transceiver 921, a 1-2 transceiver 922, a 1-3 transceiver 923, and a 1-4 transceiver 924. The set of coordinates of the plurality of first transceivers can be expressed as follows. The method for obtaining the set of coordinates of the plurality of first transceivers has been described above, so a redundant explanation will be omitted.

[0201] The set of coordinates for multiple first transmitting and receiving units is = {(x(a'), y(a')), (x(b'), y(b')), (x(c'), y(c')), (x(d'), y(d'))}

[0202] Similarly, the source assembly 110 may include a plurality of second transceivers 510. The plurality of second transceivers may include a second-first transceiver 911, a second-second transceiver 912, a second-third transceiver 913, and a second-fourth transceiver 914. The set of coordinates of the plurality of second transceivers can be expressed as follows. The method for obtaining the set of coordinates of the plurality of first transceivers has been described above, so a redundant explanation will be omitted.

[0203] The set of coordinates for multiple second transmitting and receiving units is = {(x(a), y(a)), (x(b), y(b)), (x(c), y(c)), (x(d), y(d))}

[0204] The main control unit 300 can determine the position information, Alignment x and Alignment y, as follows.

[0205] Alignment x=([x(a)-x(a')]+[x(b)-x(b')]+[x(c)-x(c')]+[x(d)-x(d')]) / n (where n=4)

[0206] Alignment y=([y(a)-y(a')]+[y(b)-y(b')]+[y(c)-y(c')]+[y(d)-y(d')]) / n (where n=4)

[0207] Furthermore, the main control unit 300 can obtain at least one of the directions and distances that the source assembly must move in order for the irradiation area and the detector area to coincide, based on the position information. The alignment information may include at least one of the directions and distances that the source assembly must move in. The main control unit 300 can output at least one of the directions and distances that the source assembly must move in.

[0208] If Alignment x is a negative number, we can show that the direction of the first alignment information shifts to the right by |Alignment x|.

[0209] Furthermore, if Alignment x is a positive number, it can be shown that the first alignment information shifts to the left by |Alignment x|.

[0210] Furthermore, if Alignment y is a negative number, we can show that the first alignment information shifts upward by |Alignment y|.

[0211] If Alignment y is a positive number, we can indicate that the first alignment information is shifted downwards by |Alignment y|.

[0212] Furthermore, the absolute value of Alignment x may be related to the distance the source assembly 110 must move in order for it to align with the detector. The main control unit 300 can store a distance acquisition table and a distance acquisition function that associate the absolute value of Alignment x with the distance the source assembly 110 must move. Based on the distance acquisition table and the distance acquisition function, the main control unit 300 can acquire the distance the source assembly 110 must move corresponding to the absolute value of Alignment x. The main control unit 300 can include the direction of movement and the distance that must be moved in the first alignment information. The main control unit 300 can also display the first alignment information on the display. The user can move the source assembly 110 based on the first alignment information, thereby causing the illumination area and the area of ​​the detector to coincide, or the center of the detector and the center of the illumination area to coincide.

[0213] Multiple first transceivers 410 and multiple second transceivers 510 can be implemented using UWB. UWB may be used to acquire x and y coordinates. Since the quality of medical images may deteriorate if the detector 120 and source assembly 110 are not aligned, the medical imaging device 100 can guide the alignment of the detector 120 and source assembly 110 by taking an approximate value using the average value as described above.

[0214] The above describes the process of acquiring first alignment information using the first transmitting / receiving unit 410 and the second transmitting / receiving unit 510, but is not limited to this. When determining alignment information, the main control unit 300 can acquire a set of coordinates for multiple first transmitting / receiving units and a set of coordinates for multiple second transmitting / receiving units using 3D camera images based on the 3D camera 520. For example, since the 3D camera 520 is included in the source assembly 110, the main control unit 300 can determine a predetermined position in the 3D camera image as a set of coordinates for multiple second transmitting / receiving units. Also, after searching for the detector region, the main control unit 300 can determine a predetermined position in the detector region as a set of coordinates for multiple first transmitting / receiving units. Furthermore, the main control unit 300 can acquire first alignment information using the method described above.

[0215] The main control unit 300 can acquire body part identification information of the subject. This body part identification information can be acquired based on user input or pre-stored information about the subject. Based on the body part identification information and SOD, the main control unit 300 can model the subject in 3D or 2D to acquire a body part model. SOD can be determined by the method described above. The main control unit 300 can also position the center of the detector region at the center of the body part model that appears in the 3D camera image. The center of the body part model can include at least one of the following: the position of the centroid of the body part model or the center of the rectangle circumscribing the body part model.

