X-ray Collimator Superellipse Shape for Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional X-ray imaging systems face challenges in displaying collimated images without altering the shape or size when rotated, as they often require reshaping or resizing to accommodate cornerless or superellipse shapes, limiting the viewable area and detector utilization.
Innovation Solution
The use of a collimator that shapes the X-ray beam to exclude one or more corners of the X-ray detector, allowing for a large viewable image on a square or rectangular display without resizing, by using X-ray attenuating materials to define apertures with superellipse or cornerless shapes, enabling rotation without reshaping or resizing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional rectangular collimator is used to limit the X-ray beam field, then patient exposure is minimized and image contrast is improved, but the detector utilization is reduced and image blooming occurs at the edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing the conventional rectangular collimator with a rounded rectangular collimator having rounded corners. This curved geometry allows the collimator to conform better to the circular field of view of the image intensifier, maximizing detector utilization while preventing X-ray exposure at the corners where the detector would otherwise be overloaded. The rounded corners eliminate the sharp edges that cause image blooming, thereby improving both detector utilization and image quality simultaneously.
2Area of stationary object
If the X-ray beam is collimated to a rectangular shape, then the field of view is maximized, but the image cannot be rotated without reshaping or resizing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetry by designing a rounded rectangular collimator that breaks the conventional symmetric rectangular shape. The rounded corners create an asymmetric geometry that is better suited for rotational display on square or rectangular monitors. This asymmetric rounded rectangular shape allows the image to be rotated without requiring reshaping or resizing, as the rounded corners accommodate various orientations more gracefully than sharp rectangular corners, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining field of view.
3Measurement precision
If the collimator limits the X-ray beam to a smaller area, then image contrast is improved and blooming is reduced, but the viewable area on the display is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rounded rectangular collimator uses curved corners to optimize the balance between image contrast and viewable area. The rounded geometry reduces X-ray exposure at the detector edges more effectively than sharp corners, minimizing blooming and improving image contrast. Simultaneously, the rounded corners allow for more efficient use of the detector surface and display area, as the curved edges better match the circular field of view of the image intensifier, thereby maximizing the viewable area without sacrificing contrast 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
This solution allows for a larger viewable image on a display device while maintaining the image's size and geometry during rotation, maximizing detector utilization and providing better image detail without the need for resizing or reshaping, thus improving image quality and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The collimator can be sized and shaped to collimate an X-ray beam from the X-ray source that exposes a receptor region on the detector
Implementation Method 2
The X-rays that are emitted from the X-ray source can impinge on the X-ray detector and provide an X-ray image of the object (or objects) that are placed between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for obtaining and displaying a collimated X-ray image are described. The methods can include providing an X-ray device having an X-ray source, a square or rectangular X-ray detector, and a collimator. The collimator can be sized and shaped to collimate an X-ray beam from the X-ray source that exposes a receptor region on the detector. The collimator can allow the X-ray image received by the X-ray detector to have any suitable shape that allows a relatively large view of the image to be displayed and rotated on the display device without changing the shape or size of the image as it rotated. In some instances, the collimator provides the image with superellipse shapes or cornerless shapes having four substantially straight edges with a 90 degree corner missing between at least two edges that run substantially perpendicular to each other. Other embodiments are described.