US 11,950,944 B2
Compact x-ray devices, systems, and methods for tomosynthesis, fluoroscopy, and stereotactic imaging
Otto Z. Zhou, Chapel Hill, NC (US); Jianping Lu, Chapel Hill, NC (US); Yueh Zenas Lee, Chapel Hill, NC (US); Christina Inscoe, Holly Springs, NC (US); and Alex Billingsley, Chapel Hill, NC (US)
Assigned to THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL, Chapel Hill, NC (US)
Filed by The University of North Carolina atChapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC (US)
Filed on Jun. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/335,491.
Application 17/335,491 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2019/064131, filed on Dec. 3, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/774,649, filed on Dec. 3, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0353238 A1, Nov. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 6/00 (2006.01); H01J 35/14 (2006.01); A61B 6/02 (2006.01); H01J 35/18 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 6/4405 (2013.01) [A61B 6/4417 (2013.01); A61B 6/4441 (2013.01); H01J 35/147 (2019.05); A61B 6/022 (2013.01); A61B 6/025 (2013.01); H01J 35/18 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A compact x-ray imaging system, comprising:
an x-ray source array comprising a plurality of spatially distributed x-ray focal spots and a digital area x-ray detector;
a collimation assembly connected to an exit window of the x-ray source array configured to substantially collimate x-ray radiation generated from each of the plurality of spatially distributed x-ray focal spots to a surface of the digital area x-ray detector;
an electronic switching device comprising:
a high voltage power supply;
a current source;
a switch configured to sequentially connect the current source to a plurality of field emission cathodes of the compact x-ray imaging system, with a pre-set current value, one at a time, to produce one or more projection images for tomosynthesis reconstruction without any mechanical motion of either the x-ray source array or the digital area x-ray detector; and
a trigger comprising one or more first processors and/or circuitry configured to synchronize detector data collection with x-ray exposure from the plurality of spatially distributed x-ray focal spots; and
a mechanical support configured to enable a position and orientation of the x-ray source array and the digital area x-ray detector to be adjusted such that both upper and lower extremities of a patient can be imaged using tomosynthesis in either a non-load bearing position or a load bearing position;
wherein the compact x-ray imaging system is configured to operate in a plurality of imaging modes;
wherein, when the compact x-ray imaging system is operated in the tomosynthesis imaging mode, a scanning x-ray beam is produced by sequentially activating x-ray beams from the plurality of spatially distributed x-ray focal spots electronically without moving any of the x-ray source array, the digital area x-ray detector, or the patient, in order to collect one or more required projection images for tomosynthesis reconstruction; and
wherein, when the compact x-ray imaging system is operated in the pulsed fluoroscopy imaging mode, x-ray radiation generated from a central focal spot of the plurality of spatially distributed x-ray focal spots is pulsed from about 5 to 30 pulses per second and, for each x-ray pulse, an image of an object being scanned is formed and displayed to produce an x-ray movie of the object.