Patent ID: 6102567
Filing Date: 2000-08-15
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A dual energy x-ray apparatus for vertically scanning a patient, which comprises:an enclosure;a gantry positioned at least partially in said enclosure and vertically movable within said enclosure between an upper position and a lower position, said gantry including a source assembly and a detector assembly which are spaced from each other by patient space and are configured to move in a scanning motion in unison when said gantry is vertically moved, wherein said source assembly is positioned in said enclosure and said detector assembly is positioned outside said enclosure, and wherein said source assembly includes an x-ray source and transmission window and is configured to emit a fan beam of x-ray radiation that includes high energy x-rays and low energy x-rays, the transmission window configured to serve as a collimator and wherein said detector assembly receives said fan beam of x-ray radiation and produces, from said high and low energy x-rays, dual energy detected x-ray outputs comprising high energy detected x-ray outputs and low energy x-ray detected outputs; anda redefining aperture also configured to serve as a collimator and positioned between an outer wall of the enclosure and the source assembly for selectively redefining the fan beam emitted by the x-ray source and collimated by the transmission window.