| CPC A61B 6/025 (2013.01) [A61B 6/4007 (2013.01); A61B 6/405 (2013.01); A61B 6/4085 (2013.01); A61B 6/466 (2013.01)] | 5 Claims |
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1. A method of obtaining x-ray images of a first object obscured by a second object; the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing an x-ray imaging apparatus comprising a panel including an array of individually energisable x-ray emitters, a detector and a processor, wherein the array and the detector remain stationary relative to one another, and wherein the array and the detector remain stationary relative to the second object;
b) energising a first set of x-ray emitters of the panel over a first period of time and directing the x-rays at the first object and surrounding area;
c) using the detector to detect the x-rays after passing through the first object and surrounding area;
d) processing the detected x-rays to create a first x-ray image of the first object and surrounding area;
e) selecting, by an operator in conjunction with suggestions made by the apparatus by reference to a set of rules, a region of interest from the first x-ray image which is smaller than the first x-ray image of the first object and surrounding area;
f) energising a second set of x-ray emitters of the panel over a second period of time and directing the x-rays at the region of interest, wherein the emitters energised in the second time period are energised in temporal separation to ensure over-sampling and allow 3D tomosynthesis image reconstruction of the region of interest;
g) using the detector to detect the x-rays after passing through the region of interest;
h) processing the detected x-rays to create a set of x-ray images of the region of interest to obtain tomosynthesis data showing the structure of the region of interest, wherein the number of emitters energised in the first time period is fewer than the number of emitters energised in the second time period.
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