X-ray Collimator Gaze Tracking for Radiation Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In multiple frame x-ray imaging, existing systems face challenges in minimizing radiation exposure to medical teams while maintaining image quality, particularly during dynamic procedures where x-ray radiation is active for longer periods, leading to potential health risks for personnel.
Innovation Solution
An x-ray system incorporating an eye tracker to determine the user's gazing coordinates, optimizing image parameters such as x-ray tube current, Peak Kilo Voltage, and collimator settings to ensure high exposure at the Region of Interest (ROI) while reducing exposure to other areas, using tone-correction functions and variable absorption phantoms to adjust radiation levels and image data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the x-ray radiation is active for a longer period to maintain continuous imaging, then the productivity is improved, but the harmful radiation exposure to medical teams increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing high radiation intensity only to the specific Region of Interest (ROI) where the medical team needs to observe, while reducing radiation intensity to other areas. The collimator is configured to expose a first area (ROI) to a first radiation level and a second area to a lower radiation level, thereby maintaining imaging capability where needed while reducing overall exposure to personnel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the image into different regions with different radiation exposure levels. The collimator divides the detector area into a first area corresponding to the ROI and a second area, allowing differential radiation exposure. This segmentation enables continuous imaging productivity while reducing harmful exposure to medical teams by limiting radiation to only necessary areas.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the collimator limits the solid angle of x-ray radiation to a fraction of the image intensifier area, then the radiation exposure to medical teams is reduced, but the signal to noise ratio of the x-ray image deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by applying local quality - the collimator exposes the first area (ROI) to a first radiation level that maintains adequate signal-to-noise ratio for diagnostic quality, while exposing the second area to a lower radiation level that reduces overall exposure to medical teams. This localized approach ensures image quality where needed without unnecessarily increasing radiation elsewhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the collimator configuration based on the detected gaze position. When the gaze position indicates interest in a specific area, the collimator is adjusted to expose that area to higher radiation levels, while other areas receive reduced exposure. This dynamic adaptation maintains image quality for the region of interest while reducing overall radiation exposure to medical teams.
3Measurement precision
If the collimator is moved to swap the entire input area of the image intensifier, then the ROI gets high enough x-ray radiation to generate a good S/N image, but the rest of the image is exposed with low x-ray intensity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by configuring the collimator to expose different areas to different radiation levels simultaneously. The first area (ROI) receives sufficient radiation for good S/N ratio, while the second area receives reduced radiation. This is achieved through the collimator's ability to selectively block and transmit radiation, creating non-uniform exposure patterns that match the needs of different image regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses gaze position detection as feedback to dynamically adjust the collimator configuration. The gaze position detector monitors where the medical team is looking and feeds this information back to the collimator control system, which then adjusts the collimator position and configuration to ensure the ROI receives adequate radiation while other areas receive reduced exposure. This feedback mechanism maintains ease of operation by automatically adapting to changing imaging needs.
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 effectively reduces radiation exposure to medical teams while maintaining high image quality by dynamically adjusting x-ray radiation levels and image optimization based on the user's focus, enhancing safety and image clarity.
Implementation Method 1
an x-ray source (100) that generates x-ray radiation (102)
Implementation Method 2
collimators of x-ray absorbing materials such as lead are used to block the redundant radiation
Data Source
AI summary
A multiple frame x-ray imaging system is disclosed with capability of differential x-ray exposure of different input areas of an image intensifier or other x-ray detector. Collimators are provided to control the amount of radiation in various regions of the image and image processing is provided to provide the display of images of different qualities.