Radiation Imaging Exposure Control Using Sensor Data Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiation imaging apparatuses face challenges in accurately controlling exposure due to issues with classifying areas in the irradiation field, leading to low accuracy in determining non-object and object regions, which affects the precision of exposure control.
Innovation Solution
A radiation imaging apparatus with a monitoring unit that selects effective sensors by excluding those detecting maximum and minimum values, using a database to determine conditions for accurate exposure control based on patient and imaging region information, and classifying signals to improve the accuracy of exposure control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the maximum value pixel and minimum value pixel are used for exposure control, then the exposure control can be performed based on simple pixel value thresholds, but the accuracy of exposure control is low because these pixels are likely to be in boundary areas or contain noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and excludes the maximum value pixel and minimum value pixel from the set of pixels used for exposure control. By removing these problematic pixels that are likely to be in boundary areas or contain noise, the system uses only the remaining pixels (second maximum, second minimum, etc.) to calculate exposure control parameters, thereby improving accuracy while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different selection criteria to different portions of the pixel data distribution. Instead of uniformly using all pixels or a fixed number of pixels, it selectively excludes specific pixels (maximum and minimum) based on their local characteristics (extreme values that may represent boundary or noise regions), and uses the remaining pixels for exposure control calculations
2Device complexity
If pixels in boundary areas between non-object area and object area are included in exposure control, then the classification is simplified, but the determination accuracy of object and non-object regions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes pixels from boundary areas (identified as maximum and minimum value pixels) from the exposure control calculation. By excluding these ambiguous boundary pixels, the system achieves more accurate region determination without requiring complex classification algorithms, as the remaining pixels clearly belong to either object or non-object areas
3Device complexity
If radiation emission is controlled based on integrated pixel values including boundary area pixels, then the control system is simpler, but the diagnostic image quality is compromised due to inaccurate exposure management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts boundary area pixels (maximum and minimum value pixels) from the integrated pixel value calculation. By calculating the integrated value only from the remaining pixels (second maximum, second minimum, etc.), the system achieves accurate exposure control for diagnostic image quality without requiring complex control mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter used for integration from all pixel values or extreme value pixels to specific pixels excluding maximum and minimum values. This parameter change ensures that the integrated pixel value accurately represents the object area without contamination from boundary or noise regions, thereby improving image quality
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
The solution enhances the accuracy of exposure control by effectively identifying and excluding non-object and non-irradiation areas, ensuring that radiation is only emitted when necessary, thereby reducing unnecessary exposure and improving diagnostic image quality.
Implementation Method 1
a radiation detection unit 105 which includes a plurality of sensors 212 that detect radiation
Data Source
AI summary
A radiation imaging apparatus includes a radiation detection unit including a plurality of sensors which detect radiation, and a monitoring unit which monitors irradiation of radiation based on signals detected by the plurality of sensors. The monitoring unit determines a plurality of effective sensor candidates from the plurality of sensors, and determines effective sensor(s) from effective sensor candidates excluding certain effective sensor candidates of the plurality of effective sensor candidates, the certain effective sensor candidates being an effective sensor candidate which has detected a signal having a maximum value and an effective sensor candidate which has detected a signal having a minimum value. The monitoring unit monitors irradiation of radiation based on signal(s) detected by the effective sensor(s).