Multi-Tomographic Image Construction in Dental 3D X-Ray Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital dental panoramic radiography methods are limited by the thickness of radial direction and fineness of angular direction, resulting in weakened expressive power and limited number of angular partitions, leading to imperceptible pixel value mixing in peripheral sections.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for constructing multi-tomographic images using a digital 3D X-ray photographing system that stores frame images at each division unit angle, projects them onto a circular arc, and constructs tomographic images by shifting and adding frame images taken at unit angles, allowing for arbitrary radius construction and generation of stereoscopic images using volume rendering software.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the fineness of the angular direction of the array of the circular arc is increased, then the number of angular partitions is increased, but a great degree of mixings of pixel value in the periphery sections are generated, so that expressive power becomes weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the circular arc array into multiple independent partition sections along the radial direction. Each partition can be independently adjusted in thickness, allowing fine angular sampling in one region without affecting pixel mixing in other regions. This segmentation enables different angular fineness settings for different radial zones, resolving the contradiction between overall angular precision and local pixel value integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements non-uniform radial thickness across different partition sections, with each section having independently adjustable thickness. This allows regions requiring fine angular resolution to have thinner radial partitions, while other regions can have thicker partitions to avoid pixel mixing. The local quality principle enables optimized performance in different zones without compromising the entire system.
2Device complexity
If the thickness of radial is limited to 0.5 mm, then the device complexity is reduced, but the number of partitions of the angular direction is also limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamically adjustable partition thickness for each radial section, allowing the system to adapt the number and thickness of partitions based on diagnostic requirements. The thickness of each partition can be independently set, enabling flexible configuration of angular partitions without being constrained by a fixed 0.5 mm limitation, thereby enhancing system versatility while maintaining manageable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal reconstruction framework that can handle multiple partition thickness configurations within a single system. The same apparatus can generate images with different radial thicknesses and angular fineness levels by adjusting partition parameters, making the system adaptable to various diagnostic needs without requiring multiple specialized devices.
3Quantity of substance
If frame images are stored in large-capacity frame image storage means, then the image information completeness is improved, but the device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and stores only the essential frame image data required for multi-tomographic reconstruction in a dedicated large-capacity storage buffer. By selectively storing only the necessary angularly-divided frame images at unit angle intervals rather than all possible intermediate data, the system achieves complete image information while keeping storage requirements and system complexity manageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the adjustment of radial direction thickness and angular fineness, providing detailed and imperceptible stereoscopic images with finer intervals, such as 0.3 mm and 0.1 mm, compared to the prior art, enhancing diagnostic information and image quality.
Implementation Method 1
an X-ray source for irradiating X rays onto a subject, an X-ray imaging means for detecting X rays to pass through the subject
Data Source
AI summary
Tomographic images in a plurality of radius places are obtained in one-time X-ray photographing, and a lot of information on the diagnose can be provided by forming a stereoscopic image with these obtained tomographic images, and thickness of radial and fineness of angular direction of tomographic image that can be obtained herein compared with prior art can be set arbitrary and can be adjusted thereby obtaining further imperceptible stereoscopic image. To this end, whole photographed images at respective divided unit angles that can be obtained in the digital dental panoramic radiography apparatus at the tomography in the circular orbit, are stored, after X-ray photographed, these photographed images are arranged substantially on the circular arc at the radius place of the tomographic image of the desired extracting part, tomographic images in radius location can be constructed by adding while shifting every photograph unit angle.