Computer Tomography Apparatus With Beam Thickness Adjustment

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to a computer tomography apparatus of the type having an x-ray source which emits a fan-shaped x-ray beam, shaped by a primary radiation diaphragm, which is rotated around a measurement field so as to transirradiate a measurement field from different directions, the attenuated radiation being incident on a radiation detector which converts the incident radiation into electrical signals which are supplied to a computer for generating images.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In known computer tomography systems of the above type, for example in computer tomography systems of the third generation having an arcuate detector composed of a row of detector elements which is rotated around the measurement field together with the x-ray source, the thickness of the x-ray beam (i.e., the extent of the x-ray beam in a direction perpendicular to the fan plane and perpendicular to the direction of radiation propagation) is constant during the scanning, i.e., during the rotation. When subjects are examined which have a highly elliptical cross section, for example when scanning the shoulder or hip region of a human patient, measured values are obtained which contain a large amount of noise, which leads to disturbing horizontal artifacts in the image which is reconstructed from those measured values by the computer. These image artifacts are caused by the low number of quanta which are able to reach the detector at certain of the angular projections. In known systems, these artifacts are attenuated by means of appropriate computational algorithms. It is also known to minimize such artifacts by regulating the high-voltage supply (generator power). The extent to which the generator power can be modified, however, is very small.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a computer tomography apparatus of the type having an x-ray source which rotates around a measurement field wherein image disturbances of the type described above are substantially eliminated without the use of computational algorithms and without the necessity of regulating the generator power.

The above object is achieved in accordance with the principles of the present invention in a method and apparatus wherein thickness of the x-ray beam perpendicularly to the fan plane is varied during rotation of the x-ray beam around the measurement field. In one embodiment of the invention, the thickness variation is accomplished by providing an angular sensor which generates a signal corresponding to the angle at which the x-ray beam currently resides relative to the measurement field, this signal being used to control the position of the plates of primary radiation diaphragm. The opening between the plates, and thus the thickness of the x-ray beam, are varied dependent on the amount of attenuation of the beam which takes place at the respective angular positions, this amount of attenuation being known (or predictable) based on the cross section of the subject being examined.

In the computer tomography apparatus of the invention, therefore, the generator power is maintained constant throughout the rotation of the x-ray beam, but the slice thickness is varied by means of varying the aperture of the primary radiation diaphragm. When conducting an exposure having a nominal slice thickness of, for example, 3 mm, the diaphragm aperture, and thus the slice thickness, are enlarged in a prescribed annular range wherein an especially pronounced attenuation of the x-rays occurs. More quanta thus reach the radiation detector, so that the noise in the detector signal is reduced.

The single FIGURE is a schematic diagram of a computer tomography apparatus with beam thickness adjustment, constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and operating in accordance with the principles of the method of the present invention.

The computer tomography apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention shown in the drawing includes a rotating frame 1 which is rotatable around a system axis 3 by a motor 2. The rotating frame 1 carries an x-ray radiator 4 and a radiation detector 5. The x-ray radiator 4 generates a fan-shaped beam 7 in a plane lying perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing. A primary radiation diaphragm 6, having adjustable diaphragm plates 8, is disposed in the path of the x-ray beam 7 for gating the x-ray beam 7. The thickness of the x-ray beam 7, i.e., its extent in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the fan beam 7, is thereby defined by the position of the adjustable diaphragm plates 8.

The x-ray beam 7 penetrates a measurement field in which a patient support 9 having a patient 10 thereon are disposed.

The radiation detector 5, which is composed of a row of detector elements, converts the x-rays incident thereon into corresponding electrical signals, which are supplied to a computer 11 which constructs an image of the patient 10 therefrom. The image is displayed on a monitor 12. The x-ray radiator 4 is fed by a high-voltage generator 13.

Transverse slice images, for example, of selected slices of the patient 10 can be produced with the computer tomography apparatus shown in the drawing. For this purpose, the rotating frame 1 is rotated through 360.degree. for conducting a scan of a slice.

During such a can, the thickness of the x-ray beam 7 is varied in accordance with the principles of the present invention. This is accomplished in the embodiment shown in the drawing by a motor 14 which operates the diaphragm plates 8 so as to adjust the aperture formed by the plates 8, which in turn determines the thickness of the x-ray beam 7. The motor is operated by a control unit 15 which receives a signal "a" from an angle sensor 16. The angle sensor 16 is positioned to generate a signal corresponding to the current angular position of the rotating frame 1, the signal "a" thus also identifying the current angular position of the x-ray beam 7. If a slice of the examination subject 10 is to be examined which has a highly elliptical cross section, for example, the x-ray beam 7 will have to propagate through the larger distance within the subject when the central ray of the fan-shaped beam 7 is within a range in either side of the major axis of the ellipse of the elliptical cross section than will be case when the central ray of the x-ray beam 7 is within a range on either side of the minor axis of the ellipse. As a consequence, the radiation of the x-ray beam 7 will be more attenuated when the central ray is within a first angular range than will be the case when the central ray is in a different angular range. By monitoring the angular position of the rotating frame 1, and thus the angular position of the x-ray beam 7, using the angle sensor 16, the control unit 15, dependent on the signal "a" operates the motor 14 to adjust the aperture of the diaphragm plates 8 accordingly, so that the x-ray beam 7 can be made thicker as needed during the course of a complete rotation. The radiation detector 5 thereby receives more quanta in those angular ranges wherein the beam is made thicker, thereby reducing the noise in the resulting signal. Reduction of the noise substantially reduces, or completely eliminates, the aforementioned image artifacts caused by signal noise.

Although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art, it is the intention of the inventor to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of his contribution to the art.