Medical Image Capturing System Moisture Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The medical image capturing system faces issues with moisture ingress into insulation oil, leading to decreased insulation performance and potential discharge in high-voltage generation and X-ray tube devices, resulting in invalid exposures and sudden device failures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating moisture-in-oil sensors and temperature sensors in the insulation oil of high-voltage generation and X-ray tube devices, the system calculates a water activity value to adjust tube voltage settings and prompt device replacement, thereby preventing discharge and enabling continuous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the high-voltage generation device and X-ray tube device are filled with insulation oil to ensure insulation performance and cooling, then the insulation performance and cooling efficiency are improved, but moisture may gradually enter the insulation oil through rubber components, causing a decrease in withstand voltage and potential discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary warm-up operation before actual imaging to evaporate moisture from the insulation oil. The control unit activates the X-ray tube and high-voltage generation device at reduced power for a predetermined period, heating the insulation oil to remove moisture before normal operation begins, thereby preventing discharge caused by moisture accumulation
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by adjusting tube voltage and tube current during warm-up operation. The control unit sets the tube voltage to a first value and tube current to a first current for warm-up, then changes them to second and third values for actual operation. This parameter change enables moisture removal while controlling the heating process to prevent damage
2Productivity
If the device operates continuously to maximize imaging productivity, then the imaging output is improved, but the insulation oil accumulates moisture over time, leading to discharge and device failure
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic warm-up operations at predetermined intervals during continuous operation. The control unit schedules warm-up cycles where the device operates at reduced power to evaporate moisture from insulation oil, then returns to normal imaging operation. This periodic action removes accumulated moisture while maintaining high overall productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous imaging capability by integrating warm-up operations into the normal workflow. Rather than stopping imaging to prevent moisture accumulation, the system performs brief warm-up cycles that quickly remove moisture and immediately resume full imaging operation, ensuring continuous useful action without interruption
3Speed
If the tube voltage is increased to improve imaging quality and speed up acquisition, then the imaging speed and quality are improved, but the heat generation increases, causing greater moisture evaporation and potential discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary warm-up at reduced tube voltage and current to remove moisture before high-speed imaging. By pre-evaporating moisture through controlled heating at lower power settings, the system prepares the insulation oil to withstand subsequent high-power operation without discharge, enabling safe use of higher tube voltages for faster imaging
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 solution allows for continuous use of medical imaging devices by adjusting imaging conditions to prevent discharge and prompts timely device replacement, thereby minimizing the risk of invalid exposures and device failures.
Implementation Method 1
a moisture-in-oil sensor and a temperature sensor are provided in at least one of the first insulation oil of the high-voltage generation device or the second insulation oil of the X-ray tube device, the system control device calculates a water activity value from a moisture-in-oil content measured by the moisture-in-oil sensor
Implementation Method 2
the system control device calculates a water activity value from a moisture-in-oil content measured by the moisture-in-oil sensor and a temperature measured by the temperature sensor
Implementation Method 3
A high voltage is applied to the X-ray tube device in order to generate the X-rays. Therefore, in a case in which a large amount of X-rays are generated for a long time, the high-voltage generation device and the X-ray tube device generate a large amount of heat
Implementation Method 4
The X-ray tube device and the high-voltage generation device are filled with the insulation oil in order to ensure the insulation performance and to cool the devices
Data Source
AI summary
A medical image capturing system includes: a high-voltage generation device including a tank that accommodates a high-voltage generation unit immersed in first insulation oil; an X-ray tube device including an outer casing that houses a cathode and an anode and a container that accommodates the outer casing immersed in second insulation oil; and a system control device. The system control device calculates a water activity value from a sensor provided in at least one insulation oil. When imaging without warm-up, the system control device presents a tube voltage in a first range if the water activity value is lower than a threshold value, and presents a tube voltage in a second range lower than the tube voltage in the first range if the water activity value is higher than the threshold value. When imaging with warm-up, the high-voltage generation device and/or the X-ray tube device is warmed up.