X-ray beam z-axis positioning

• Main Authors: MILLER LESTER M, KAMATH JANARDHAN K, LUHTA RANDALL P
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 03.03.2010
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; DIAGNOSIS; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; SURGERY; X-RAY TECHNIQUE

A medical imaging system includes an x-ray source (112) having a focal spot that emits radiation that traverses an examination region (108). The position of the focal spot along a longitudinal direction is a function of a temperature of one or more x-ray source components. The system further includes a detector (120) that detects the radiation and a collimator (116), disposed between the x-ray source (112) and the examination region (108), that collimates that radiation along the longitudinal direction. A focal spot position estimator (132) dynamically computes an estimated position of the focal spot along the longitudinal direction based on the temperature of one or more x-ray source components. A collimator positioner (128) positions the collimator (116) along the longitudinal directionbased on the estimated focal spot position prior to performing a scan.