EXTREMITY IMAGING APPARATUS FOR CONE BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
An apparatus for cone beam computed tomography can include a support structure, a scanner assembly coupled to the support structure for controlled movement in at least x, y and z orientations, the scanner assembly can include a DR detector configured to move along at least a portion of a detector path that extends at least partially around a scan volume with a distance D 1 that is sufficiently long to allow the scan volume to be positioned within the detector path; a radiation source configured to move along at least a portion of a source path outside the detector path, the source path having a distance D 2 greater than the distance D 1 , the distance D 2 being sufficiently long to allow adequate radiation exposure of the scan volume for an image capture by the detector; and a first gap in the detector path.
1 . An imaging apparatus for cone beam computed tomography imaging of an extremity of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
a detector for acquiring image data according to received radiation, wherein the detector is translatable to orbit the extremity along a detector path that lies at a first radius R 1 about a β axis;
a radiation source that is energizable to direct radiation through the extremity being imaged and toward the detector, wherein the radiation source is translatable to orbit the extremity along a radiation source path at a second radius R 2 about the β axis and opposite the detector;
a housing with an opening and having a door that is pivotable to enclose a portion of the opening to define a scan volume for patient extremity positioning, wherein sides of the scan volume are substantially symmetrical about the β axis;
a first set of indicia formed along one or more curved surfaces of the housing and indicating at least a first position along the length of the β axis for extremity positioning; and
a second set of indicia formed along one or more substantially flat surfaces of the cylindrical housing and indicating the location of the β axis.
2 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a progress indicator oriented to face the scan volume to indicate time remaining in the image capture, where the progress indicator to indicate an interval representing a temporal range of the image capture, where the progress indicator is configured to provide a changing indicator showing relative time or actual time elapsed for the image capture or remaining in the image capture.
3 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first set of indicia are stripes, comprise one or more light patterns, or comprise indentations formed in the housing, wherein members of the first set of indicia are formed along the sides of the scan volume.
4 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a third set of indicia for guiding alignment of patient extremities within the scan volume.
5 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a light pattern formed within the scan volume and projected onto the patient's extremity, where the light pattern comprises a plurality of different light sources to generate a plurality of different patterns corresponding to different exams, where the different exams comprise at least two of a hand exposure, a wrist exposure, an elbow exposure, a knee exposure, and an ankle exposure.
6 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a stabilizing member that seats within the scan volume and that at least partially encloses the extremity to be imaged, where the stabilizing member has a third set of indicia for extremity placement.
7 . The imaging apparatus of claim 6 wherein the stabilizing member seats in a defined position within the scan volume.
8 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a stabilizing member that seats beyond the scan volume and that at least partially encloses a distal end of the extremity to be imaged, where the stabilizing member stabilizes the distal end of the extremity to be imaged.
9 . An imaging apparatus for cone beam computed tomography imaging of an extremity of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
a gantry that is configured to pivot about a β axis;
a detector that is coupled to the gantry for acquiring image data according to received radiation, wherein the detector is translatable to orbit the extremity along a detector path that lies at a first radius R 1 about the β axis;
a radiation source that is energizable to direct radiation through the extremity being imaged and toward the detector, wherein the radiation source is coupled to the gantry and is translatable to orbit the extremity along a radiation source path at a second radius R 2 about the β axis and opposite the detector;
a housing that encloses the detector and radiation source, with an opening and having a door that is movable to enclose a portion of the opening to define a scan volume for patient extremity positioning; and
a stabilizing member that seats within the scan volume and that at least partially encloses the extremity to be imaged, wherein the stabilizing member has one or more indicia indicative of positioning of the extremity.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the seat includes at least one of axially locating feature and depth into the bore locating feature, wherein the stabilizing member is formed of a compressible material that has shape memory.
11 .- 15 . (canceled)
16 . An apparatus for cone beam computed tomographic imaging of one extremity of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
a digital radiation detector;
a detector mechanism attached to the detector and configured to move the detector along a detector path, a shape of the detector path comprising a first circular arc, the detector path defining a detector axis whereat at least a portion of the one extremity of the patient is positioned to be imaged by the apparatus;
a radiation source;
a source mechanism attached to the source and configured to move the source along a source path, a shape of the source path comprising a second circular arc, the source path defining a source plane and a source axis, the source axis coaxial with the detector axis, wherein a distance from the detector path to the detector axis is shorter than a distance from the source path to the source axis; and
a C-shaped housing to enclose the source, the source mechanism, the detector, and the detector mechanism, the C-shaped housing comprising a first set of indicia formed along one or more curved surfaces of the housing to indicate at least a first position of the detector axis for extremity positioning.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a second set of indicia formed along one or more substantially flat surfaces of the housing to indicate a location of the detector axis.
18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a housing gap configured to allow the one extremity of the patient to be positioned at the detector axis by moving the at least a portion of the one extremity of the patient through the housing gap in a direction substantially perpendicular to the detector axis.
19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising a housing extension attached to the housing and configured to controllably extend from the housing across the housing gap to enclose the detector as the detector moves along the detector path across the housing gap.
20 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is configured to allow the one extremity of the patient to be positioned at the detector axis by moving at least the portion of the one extremity of the patient through the gap in a direction substantially perpendicular to the detector axis and parallel to the source plane.
21 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the source mechanism includes a rigid C-shaped assembly to provide mechanical support for the source as the source is moved along the source path.
22 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the detector mechanism includes the rigid C-shaped assembly to provide mechanical support for the detector as the detector is moved along the detector path.
23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising a gap in the C-shaped assembly configured to allow the one extremity of the patient to be positioned at the detector axis by moving said at least a portion of the one extremity of the patient through the gap in the C-shaped assembly.
24 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the source mechanism further includes a source support arm, a proximate end of the source support arm attached to the C-shaped assembly and a distal end of the source support arm attached to the source to provide mechanical support for the source as the source is moved along the source path.
25 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the detector path includes a gap in the first circular arc, and wherein at least a portion of the gap in the first circular arc is diametrically opposite at least a portion of the gap in the second circular arc.