| CPC A61B 6/54 (2013.01) [A61B 6/025 (2013.01); A61B 6/5205 (2013.01)] | 10 Claims |
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1. A digital x-ray tomosynthesis system comprising:
an x-ray emitter panel comprising a plurality of spatially distributed x-ray emitters arranged in a substantially planar array such that each respective emission cone from each respective one of the plurality of x-ray emitters projects along a respective axis substantially perpendicular to the planar array, when activated;
an x-ray detector spaceable from the x-ray emitter panel by a separation distance such that each respective emission cone from each respective one of the plurality of x-ray emitters impinges on the x-ray detector, when activated;
a controller configured to:
select a sub-set of x-ray emitters from the plurality of x-ray emitters such that no part of the x-ray detector is exposed to x-rays from more than nine x-ray emitters of the sub-set of x-ray emitters;
activate each x-ray emitter of the sub-set of x-ray emitters in a sequence to produce a respective image at the x-ray detector; and
generate a two-dimensional composite image from non-overlapping portions of each of the respective images produced on the x-ray detector; and
an output device configured to display the two-dimensional composite image generated by the controller to help with alignment of the system.
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