[0216] However, it is not limited to this, and as explained in Figure 11, the center 731 of the detector region 730 may be positioned at the center 1130 of the subject region. The main control unit 300 can determine the detector region 730 based on the SID. The SID can be obtained by the method described above. Based on the SID, the size of the detector region 730 can be determined on the 3D camera image. A large SID means that the distance between the source assembly 110 and the detector 120 is large, so the detector region 730 may be small on the 3D camera image. Conversely, a small SID means that the distance between the source assembly 110 and the detector 120 is small, so the detector region 730 may be large on the 3D camera image. The main control unit 300 can determine the size of the detector based on at least one of the first distance information and the SID, based on at least one of the detector size table and the detector size function.

[0217] To summarize the above explanation, the medical imaging device 100 can acquire at least one of the first alignment information, second alignment information, and third alignment information of the source assembly 110. The medical imaging device 100 can also display at least one of the first alignment information, second alignment information, and third alignment information of the source assembly 110 on a display so that the user can align the source assembly 110 with the detector 120. Furthermore, the medical imaging device 100 can automatically align the source assembly 110 and the detector 120 based on at least one of the first alignment information, second alignment information, and third alignment information. More specifically, the source arm 140 of the medical imaging device 100 may be a robotic arm, and the source arm 140 can move the source assembly 110 based on at least one of the first to third alignment information, and automatically align the source assembly 110 and the detector 120.

[0218] The direction of the first alignment information may mean the direction in which the source assembly 110 is moved in a plane parallel to the front of the source assembly 110. Referring to Figure 7, the direction of the first alignment information may be displayed on the display as arrows 741 and 742. The first alignment information may be the direction in which the source assembly 110 is moved so that the radiation irradiation area 720 includes the detector area 730. In this disclosure, the first alignment information may include distance as well as direction. The distance of the first alignment information may be displayed around arrows 741 and 742. Thus, the user can align the source assembly 110 and the detector 120 by looking at the display showing the first alignment information.

[0219] The second alignment information may be a direction for adjusting the distance between the source assembly 110 and the detector 120. That is, the second alignment information may be parallel to the direction from the center of the source assembly 110 to the center of the detector 120. The second alignment information can affect at least one of SID or SOD. In this disclosure, the second alignment information may include not only direction but also distance. At least one of the direction and distance of the second alignment information may be displayed on a display. Thus, the user can adjust the distance between the source assembly 110 and the detector 120 by looking at the display.

[0220] The third alignment information may be the direction of rotation of the source assembly 110 with respect to a horizontal axis 1210 and a vertical axis 1220 parallel to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the source arm 140. For example, the horizontal axis 1210 may correspond to the pitch axis and the vertical axis 1220 may correspond to the yaw axis. However, it is not limited to this, and the horizontal axis 1210 may correspond to the yaw axis and the vertical axis 1220 may correspond to the pitch axis. The third alignment information may be the direction of rotation of the source assembly 110 so that the radiation irradiation direction of the source assembly 110 is perpendicular to the plane of the detector 120. In other words, the third alignment information may be the direction of rotation of the source assembly 110 so that the front surface of the source assembly 110 is parallel to the plane of the detector 120. In this disclosure, the third alignment information may include not only the direction but also the rotation angle. Furthermore, although the third alignment information has been described above with respect to the horizontal axis 1210 and the vertical axis 1220, it is not limited to this, and the third alignment information may further include the rotation direction and rotation angle with respect to the roll axis. The main control unit 300 can display third alignment information on the display. The user can look at the display and adjust the radiation irradiation direction of the source assembly 110 so that the surface of the detector 120 is perpendicular to it.

[0221] The medical imaging device 100 can fix the direction of movement of the source assembly 110 to use only one of the first alignment information, second alignment information, and third alignment information based on the user's selection. For example, the medical imaging device 100 can display an object on the display to cause movement to one of the first, second, and third alignment information. The object may be an image displayed on the display that includes at least one of text, color, and shape. If the user selects an object associated with the first alignment information, the source assembly 110 can be prevented from moving in the direction of the second and third alignment information, while only being able to move in the direction of the first alignment information. For example, the main control unit 300 can fix the joints for movement in the direction of the second and third alignment information. Similarly, if the user selects an object associated with the second alignment information, the source assembly 110 can be prevented from moving in the direction of the first and third alignment information, while only being able to move in the direction of the second alignment information. Furthermore, if the user selects an object associated with the third alignment information, the source assembly 110 can only move in a direction parallel to the direction of the third alignment information, and may be prevented from moving in the direction of the second and first alignment information.

