X-ray Imaging Unit Rotational Mispositioning Correction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current X-ray imaging technologies face challenges in correcting both translational and rotational mispositioning of patients, leading to poor image quality, as existing solutions only address translational errors and not rotational errors effectively.

Innovation Solution

An X-ray imaging unit equipped with a processor-controlled gantry system that determines anatomical reference structures, calculates rotational displacement, and adjusts scan movements to correct both translational and rotational mispositioning before imaging, ensuring accurate positioning and improved image quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If full-field panoramic detector technology with summing process is used, then translational mispositioning can be corrected, but rotational mispositioning cannot be corrected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrection of translational mispositioningVSAvoidcorrection of rotational mispositioning
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the scanning trajectory based on detected rotational displacement. The gantry rotates at a variable speed that compensates for the patient's rotational mispositioning, transforming a static scanning path into a dynamic one that adapts to the actual head position. This resolves the contradiction by making the system flexible enough to handle both translational and rotational errors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses reference structures detected in the panoramic image to calculate rotational displacement, then feeds this information back to adjust the scanning trajectory. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to automatically compensate for rotational mispositioning, overcoming the limitation of previous systems that could only handle translational errors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If manual positioning of patient head is used, then positioning can be performed, but time consumption increases and mispositioning occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient positioningVSAvoidpositioning time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-positioning by allowing the patient to place their head on the support structure without complex manual adjustment. The automatic detection and correction of mispositioning through reference structures and trajectory adjustment eliminates the need for time-consuming manual positioning by operators, while maintaining ease of patient operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection of reference structures and calculation of rotational displacement before the actual imaging scan. This preliminary action allows the scanning trajectory to be pre-adjusted, so that when imaging begins, the positioning is already optimized, reducing overall time consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If strict positioning requirements are enforced, then image quality is maintained, but productivity decreases due to re-takes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidimaging efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the scanning parameters (trajectory, speed, rotation angle) based on the detected rotational displacement. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system maintains image quality across a wider range of positioning conditions, reducing the need for re-takes and improving productivity without sacrificing measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3517039B1X-ray imaging unit for x-ray imaging
Publication Date: 2022.10.12 PALODEX GROUP
  • EP3517039B1 patent drawingFigure 0a~1b
  • EP3517039B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~3

AI summary

The application relates to an X-ray imaging unit (100) for X-ray imaging. The unit comprise a processor part (372), a gantry part (120), an X-ray source part (124) for emitting X-rays, and an X-ray imaging detector part (126) for receiving the X-rays from the source part. The gantry part comprises the source and detector parts. The processor part is configured to control the source and detector parts in order to obtain (205, 216) an image data. The processor part is further configured to determine (208) at least one reference structure (235, 236) of a patient (201) from the image data and determine (212) a position of a head (237) of the patient on a grounds of the at least one reference structure.