Dynamic Collimation for Scattered Radiation Reduction in Medical Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical imaging methods fail to effectively reduce scattered radiation during imaging, as they do not utilize dynamic collimation of the emitted radiation beam to shutter parts of the volume of interest alternately, leading to increased radiation exposure and image quality degradation.
Innovation Solution
A medical imaging method and system that employs a rotating gantry or C-arm with a collimating device to vary the collimation of the emitted radiation beam, ensuring that when one part of the volume of interest is imaged, the other part is shuttered, and vice versa, thereby reducing scattered radiation through dynamic collimation during tomographic acquisition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If dynamic collimation is used to shutter parts of the volume of interest alternately, then scattered radiation is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collimation system is made dynamic by alternating between different collimation settings during the imaging process. The first collimation setting images the first part of the volume while shuttering the second part, then switches to image the second part while shuttering the first part. This dynamic switching reduces scattered radiation reaching the detector from areas not currently being imaged.
Solution Approach 2:
The volume of interest is divided into at least two distinct parts (first part and second part) that are imaged alternately. By segmenting the imaging process into discrete portions with dedicated collimation settings, the system can selectively shutter portions of the volume, preventing scattered radiation from unimaged areas from reaching the detector.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the field of view is reduced through collimation variation, then scattered radiation is reduced, but imaging coverage decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The collimation system employs periodic action by alternating between at least two different collimation settings during the imaging process. The first collimation setting is used to image the first part of the volume, then switched to a second collimation setting to image the second part. This periodic switching ensures that at any given time, the field of view is restricted to reduce scattered radiation, while over the complete imaging cycle, full coverage of the entire volume is achieved.
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
This approach significantly reduces scattered radiation, allowing for improved image quality by dynamically adjusting the field of view and collimation, which is fully compatible with patient or radiation source translation, and can be implemented in both classical and three-dimensional imaging scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
varying collimation of said emitted radiation beam so as to change at least part-time a field of view of said emitted radiation beam
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a medical imaging method comprising: emitting a radiation beam from a radiation source of a rotating gantry, preferably of a rotating C-arm, on a volume of interest, varying collimation of said emitted radiation beam so as to change at least part-time a field of view of said emitted radiation beam so that there are at least a first part and a second part of said volume of interest such that, when said first part of said volume of interest is imaged, said second part of said volume of interest is shuttered, and when said second part of said volume of interest is imaged, said first part of said volume of interest is shuttered.