X-ray system, and method using an x-ray system

[0001] The present application hereby claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 on German patent application number DE 10 2005 005 902.3 filed Feb. 9, 2005, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The invention generally relates to an X-ray system and/or to a method using an X-ray system.

[0003] An X-ray system or a method is known from DE 101 18 745 C2.

[0004] A digital X-ray system, in which a digital, mobile solid object detector and a central control device communicate wirelessly and bidirectionally with one another, has, inter alia, the advantage of being flexible and simple to handle even in the case of critical applications such as X-ray shots of patients who must not be moved. The mobility of the solid object detector indicates that a few problems may also arise in addition to many advantages, however: first, when there are a plurality of X-ray systems or a plurality of mobile solid object detectors there is the risk of confusion, so that, by way of example, the wrong solid object detector, that is to say the solid object detector which is not suitable for the examination or which is not part of the X-ray system, is put into a shooting position close to a patient. If X-ray radiation is then applied and an X-ray shot is triggered, the X-ray shot is remote from the patient and hence meaningless, while at the same time the X-ray radiation irradiating the wrong solid object detector close to the patient does not produce a good image, and secondly there is the risk that the wrong association indicates that a patient is exposed to unwanted irradiation.

[0005] It is an object of at least one embodiment of the present invention to allow a digital X-ray examination using a wireless, mobile solid object detector to proceed correctly and in a simplified form.

[0006] At least one embodiment of the invention may achieve an object via an X-ray system or for a method.

[0007] In the inventive X-ray system of at least one embodiment, containing a radiation source, a central control device and an associatable wireless mobile solid object detector, the signaling unit can be used by a user to perform a simple and safe check on the distinct association between the mobile solid object detector and the central control device by virtue of an indicator confirming the association. This makes it possible to prevent the incorrect use of the solid object detector which is not part of the X-ray system or of X-ray radiation.

[0008] In accordance with one refinement of at least one embodiment of the invention, the signaling unit is provided in the form of a visual and/or audio indicator; the visual or audio indicator provides the user with a particularly good and distinct way of telling whether a solid object detector is the one associated with the X-ray system.

[0009] In accordance with a further refinement of at least one embodiment of the invention, the indicator covers the respective availability of the solid object detector. Thus, in addition to the association, it is a simple matter to tell whether the associated solid object detector is in an operating state in which it is not available for an X-ray shot. Availability can be indicated by way of a positive signal, for example, and a lack of availability can be indicated by way of a negative signal, for example.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows an X-ray system 1 containing a central control device 2, a radiation source 4 arranged on a support arm 3, and an associated mobile solid object detector 5 which can be positioned remotely from the central control device. The solid object detector 5 can be used in a known manner to shoot X-ray images of a patient 6 lying on an operating table. The mobility of the solid object detector 5 indicates that it can be arranged as desired, for example including in a drawer 10 in the operating table 7, which is in the form of a Bucky table.

[0014] The control device 2 has a transmission and reception device 8, with a corresponding transmission and reception device 9 being provided on the radiation receiver. Both transmission and reception device 8, 9 can communicate with one another wirelessly and bidirectionally, for example in order to transmit control commands and image data. A charging station 13 on the central control device 2 can be used to recharge storage batteries provided in the solid object detector 5.

[0015] FIG. 2 shows a solid object detector 5 based on at least one embodiment of the invention with a visual indicator fitted to its narrow sides in the form of LED arrays 11 and with an audio indicator, likewise fitted on one of its narrow sides, in the form of a loudspeaker 12. The indicators are arranged outside of the active image area 14 of the solid object detector 5, the active image area 14 being understood to be the region provided for converting X-ray radiation into depiction data. Components which are usual in solid object detectors, such as a pixel matrix, reading electronics and also transmission and reception devices and storage batteries, are not shown in more detail in order to allow for better clarity of the essence of at least one embodiment of the invention.

[0016] If an examination room now contains a plurality of solid object detectors or it is not absolutely clear that the solid object detector provided is actually the one associated with the X-ray system 1, the association needs to be checked before the X-ray shot. To this end, the central control device 2 sends an activation signal to the associated solid object detector 5 in order to check that it is present or that it is available. The associated solid object detector 5 then indicates an existing association by outputting a visual and/or audio signal.

[0017] By way of example, the LED arrays 11 may flash green in order to indicate the association and simultaneous availability, and may flash red in order to indicate the association and a lack of availability. Equally, various sounds which are output by the loudspeaker 12 may indicate the association.

[0018] Following confirmation, the associated solid object detector 5 can then be put into the shooting position for the patient and an X-ray shot can be taken. If the solid object detector in question does not output a signal then it is not the associated solid object detector 5; the search for the correct solid object detector can then be simplified by repeated triggering of the indicator.

[0019] If the solid object detector 5 is in the drawer 10 in the operating table 11 in the form of a Bucky table, a further refinement of at least one embodiment of the invention has provision for the Bucky table to be in a form such that the visual indicator on the associated mobile solid object detector 5 can be detected, when put into the drawer 10, via optical sensors arranged in the Bucky table and can be indicated by way of a visual signaling unit fitted on the outside of the Bucky table. The signaling unit may in turn comprise LEDs situated on the Bucky table. It is thus possible for the user to recognize a visual signal output by the solid object detector 5 even if the solid object detector 5 or at least its indicator is not outwardly visible.

[0020] At least one embodiment of the invention can be briefly summarized in the following manner: for an examination to run correctly, the mobile solid object detector 5 in an X-ray system 1, containing a radiation source 4, a central control device 2, a mobile solid object detector 5 which can be associated with the latter, and a wireless communication link between the solid object detector and the control device 2, has a signaling unit for indicating an existing association with the central control unit 2.

[0021] Example embodiments being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.