MOBILE CT IMAGING SYSTEM COMPRISING A MOBILE CT IMAGING MACHINE WITH AN ON-BOARD DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY IMAGER AND/OR AN ON-BOARD ULTRASOUND IMAGER
An imaging system for imaging an object, the imaging system comprising: a housing having a center opening; a CT imaging unit mounted to the housing, the CT imaging unit comprising: a rotatable disc extending around the center opening; an X-ray emitter mounted to the rotatable disc and configured to emit an X-ray beam; and an X-ray detector mounted to the rotatable disc in alignment with the X-ray beam; and a digital radiography imager comprising a detector plate mounted to the rotatable disc, the detector plate being configured to assume (i) a retracted position in which the detector plate is not aligned with the X-ray beam, whereby to permit the X-ray beam to contact the X-ray detector, and (ii) an extended position in which the detector plate is aligned with the X-ray beam, whereby to permit the X-ray beam to contact the detector plate.
1 .- 15 . (canceled)
16 . An imaging system for imaging an object, the imaging system comprising:
a housing having a center opening;
a rotatable disc extending around the center opening;
an X-ray emitter mounted to the rotatable disc and configured to emit an X-ray beam, wherein the X-ray emitter is configured to emit a first X-ray beam at a first power level and a second X-ray beam at a second power level;
an X-ray detector mounted to the rotatable disc in alignment with the X-ray beam for detecting the first X-ray beam emitted by the X-ray emitter; and
a digital radiography detector plate mounted to the rotatable disc for detecting the second X-ray beam emitted by the X-ray emitter.
17 . The imaging system of claim 16 wherein the second power level is lower than the first power level.
18 . The imaging system of claim 16 further comprising an ultrasound imager.
19 . The imaging system of claim 16 wherein the housing comprises a transport mechanism for moving the imaging system, wherein the transport mechanism comprises (i) a gross movement mechanism for transporting the imaging system across room distances, and (ii) a fine movement mechanism for moving the imaging system precisely, relative to a patient, during scanning.
20 . A method for imaging an object, the method comprising:
providing an imaging system comprising:
a housing having a center opening;
a rotatable disc extending around the center opening;
an X-ray emitter mounted to the rotatable disc and configured to emit an X-ray beam, wherein the X-ray emitter is configured to emit a first X-ray beam at a first power level and a second X-ray beam at a second power level;
an X-ray detector mounted to the rotatable disc in alignment with the X-ray beam for detecting the first X-ray beam emitted by the X-ray emitter; and
a digital radiography detector plate mounted to the rotatable disc for detecting the second X-ray beam emitted by the X-ray emitter;
positioning an object in the center opening;
passing an X-ray beam through the object disposed in the center opening; and
using one of the X-ray detector and the digital radiography detector plate to detect the X-ray beam after it passes through the object disposed in the center opening.