[0222] The medical imaging device according to one embodiment of this disclosure aligns the detector and source assembly using at least one sensor, which can increase the accuracy of the alignment. Furthermore, when aligning, the medical imaging device 100 outputs at least one of the first to third alignment information for alignment, minimizing user intervention, which can increase user convenience. In addition, since the source assembly 110 can be automatically moved to the aligned position by a robotic arm based on the first to third alignment information, user convenience is further increased and medical image acquisition can be accelerated.

[0223] With the medical imaging device 100 described above, the source assembly 110 and the detector 120 can be aligned quickly and accurately. Furthermore, the burden on the user and the patient during imaging can be reduced. Additionally, the hassle of re-imaging can be reduced, and radiation exposure due to re-imaging can be eliminated.

[0224] We have described in detail various embodiments. Those with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains will understand that the present invention can be embodied in modified forms that do not depart from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered in an explanatory rather than restrictive view. The scope of the present invention is shown in the claims, not in the foregoing description, and all differences within an equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the present invention.

[0225] On the other hand, the embodiments of the present invention described above can be created as programs that can be executed on a computer, and can be embodied in a general-purpose digital computer that runs the program using a computer-readable recording medium. Computer-readable recording media include magnetic storage media (e.g., ROMs, floppy disks, hard disks, etc.) and optical reading media (e.g., CD-ROMs, VIDs, etc.).

Claims

1. The detector includes a detector control unit for controlling the operation of the detector and a detector including a first transmitting / receiving unit at a predetermined position, The front panel includes a source assembly containing a second transmitting / receiving unit, The medical imaging device includes a main control unit that controls the operation of the medical imaging device, The main control unit, A medical imaging device that acquires alignment information for aligning the detector and the source assembly.

2. The medical imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the alignment information includes information relating to at least one of the direction, distance, and angle to which the source assembly must move, based on at least one of the orientation information of the detector and the orientation information of the source assembly.

3. The medical imaging apparatus according to claim 1, which outputs a signal indicating that the area of ​​the detector and the irradiation area coincide when the area of ​​the detector and the irradiation area coincide based on the alignment information.

4. The detector includes a plurality of first transmitting and receiving units, and the source assembly includes a plurality of second transmitting and receiving units. The main control unit, The medical imaging apparatus according to claim 1, which obtains an SID (Source to Image Distance) from the source assembly to the detector based on a plurality of distances between a plurality of first transmitting / receiving units and a plurality of second transmitting / receiving units that correspond one-to-one.

5. The aforementioned source assembly further includes a 3D camera for acquiring 3D camera images. The main control unit, The medical imaging apparatus according to claim 1, which acquires at least one of the posture information of the source assembly and the detector based on the 3D camera image.

6. The main control unit, Using the first transmitting / receiving unit and the second transmitting / receiving unit, pre-alignment information is obtained. Based on the 3D camera image, rear alignment information is obtained. The medical imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein final alignment information is determined based on the aforementioned pre-alignment information and the aforementioned post-alignment information.

7. Based on the signals between the first transmitting / receiving unit and the second transmitting / receiving unit, first distance information is obtained between the first transmitting / receiving unit and the second transmitting / receiving unit. The medical imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the region of the detector is displayed in the 3D camera image based on the first distance information.

8. The main control unit, The region of the detector is displayed on the 3D camera image. Second distance information is obtained to at least one object captured by the 3D camera, The medical imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the SID (Source to Image Distance) from the source assembly to the detector is obtained based on the region of the detector and the second distance information.

9. The main control unit, Second distance information is obtained to at least one object captured by the 3D camera, The medical imaging apparatus according to claim 5, which obtains the Source to Object Distance (SOD) from the source assembly to the subject based on the second distance information.

10. The main control unit, Based on the signals between the first transmitting / receiving unit and the second transmitting / receiving unit, first distance information is obtained between the first transmitting / receiving unit and the second transmitting / receiving unit. Based on the first distance, the SID (Source to Image Distance) from the source assembly to the detector is obtained, The medical imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the thickness of the subject is determined based on the SOD and the SID.

11. The main control unit, The body part identification information of the subject is obtained, Based on the body part identification information and the SOD, the subject is modeled in three or two dimensions to obtain a body part model. The center of the detector's region is positioned at the center of the body part model that appears in the 3D camera image. The medical imaging apparatus according to claim 10, which displays the area of ​​the detector based on the SID.

12. The medical imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the 3D camera includes at least one of a depth measuring camera, an RGBD (Red, Green, Blue, Depth) camera, or a TOF (Time of Flight) camera.

Images