Patent ID: 7103138
Filing Date: 2006-09-05
Classification: A61B,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for volumetric computed tomography comprising: emitting x-rays from a source; measuring the transmission of x-rays through an object with a detector array; translating the source and detector through a translation distance Δz in an axial direction concurrently with the measurement of x-ray transmission; reconstructing a three-dimensional representation of a portion of the object from the measured x-ray transmission; wherein the source comprises a plurality of discrete x-ray source elements spanning a distance S in the axial direction, wherein two adjacent source elements have location displaced from each other by a source spacing distance Δs in the axial direction; wherein x-rays from each of the discrete x-ray source elements are directed to multiple detector rows; wherein rows of the detector array measure both in-plane and cross-plane x-rays; and wherein the translation distance Δz is significantly less than S and at most four times the source spacing distance Δs.