X-ray Tube Control for Consistent Image Brightness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing X-ray diagnostic apparatuses face challenges in maintaining consistent image brightness during rotation imaging, particularly due to variations in body thickness, which can limit the range of pulse widths and result in suboptimal exposure conditions, affecting image quality in three-dimensional reconstruction.
Innovation Solution
The X-ray diagnostic apparatus acquires body thickness information from multiple directions, sets exposure conditions including pulse width, tube voltage, tube current, and focus size based on this information, and employs feedback control to adjust these parameters during rotation imaging, ensuring a wide range of pulse widths and optimal exposure conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If auto brightness control adjusts X-ray conditions based on collected images during rotation imaging, then image brightness is automatically adjusted to a constant value, but the range of pulse widths is limited and exposure conditions become suboptimal when body thickness varies
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary estimation of body thickness using fluoroscopic images collected before rotation imaging begins. Based on this preliminary information, the system pre-adjusts exposure conditions including pulse width, tube voltage, and tube current to optimize for the specific patient's body thickness before the actual imaging sequence starts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors image brightness during rotation imaging and uses feedback control to dynamically adjust pulse width and other exposure parameters. This closed-loop feedback ensures that brightness remains constant while adapting to variations in body thickness throughout the imaging sequence.
2Productivity
If the C arm rotates to collect projection data at a predetermined frame rate, then rotation imaging is performed, but image brightness becomes inconsistent due to variations in body thickness at different arm positions
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts exposure parameters including pulse width, tube voltage, and tube current in real-time during the rotation imaging process. The adjustments are made based on feedback from collected images and the estimated body thickness, allowing the system to maintain consistent brightness while preserving the predetermined frame rate and imaging speed.
3Device complexity
If exposure conditions are fixed at the start of imaging, then the imaging process is simple, but image quality deteriorates when body thickness varies during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary estimation of body thickness using fluoroscopic images before the rotation imaging sequence begins. Based on this preliminary assessment, the system pre-optimizes exposure conditions including pulse width and tube current to match the specific patient's anatomy, ensuring high image quality is achieved before the actual imaging starts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control that continuously monitors image brightness and adjusts exposure parameters during rotation imaging. This feedback mechanism automatically compensates for variations in body thickness, maintaining optimal image quality throughout the imaging sequence without requiring complex manual intervention.
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 maintains consistent brightness, improves image quality by adapting to body thickness changes, and ensures uniformity in projection data, enhancing the reconstruction of three-dimensional images.
Implementation Method 1
an X-ray tube 12 configured to radiate X-rays
Implementation Method 2
an X-ray detector 16 configured to detect the X-rays
Data Source
AI summary
An X-ray diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment includes an X-ray tube, an X-ray detector, an arm holding the X-ray tube and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry obtains body thickness information of a subject in an acquisition direction of an X-ray image at an arm position different from an arm position at a start of acquiring X-ray images. The processing circuitry sets, based on the body thickness information of the subject, acquisition condition at the start of acquiring the X-ray images. The processing circuitry starts acquiring of the X-ray images with the set acquisition condition. The processing circuitry acquires the X-ray images sequentially by rotating the arm while iteratively setting the acquisition condition by feedback control.