Radiation tracking for portable fluoroscopy X-ray imaging system
A method for fluoroscopy energizes a radiation source to form a scout image on a detector and processes the scout image to determine and report a radiation field position with respect to a predetermined zone of the detector. The radiation source is energized for fluoroscopic imaging of a subject when the reported radiation field position is fully within the predetermined zone.
1. A method for fluoroscopy, comprising:
energizing a radiation source to form a scout image on a detector;
processing the scout image to determine and report a radiation field position with respect to a predetermined zone of the detector;
energizing the radiation source for fluoroscopy imaging of a subject when the reported radiation field position is fully within the predetermined zone; and
determining the position of the radiation field with respect to a warning zone defined for the detector and providing a warning when the radiation field is detected within the warning zone.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the position of the radiation field with respect to a termination zone defined for the detector and preventing energizing of the radiation source for fluoroscopy when the radiation field is detected within the termination zone.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising energizing the radiation source in response to entry of an operator override instruction.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising illuminating the radiation field position with respect to the subject.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said illuminating the radiation field position further comprises changing the appearance of the illumination according to the reported radiation field position.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said changing the appearance comprises changing a color of the illumination.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein said illuminating the radiation field position further comprises changing the appearance of the illumination according to scout image or fluoroscopy acquisition.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said changing the appearance comprises changing a color of the illumination.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising acquiring the scout image and fluoroscopy imaging at the same radiation field position.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the scout image is formed using a first set of technique settings and fluoroscopy imaging uses a second set of technique settings.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying an outline of the radiation field position as reported by said processing.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically adjusting dimensions of the radiation field according to the reported radiation field position.
13. A method for fluoroscopy, comprising:
energizing a radiation source to form a scout image on a detector;
processing the scout image to determine and report a radiation field position with respect to a predetermined zone of the detector;
energizing the radiation source for fluoroscopy imaging of a subject when the reported radiation field position is fully within the predetermined zone; and
determining the position of the radiation field with respect to a termination zone defined for the detector and suspending energization of the radiation source after detection of the radiation field within the termination zone.
14. A method for fluoroscopy, comprising:
energizing a radiation source to form a scout image on a detector;
processing the scout image to determine and report a radiation field position with respect to a predetermined zone of the detector;
energizing the radiation source for fluoroscopy imaging of a subject when the reported radiation field position is fully within the predetermined zone;
displaying the fluoroscopy image that is generated according to the radiation field position; and
processing the generated fluoroscopy image and providing a warning related to detection of the radiation field position within a predefined warning zone on the detector.
15. A method for fluoroscopy, comprising:
energizing a radiation source to form a scout image on a detector;
processing the scout image to determine and report a radiation field position with respect to a predetermined zone of the detector;
energizing the radiation source for fluoroscopy imaging of a subject when the reported radiation field position is fully within the predetermined zone;
displaying the fluoroscopy image that is generated according to the radiation field position; and
processing the generated fluoroscopy image and suspending energization of the radiation source for fluoroscopy after detection of the radiation field position within a predefined termination zone on the detector.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein said suspending energization of the radiation source is delayed according to a predetermined timeout.
17. The method of claim 15 further comprising delaying suspension of energization of the radiation source in response to a first operator override.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first operator override has a predetermined time limit.
19. The method of claim 17 further comprising re-energizing the radiation source in response to a second operator override.
20. A method for fluoroscopy, comprising iteratively:
acquiring, on a digital radiation detector, a fluoroscopy image that is generated according to an emitted radiation field;
providing a warning signal when the emitted radiation field impinges on a predefined warning zone on the detector.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:
terminating acquisition of the image if the emitted radiation field impinges on a predefined termination zone on the detector.
22. The method of claim 21 further comprising accepting an operator-entered dimension defining either the warning or termination zone.
23. The method of claim 21 wherein said terminating occurs following a timeout period, and wherein the timeout period is predetermined by an operator.
24. The method of claim 20 wherein the warning signal is projected onto a subject.