TH40105A - Machinery and methods for creating digital radiographic images. - Google Patents

Abstract

DC60 (21/09/42) X-ray imaging instrument (3) consisting of an emission screen (9), an opaque chamber (6) and a CCD camera (14). The emission screen (9) receives radiation in part of the electromagnetic spectrum and emits layer-generating radiation in different parts of the spectrum. The shadows formed on the emission screen (9) are captured by the CCD camera (14) and converted into digital signals. Shadow capture by the CCD camera (14) is initiated simultaneously with the emission by the emission screen (9). The emission screen (9) may be replaced by a photoplate feeder to scan the X-ray shadows that have been recorded on the photoplate. X-ray imaging instrument (3) consisting of an emission screen (9), an opaque chamber (6) and a CCD camera (14). The emission screen (9) receives radiation in part of the electromagnetic spectrum and emits layer-generating radiation. The emission of rays in different parts of the spectrum, the shadows formed on the emission screen (9) are captured by a CCD camera (14) and converted into a digital signal. The capture of shadows by the CCD camera (14) is initiated simultaneously with the emission of rays by the emission screen (9). The emission screen (9) may be replaced by a photoplate feeder to scan the X-ray shadows that have been recorded on the photoplate.

Claims (22)

1. A radiographic imaging instrument consisting of a light-emitting screen to receive incident radiation, which is in a part of the electromagnetic spectrum. This radiation penetrates the body of the target object and has an intensity pattern relative to the body. To generate radiation in different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum on the incident radiation, a radiation sensor is generated by the light-emitting screen. This sensor then generates an electrical signal related to the intensity of the received radiation, and a digital converter produces a digital signal representing the electrical signal. 2. The instrument for generating radiographic images as entitled in claim 1. The radiation obtained is X-ray radiation. 3. An instrument for generating radiographic images as entitled under either claim 1 or 2, where the generated radiation is light radiation. 4. The instrument for constructing radiographic images as entitled in claim 3, whereby the radiation of light is visible light. 5. The instrument for generating radiographic images as provided for in any of the preceding claims shall also include a sensor which shall recognize the onset of incident radiation exposure and which shall initiate the generation of a digital signal in response to that recognition of the onset of radiation exposure. 6. An instrument for the creation of radiographic images as entitled under one of the preceding claims, whereby the emitting screen consists of at least one phosphor compound containing a metal from the lanthanide group of rare earth elements. 7. An instrument for constructing radiographic images as provided for in any of the preceding claims. Herein, the screen consists of a base layer of a plastic material that is largely permeable to radiation, a largely permeable layer that reflects the radiation generated by the emitting screen, a phosphor layer, and a protective layer that is largely transparent to the radiation generated by the emitting screen. 8. A device for creating radiographic images as entitled in claim number 7, whereby a reflective layer is formed, consisting of a pigment that absorbs the longer wavelength components of the radiation emitted by the emitting screen. 9. The instrument for generating radiographic images as provided for in any of the preceding claims shall also include a filter which is largely opaque to X-ray photons but largely transparent to radiation emitted by the emitting screen and placed between the emitting screen and the receiver. 10. An instrument for generating shadow images of radiographs as entitled under one of the preceding claims; in this case, the sensor is a CCD camera. 11. Equipment for creating radiographic images as entitled in claim 10, herein a CCD camera with a resolution of at least 1300 x 1030 pixels. 12. An instrument for creating radiographic images as provided for in either claim 10 or 11 herein, capable of enabling a CCD camera to open and close at a speed in the range of 1/12 second to 1/39000 second. 13. An instrument for generating radiographic images as entitled under one of the preceding claims. Here, the instrument generates an electrical signal representing the temporal summation of received radiation over a period in the range of 1/6 second to 5 seconds. 14. An instrument for generating radiographic images as provided for in any one of the claims under clauses 1 through 12, herein comprising a means for generating temporal composite images by sequentially combining digital design signals from a digital converter. 15. An instrument for generating radiographic images as entitled under any one of the preceding claims. Here, the capture of the image by camera is initiated by the actuation of the same switch which energizes the anode circuit of the shared X-ray tube. 16. Equipment for generating radiographic images as entitled under any of the claims 1 through 14. Here, shadows shall be continuously collected by a CCD camera, and shadows with an intensity below a predetermined level shall be discarded. 17. Tools for generating shadow images of radiographic images as entitled under one of the preceding claims. Here, the shadow images are stored in a central database along with information relating to the object of interest. 18. An instrument for generating radiographic images as provided for in any one of the claims under clauses 1 through 16, which hereby transmits the image to a location distant from the object of interest for diagnostic purposes. 19. The instrument for reconstructing radiographic images as entitled in one of the preceding claims, as described primarily in reference to drawings. 20. Tools for creating radiographic images, as described primarily in reference to various drawings. 21. A device for creating shadow images to capture digital shadows from photographic plates. This device is created by removing a light-emitting screen from the radiographic imaging device as claimed in one of the preceding claims. 22. The instrument for creating shadow images as held under claim 21 is further comprised of a sheet feeder for feeding photographic sheets through the instrument.