Plain x-ray bone densitometry apparatus and method
US6324252A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 30, 2000 |
| Grant date | Nov 27, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 30, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B6/583
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Non-invasive quantitative plain radiographic evaluation of bone in a bony locale of a body is performed by subjecting the bony locale to a broadband collimated x-ray beam having energy in the range of about 20 keV to 150 keV. Alongside the bony locale is a composite phantom. The composite phantom is comprised of at least two materials, superimposed on one another. An energy-selective multiple-film detector cassette containing at least two films is placed under the body and composite phantom to receive the transmitted x-ray beam. The films in the cassette are developed and digitally scanned to produce sets of composite phantom data and sets of bone data. The data sets are then numerically processed using interpolation whereby to generate the indicated estimate of bone status, namely, bone-mineral density. In an alternative embodiment, an independent measurement is made of the total tissue thickness, and the bone status is determined using interpolation based only on a single film.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.