Multi-Energy CT Imaging via Angular Voltage Modulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Dual-energy CT systems are expensive and have high hardware costs, making them difficult to popularize, and they struggle to accurately reflect X-ray interactions with substances, leading to poor reconstruction accuracy of characteristic absorption.
Innovation Solution
A multi-energy CT imaging system that adjusts X-ray machine high voltage multiple times during a single rotation, using the same hardware design as conventional single-energy CT systems, to achieve multi-energy imaging without increasing hardware costs, by dividing the circular track into angle intervals and switching voltages accordingly, and employing data processing methods to reconstruct attenuation coefficient images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If dual-source dual-detector system is used, then multi-energy imaging function is achieved, but hardware cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The circular scanning track is divided into multiple angle intervals, with each interval assigned a specific voltage level. The X-ray generation device switches voltages at different angular positions during a single rotation, segmenting the scanning process by angle rather than requiring multiple physical sources or detectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The X-ray generation device performs periodic voltage switching during each rotational cycle, alternating between high voltage and low voltage states at predetermined angle intervals. This periodic voltage modulation enables multi-energy data acquisition without requiring multiple hardware systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fast energy switch system is used, then multi-energy imaging is achieved, but new specialized hardware is required increasing cost and reducing applicability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables conventional single-energy CT hardware to perform multi-energy imaging by adding voltage switching control during rotation. The same X-ray generation device and detector used in single-energy CT can acquire multi-energy data through angular-based voltage modulation, making the system universally applicable to existing CT scanners.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the voltage parameter of the X-ray generation device dynamically during rotation based on angular position. By modulating voltage according to scanning angle rather than time, the system achieves multi-energy imaging using standard hardware that can tolerate gradual parameter changes throughout the rotational cycle.
3Loss of information
If dual-energy CT is used, then material composition information is obtained, but reconstruction accuracy of characteristic absorption remains poor
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning angular range is segmented into multiple intervals, with each interval dedicated to a specific energy level. This angular segmentation ensures that complete projection data for each energy level is collected from the appropriate angular views, improving the accuracy of attenuation coefficient reconstruction for material characterization.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical approach of using multiple physical X-ray sources or fast voltage switching with an angular-position-based voltage control system. This substitution allows conventional hardware to achieve multi-energy imaging with improved reconstruction accuracy by collecting complete angular data sets for each energy level.
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 provides a low-cost, widely applicable multi-energy imaging function that accurately reflects the atomic number and electron density distribution, improving the accuracy of substance characterization without the need for new hardware, thus extending the functionality of conventional CT systems.
Implementation Method 1
The dual-energy CT takes advantage of the difference in attenuation of substance in different energies to obtain distribution information about multiple physical characteristics parameters of objects
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3(A)~4(B)
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to multi-energy CT imaging system and imaging method. The multi-energy CT imaging system comprises: a stage for carrying the object to be inspected; voltage-regulatable X-ray generation device for emitting X-rays; a detector for receiving X-rays emitted from said X-ray generation device and penetrating said object to be inspected, and for outputting detection data; a rack having said X-ray generation device and said detector mounted thereon; and a data processing and control device for controlling said stage, said X-ray generation device, said detector and said rack, processing detected data, and during one rotation of scan of said X-ray generation device, evenly dividing the circular track of said X-ray generation device into angle intervals of a predetermined number according to the predetermined number of energies and setting a different high voltage of said X-ray generation device for each angle interval, and when said rack rotates from the current angle interval into a next angle interval, controlling said X-ray generation device to switch it to a voltage set in the next angle interval.