Multi-linear X-ray scanning systems and methods for X-ray scanning

1. An x-ray scanner, comprising:

an x-ray source operable to produce a fan beam of x-rays and to move about a source movement axis;

at least one x-ray detector array:

having a detector dimension;

having a plurality of time delay and integration (TDI) detector arrays each having a height dimension; and

being operable to detect x-rays from the x-ray source along the detector dimension;

at least one collimator disposed between the x-ray source and the at least one x-ray detector array, fixed to the x-ray source, and defining a plurality of lateral slits to collimate the fan beam of x-rays into a plurality of lateral beams such that the lateral beams have a height dimension that is the same as the height dimension of the TDI detector arrays;

a first motor operable to move the at least one collimator;

a second motor operable to move the TDI detector arrays;

an x-ray processing unit operable:

to control the first and second motors;

to process detection of the x-rays by the at least one x-ray detector array; and

to form an x-ray scanned image of an entity disposed between the at least one collimator and the at least one x-ray detector array such that an intensity and contrast of the x-ray scanned image is maximized while an exposure dose for the entity is minimized.

2. The x-ray scanner according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of TDI detector arrays are a plurality of charge-coupled device (CCD) TDI detector arrays.

3. The x-ray scanner according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of TDI detector arrays are a plurality of photodiode-CMOS integrated circuit TDI camara arrays.

4. The x-ray scanner according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray source comprises an x-ray tube configured to produce the fan beam of x-rays with a maximum energy of at least 150 keV.

5. The x-ray scanner according to claim 4 , wherein the x-ray tube is configured to produce the fan beam of x-rays with a cone angle of at least 69 degrees in a longitudinal axis and 30 degrees in a transverse axis.

6. The x-ray scanner according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one collimator is two collimator elements, a first of the collimator elements defining the plurality of lateral slits to collimate the fan beam of x-rays into the plurality of lateral beams such that the lateral beams have a height dimension that is the same as the height dimension of the TDI detector arrays and a second of the collimator elements defining an extent of an area to be exposed.

7. The x-ray scanner according to claim 4 , wherein:

the plurality of TDI detector arrays are a plurality of charge-coupled device (CCD) TDI detector arrays; and

the at least one x-ray detector array has 128 CCD TDI image sensors and 2 individual linear arrays.

8. The x-ray scanner according to claim 7 , wherein each of the linear arrays is illuminated by at least one of the lateral beams.

9. The x-ray scanner according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one x-ray detector array has 9 CCD TDI image sensors.

10. The x-ray scanner according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray processing unit is operable to apply technique factors that are used to expose the entity being scanned, and further comprising a microcontroller operably associated with the x-ray processing unit and operable to optimize the technique factors.

11. The x-ray scanner according to claim 10 , wherein the technique factors comprise filtration, kV, mA, and exposure time.

12. The x-ray scanner according to claim 10 , wherein the microcontroller is operable to monitor an exposure level of the CCD TDI arrays.

13. The x-ray scanner according to claim 1 , further comprising a filter wheel having at least one filter, the filter wheel being placed between the x-ray source and the at least one collimator.

14. The x-ray scanner according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of TDI detector arrays operable to acquire images of separate anatomical regions of the entity.

15. The x-ray scanner according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one x-ray detector array comprises a lower array operable to image a lower extremities region of the entity and an upper array operable to image abdominal, chest, and skull regions of the entity.

16. The x-ray scanner according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one collimator has separate openings corresponding to each of the plurality of TDI detector arrays.

17. The x-ray scanner according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one filter is a plurality of different filters and one of the different filters is used for each opening to optimize x-ray beam quality separately for each of the lower extremities region and the abdominal, chest, and skull regions.

18. A radiographic imaging system, comprising:

a horizontally disposed radiographic table having:

at least one horizontal x-ray detector array:

having a first detector dimension;

having a plurality of time delay and integration (TDI) detector arrays each having a height dimension; and

being operable to detect x-rays from an x-ray source along the first detector dimension;

a first motor operable to move the at least one horizontal x-ray detector array in a horizontal direction;

a vertically disposed radiographic table adjacent the horizontally disposed radiographic table, the vertically disposed radiographic table having:

at least one vertical x-ray detector array:

having a second detector dimension;

having a plurality of TDI detector arrays each having the height dimension; and

being operable to detect x-rays from an x-ray source along the second detector dimension;

a second motor operable to move the at least one vertical x-ray detector array in a vertical direction;

an x-ray scanner pivotable between a vertical scanning orientation in which the x-ray scanner is directed at the vertically disposed radiographic table and a horizontal scanning orientation in which the x-ray scanner is directed at the horizontally disposed radiographic table, the x-ray scanner having;

an x-ray source operable to produce a fan beam of x-rays and to move about a source movement axis;

at least one collimator:

fixed to the x-ray source and disposed between the x-ray source and the at least one horizontal x-ray detector array in the horizontal scanning orientation and between the x-ray source and the at least one vertical x-ray detector array in the vertical scanning orientation; and

defining a plurality of horizontal slits to collimate the fan beam of x-rays into a plurality of lateral beams such that the lateral beams have a height dimension that is the same as the height dimension of the TDI detector arrays; and

a third motor operable to move the at least one collimator;

an x-ray processing unit operably connected to both the horizontally and vertically disposed radiographic tables and operable:

to control the first, second, and third motors;

to process detection of the x-rays by the at least one vertical x-ray detector array and the at least one horizontal x-ray detector array; and

to form an x-ray scanned image of an entity disposed between the at least one collimator and one of the at least one vertical x-ray detector array and the at least one horizontal x-ray detector array such that an intensity and contrast of the x-ray scanned image is maximized while an exposure dose for the entity is minimized; and

the horizontally disposed radiographic table, the vertically disposed radiographic table, the x-ray scanner, and the x-ray processing unit are all sized to fit within a single radiographic room.