Static Collimator Filters for Targeted CT Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current CT imaging methods expose the entire patient to radiation, increasing the dose and limiting the ability to focus on specific regions of interest without compromising image quality or increasing radiation exposure.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a static filter of a pre-patient collimator to narrow the x-ray beam, allowing only the region of interest to be irradiated, thereby reducing radiation exposure and improving image focus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a pre-patient collimator is used to image only a region of interest, then radiation dose to the patient is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to the need for multiple static filters and dynamic collimation mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-patient collimator is divided into multiple static filters, each configured for specific anatomical regions. This segmentation allows the system to address different imaging needs with simpler, fixed components rather than requiring a single complex dynamic system, thereby reducing radiation dose to specific regions while managing device complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The collimator system incorporates dynamic elements that allow adjustment between different static filter configurations based on the imaging requirements. This dynamic capability enables the system to adapt to different anatomical regions and imaging scenarios, resolving the contradiction between using fixed filters for dose reduction and needing flexibility for various imaging needs
2Manufacturing precision
If different pre-patient collimators are used for different anatomy, then imaging precision for specific regions is improved, but the ease of operation decreases due to the need to select and change filters
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple static filters are pre-configured for specific anatomical regions and imaging scenarios. This preliminary preparation allows the operator to simply select from pre-optimized configurations rather than adjusting complex parameters, thereby maintaining high imaging precision while improving ease of operation through simplified selection processes
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates automated filter selection capabilities that can identify the appropriate static filter configuration based on the imaging requirements, reducing the operational burden on the user while maintaining optimal imaging precision for different anatomical regions
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 enables targeted CT scans that reduce radiation dosage to the patient while ensuring high-quality imaging of specific regions of interest, making it particularly useful for longitudinal studies.
Implementation Method 1
radiation transmits from a radiation source to a detector through the imaging subject
Implementation Method 2
a static filter of a pre-patient collimator to adjust the x-ray beam such that only a region of interest of the patient is irradiated
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method of obtaining a computed tomography scan of a region of interest includes determining a region of interest. The region of interest is a portion of an object being scanned. The method also includes selectin an appropriate static filter of a pre-patient collimator from a plurality of pre-patient collimators and positioning the selected static filter of the pre-patient collimator in a path of an x-ray beam. The method may also include adjusting a table of the CT system to position the region of interest in the path of the region of interest.