X-ray CT system
View Patent ↗An X-ray tube and an X-ray detector are arranged opposing one another. X-rays are irradiated from the X-ray tube by revolving around the subject. An X-ray image is obtained based on the X-rays that penetrate the subject and are detected by the X-ray detector. The high voltage generator has an inverter that supplies a voltage to the X-ray tube by switching to a predetermined operating frequency during revolution of the X-ray tube. Regarding the frequency adjustable part, the operating frequency of the inverter is adjustable such that it is a multiple of the collection rate, which is the number of X-ray images obtained per one revolution of the X-ray tube. The timing generator may adjust the voltage supplied to the X-ray tube at a timing synchronized with the operating frequency of the inverter.
1. An X-ray CT system comprising an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector to be arranged opposing to each other, irradiating X-rays from the X-ray tube while revolving around a subject, obtaining an X-ray tube image based on the X-rays detected by the X-ray detector after penetrating the subject, the X-ray CT system comprising:
a frequency conversion circuit configured to synchronize an operating frequency of an inverter to an integral multiple of a tube voltage switching frequency;
a high voltage generator having an inverter that supplies a voltage to the X-ray tube by switching between a high voltage and a low voltage at the synchronized operating frequency while revolving the X-ray tube;
a timing generator configured to send an instruction of data collection based on the synchronized operating frequency and a collection rate, which is the number of the X-ray images obtained per one revolution of the X-ray tube; and
a data collector configured to collect the X-ray image data based on the instruction of data collection.
2. The X-ray CT system according to claim 1 , wherein,
the timing generator is configured to send the instruction of data collection at a timing of alternating the voltage supplied to the X-ray tube between monotonic increase and monotonic decrease, and the X-ray CT system comprises:
an image data acquisition part configured to acquire the X-ray image with a cycle including the monotonic increase and the monotonic decrease, which is half of a cycle of adjusting the voltage supplied to the X-ray tube.
3. The X-ray CT system according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein,
the X-ray CT system comprises an oscillator that oscillates with the operating frequency near the predetermined fundamental frequency and supplies the operating frequency to the inverter, and
the frequency conversion circuit is configured to synchronize the operating frequency based on the revolution time per one turn of the X-ray tube and the number of the collection rate, and to set the operating frequency of the oscillator to a frequency that is a multiple of the collection rate, which is the frequency near the fundamental frequency.
4. The X-ray CT system according to claim 3 , wherein,
the frequency conversion circuit has a frequency detector that computes the revolution frequency of the X-ray tube by detecting the revolution of the X-ray tube per predetermined angle, and
the frequency conversion circuit is configured to multiply the computed revolution frequency based on the collection rate and a revolution cycle of the X-ray tube, to compare the multiplied revolution frequency with the operating frequency, and to control the oscillator to conform the multiplied revolution frequency to the operating frequency.
5. The X-ray CT system according to claim 3 , wherein,
the frequency conversion circuit is configured to generate a predetermined frequency and, in correspondence with the collection rate and a revolution cycle of the X-ray tube, multiplies the predetermined frequency by a multiplier and converts the multiplied frequency to the operating frequency of the inverter.
6. The X-ray CT system according to claim 1 , wherein,
the X-ray tube comprises a cathode, an anode and a cup, to which one contact point of the cathode is connected, the cup having a voltage between another contact point of the cathode, and
the high voltage generator further applies a filament voltage between the cathode and the anode in a heating frequency synchronized with the predetermined operating frequency during the revolution of the X-ray tube.