Tomographic imaging system
US10895540B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 8, 2019 |
| Grant date | Jan 19, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 8, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05G1/70
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention relates to a novel, non-rotating tomographic imaging system, including a multi-source x-ray imaging module which includes multiple x-ray sources within a vacuum manifold, each equipped with a non-thermionic cathode which can reduce image scan time (and hence, motion artifacts), or delivered radiation dose, through under-sampled acquisition sequences, and without adding additional sources. The non-thermionic nature of the cathode enables rapid on/off switching of x-rays without concern as to the thermal mass or the thermal time-constant of the cathode. The modules can be flexibly interconnected to each other to allow configuration as part of a distributed ring of sources, or in other x-ray imaging geometries. Modularity provides the present invention an advantage in making it easier to debug and repair a distributed-source imaging system, such as a computed tomographic (CT) system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.