X-ray Shutter for Dynamic Area of Interest Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current X-ray fluoroscopy systems expose both patients and medical professionals to excessive radiation due to the need for continuous imaging, with existing solutions either being time-consuming or providing suboptimal image orientation by limiting radiation to only part of the image.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a fast X-ray shutter near the source that selectively blocks radiation outside the area of interest, updating this area frequently while reducing the update rate for the rest of the image, thereby minimizing overall exposure and improving image quality by using a narrow beam for the area of interest.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous X-ray imaging is used for real-time fluoroscopy, then image quality and real-time monitoring are improved, but radiation exposure to patients and medical staff increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The image is divided into two regions: a region of interest (ROI) that is updated at full frame rate with high radiation exposure, and a background region that is updated at a lower frame rate with reduced radiation exposure. This segmentation allows the system to maintain real-time monitoring capability in the critical area while reducing overall radiation dose to both patient and staff.
Solution Approach 2:
Different radiation exposure levels are applied to different regions of the image. The ROI receives full-dose radiation for high-quality real-time imaging, while the background region receives reduced-dose radiation. This local quality approach ensures that the critical area maintains diagnostic quality while minimizing unnecessary radiation exposure in less critical areas.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If stationary lead shields are used to reduce radiation exposure, then radiation protection is improved, but operational efficiency decreases due to time-consuming adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The lead shield is made dynamically adjustable through motorized control, allowing it to move automatically to different positions based on the ROI location. This eliminates the need for manual adjustment by the operator, maintaining radiation protection while significantly improving operational efficiency and reducing intervention time.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding system automatically adjusts its position and configuration based on the detected ROI, eliminating the need for manual intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously optimizing the shield position to protect staff while maintaining visibility of the critical area, thereby improving productivity without compromising safety.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If electrically controlled masks are used to limit radiation to part of the image, then radiation exposure is reduced, but image orientation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The image is segmented into an ROI that receives full radiation exposure for detailed visualization and a background region that receives reduced exposure. By maintaining full exposure in the background area, the system preserves the overall anatomical context and orientation information needed for proper image interpretation, while still reducing overall radiation dose.
Solution Approach 2:
Radiation exposure is locally optimized by applying full dose only to the ROI where detailed information is critical, while applying reduced dose to the background. This ensures that the background retains sufficient quality for orientation and context, avoiding the information loss that would occur with uniform masking approaches.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the X-ray beam is collimated to a narrow area of interest, then radiation exposure is reduced and image quality in that area is improved, but the overall image coverage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system periodically opens the full X-ray beam to capture background images at a lower frame rate, then switches to narrow collimation for ROI imaging at full frame rate. This periodic alternation between full-beam and narrow-beam modes ensures that both the background context and the detailed ROI information are captured over time, maintaining overall image coverage while reducing radiation exposure during the majority of the imaging cycle.
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
Significantly reduces X-ray exposure for both patients and medical staff while maintaining image quality, allowing for lighter protective gear and potentially eliminating the need for lead glass goggles, with a 23-fold reduction in radiation dose achieved.
Implementation Method 1
A fast X-ray shutter, placed near the X-ray source, blocks the radiation from areas outside the area of interest
Implementation Method 2
The area of interest is imaged at reduced scatter and better quality
Data Source
AI summary
To reduce X-ray exposure while improving image quality, an area of interest is selected in the image. The image of the selected area is updated frequently, comparable to a rate of updates used today for the whole image. The rest of the image is updated at a significantly lower rate. Since the area of interest normally is a small part of the overall area, the total exposure is reduced significantly. A fast X-ray shutter, placed near the X-ray source, blocks the radiation from areas outside the area of interest. The shutter automatically retracts when the complete image is updated. The area of interest can be selected by the user or automatically selected based on activity in the image. Since most of the exposures are taken at a reduced collimation angle, limited by the area of interest, the area of interest is imaged at reduced scatter and better quality.