Patent ID: 6370218
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: A61B,G01N,H05G

Abstract:
A system for determining and adjusting x-ray beam position in a multi-slice computed tomography system, the computed tomography system including an x-ray source having a focal spot and a multi-slice detector having at least two rows of detector cells displaced along a z-axis, the x-ray source producing an x-ray beam along the z-axis, said beam position determining and adjusting system comprising an adjustable prepatient collimator aligned with the x-ray source so that a beam from the x-ray source is directed towards said collimator, a collimator tracking unit coupled to said collimator for adjusting the position of said collimator, and a control computer coupled to the detector cells for receiving signals from the cells, said control computer coupled to said collimator tracking unit for providing control signals thereto, said control computer configured to:obtain separate signals from a first detector cell in the first detector cell row and a second detector cell in the second detector cell row of the detector; determine beam position from the intensities of the separate signals; and provide control signals to said collimator tracking unit to control adjustment of said prepatient collimator based on a determined beam position.