Dental chair-side tomosynthesis system

1. An intraoral imaging apparatus for tomosynthesis imaging comprising:

a) an x-ray source having a primary collimator that defines boundaries of a radiation field;

b) a transport apparatus that translates the x ray source along a path for tomographic imaging;

c) an intraoral x-ray detector that defines an imaging area for the radiation field;

d) a positioning apparatus that correlates the position of the intraoral detector to the position of a secondary collimator;

e) one or more radio-opaque markers provided on a detector attachment that is coupled to the detector, the one or more markers configured to condition acquired x-ray images to relate the spatial position of the intraoral x-ray detector to the x-ray source position, wherein the one or more markers are disposed within the defined imaging area;

and

f) a control logic processor that accepts image data from the detector and determines the relative location of the source with respect to the detector according to detected marker position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more markers are spherical.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more markers are formed from radio-opaque materials having atomic numbers not exceeding 45.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more markers are taken from the group consisting of chromium steel, ceramic, tungsten carbide, and gold.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more markers are formed of a ceramic.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more markers are arranged in first and second parallel layers.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein markers on the first parallel layer are formed of a first material and markers on the second parallel layer are formed of a second material and wherein the first and second materials differ in density to radiation.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detector attachment couples the intraoral x-ray detector to one or more teeth.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more markers are encased in plastic.

10. An apparatus for geometric calibration of an intraoral tomosynthesis imaging system, the apparatus comprising:

an x-ray imaging system that directs x-ray radiation toward an intraoral detector from a plurality of acquisition angles with respect to the detector;

a holder that positions the detector within the mouth of a patient, wherein the holder disposes radio-opaque markers in the path of the x-ray radiation at each of the plurality of acquisition angles, wherein the holder disposes markers in position along opposite surfaces of at least one tooth;

and

a control logic processor that acquires image data from the detector and determines the relative location of the source with respect to the detector according to detected marker positions in the acquired image data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the radio-opaque markers are formed from materials having atomic number not exceeding 45.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the holder clips onto one or more teeth.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the holder distributes the markers over two parallel planes and the number of markers along one plane differs from the number of markers along the other plane.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the holder clips onto the detector.

15. A method for geometric calibration of an intraoral tomosynthesis imaging system, the method executed at least in part by a computer and comprising:

coupling an intraoral detector with a calibration phantom that includes a first set of radio-opaque markers distributed along a first plane and a second set of radio-opaque markers distributed along a second plane;

positioning the intraoral detector within the mouth of a patient;

directing x-ray radiation from an x-ray source toward an intraoral detector from a plurality of angles with respect to the detector;

and

acquiring image data from the intraoral detector and calculating the relative location of the x-ray source with respect to the detector at each of the plurality of angles, according to detected marker position.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein positioning the intraoral detector within the mouth comprises fitting the calibration phantom onto a tooth of the patient.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein positioning the intraoral detector within the mouth comprises providing a bite surface on a portion of the calibration phantom.

18. A method for geometric calibration of an intraoral tomosynthesis imaging system, the method executed at least in part by a computer and comprising:

coupling an intraoral detector with a calibration phantom that includes a first set of radio-opaque markers distributed along a first plane and a second set of radio-opaque markers distributed along a second plane;

positioning the intraoral detector within the mouth of a patient;

directing x-ray radiation from an x-ray source toward an intraoral detector from a plurality of angles with respect to the detector;

acquiring image data from the intraoral detector and calculating the relative location of the x-ray source with respect to the detector at each of the plurality of angles, according to detected marker position;

and

obtaining one or more depth-resolved images using an ultrasound or optical coherence tomography system and verifying positioning of the acquired image data from the intraoral detector using the one or more depth-resolved images.

19. A method for geometric calibration of an intraoral tomosynthesis imaging system, the method executed at least in part by a computer and comprising:

coupling an intraoral detector with a calibration phantom that includes a first set of radio-opaque markers distributed along a first plane and a second set of radio-opaque markers distributed along a second plane;

positioning the intraoral detector within the mouth of a patient;

directing x-ray radiation from an x-ray source toward an intraoral detector from a plurality of angles with respect to the detector;

and

acquiring image data from the intraoral detector and calculating the relative location of the x-ray source with respect to the detector at each of the plurality of angles, according to detected marker position;

and

obtaining one or more depth-resolved images using an ultrasound or optical coherence tomography system and reporting patient movement detected during tomosynthesis image data acquisition.