Abstract:
An X-ray imaging apparatus includes a body unit including a bed unit where an object is put, an X-ray irradiation unit configured to irradiate an X-ray to the object and an X-ray detector configured to detect the X-ray passing through the object, an input unit configured to input control information to control at least part of operation of the body unit, a selection unit configured to select ON or OFF of a lock mode and a controller configured to determine at least part of the control information is locked when the lock mode is ON and the at least part of the control information is released when the lock mode is OFF.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. P2004-213275 filed on Jul. 21, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to an X-ray imaging apparatus.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     In an tableside controlled X-ray imaging apparatus, an operation panel that is operated by a doctor or a radiological technologist is located near an bed part, for example. Although the operation panel is located at a position so as to be easily operated, such a location is a position where a patient can also touch easily. An tableside controlled X-ray imaging apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 7-327984.  
         [0004]     Switches to instruct execution of fluoroscopy or radiography, for example, are arranged on the operation panel. When the patient who is laid on a table top touches the switches, X-ray irradiation may be performed.  
         [0005]     For this reason, using a conventional X-ray imaging apparatus, while the patient is laid on the table top, the doctor or the radiological technologist is not allowed to leave the X-ray imaging apparatus. However, it is a personal agreement and may not perfectly protected.  
         [0006]     As described above, it is difficult to prevent that the patient touches the operation panel with the conventional tableside controlled X-ray imaging apparatus, and unnecessary X-ray irradiation may be performed, for example.  
         [0007]     In addition, if the operation panel is located at a position where the patient cannot touch easily, it is difficult also for the doctor or the radiological technologist to operate.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0008]     One object of the present invention is to ameliorate at least one of the above-mentioned problems, and there is provided an X-ray imaging apparatus which can reduce operation mistake without deterioration in operationality. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an X-ray imaging apparatus comprises a body unit including a bed unit where an object is put, an X-ray irradiation unit configured to irradiate an X-ray to the object and an X-ray detector configured to detect the X-ray passing through the object, an input unit configured to input control information to control at least part of operation of the body unit, a selection unit configured to select ON or OFF of a lock mode and a controller configured to determine at least part of the control information is locked when the lock mode is ON and the at least part of the control information is released when the lock mode is OFF. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     In the drawings:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1A  is a front view of an X-ray imaging apparatus in a first embodiment;  
         [0011]      FIG. 1B  is a top view of the X-ray imaging apparatus in the first embodiment;  
         [0012]      FIG. 1C  is a side view of the X-ray imaging apparatus in the first embodiment;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a spot side operation part of the X-ray imaging apparatus shown in  FIGS. 1A through 1C ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the X-ray imaging apparatus shown in  FIGS. 1A through 1C ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart to receive an operation instruction from an user; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is an illustration displayed during a safe lock mode. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     Hereafter, a first embodiment is explained with reference to figures.  FIGS. 1A through 1C  are overviews of an X-ray imaging apparatus in the first embodiment.  FIG. 1A  is a front view,  FIG. 1B  is a top view and  FIG. 1C  is a side view of the X-ray imaging apparatus.  
         [0018]     As shown in  FIGS. 1A through 1C , the X-ray imaging apparatus in the first embodiment includes a bed part  1 , a base part  2 , a spot carriage part  3 , an image intensifier spot part  4  (hereinafter called I.I. spot part), a spot side operation part  5 , and a table side operation part  6 .  
         [0019]     The bed part  1  includes a table top  1   a  on an upper part. A patient is laid on the table top  1   a . In the bed part  1 , a table top moving mechanism part  11  shown in  FIG. 3  to move the table top  1   a  is located. Moreover, in the bed part  1 , an X-ray tube  7  which irradiates an X-ray to the patient on the table top  1   a  and a beam limiting device  8  which adjusts an X-ray irradiation range are located.  
         [0020]     The base part  2  that is fixed to a floor in an operating room where the X-ray imaging apparatus is located supports the bed part  1 . The base part  2  includes a tilting mechanism part  10  which tilts the table top  1   a  in a direction as indicated by arrow A.  
         [0021]     The spot carriage part  3  is attached to the bed part  1 . The spot carriage part  3  supports the I.I. spot part  4  to be moved in a horizontal direction and a perpendicular direction to the bed part  1 . The spot carriage part  3  includes a power assistant mechanism part which performs power assistance of movement of the I.I. spot part  4 .  
         [0022]     The I. I. spot part  4  changes an X-ray irradiated through the patient into an electric signal to make an X-ray image.  
         [0023]     The spot side operation part  5  and the table side operation part  6  receive instruction from the doctor or the radiological technologist. The spot side operation part  5  is located at the end of the I.I. spot part  4 , and is mainly used by the doctor, for example. The table side operation part  6  is located at the side of the bed part  1 , and is mainly used by the radiological technologist, for example.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a expanded perspective view of the spot side operation part  5  shown in  FIGS. 1A through 1C . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the spot side operation part  5  includes an operation button, a control lever and a display part. One of the operation buttons is a safe lock button  5   a . Under the safe lock button  5   a , a safe lock switch  5   d  and a safe lock lamp  5   c  shown in  FIG. 3  are located. The safe lock button  5   a  is pushed to turn on/off the safe lock switch  5   d  and a light of the safe lock lamp  5   c.    
         [0025]     Moreover, the spot side operation part  5  includes a handle  5   b . Inside the handle  5   b , power assistant sensors  5   h  shown in  FIG. 3  are arranged. The power assistant sensors  5   h  including a plurality of sensors detect a direction and strength of power added by the handle  5   b    
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the X-ray imaging apparatus in the first embodiment. To simplify an explanation, further explanations are omitted by attaching the same reference numbers in  FIG. 3  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1A through 1C . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the I.I. spot part  4 , the spot side operation part  5 , the table side operation part  6 , the beam limiting device  8 , a high voltage source  9 , the tilting mechanism part  10 , the table top moving mechanism part  11 , the power assistant mechanism part  12 , and an alarm part  13  are electrically connected to a control part  14  directly or indirectly, respectively.  
         [0027]     The spot side operation part  5  includes the safe lock lamp  5   c , the safe lock switch  5   d , a fluoroscopy/radiography switch  5   e  and tilting switch  5   f , a table top move switch  5   g , the power assistant sensors  5   h , a format selection switch  5   i  and a beam limiting operation switch  5   j , for example. The fluoroscopy/radiography switch  5   e  and the tilting switch  5   f , the table top move switch  5   g , the format selection switch  5   i  and the beam limiting operation switch  5   j  are turned on by pushing corresponding bottoms located on the spot side operation part  5 .  
         [0028]     The table side operation part  6  includes a tilting switch  6   a , a table top move switch  6   b  and an emergency stop switch  6   c , and the switches are turned on by pushing corresponding bottoms located on the table side operation part  6 .  
         [0029]     The high voltage source  9  generates high voltage so that the X-ray tube  7  irradiates the X-ray.  
         [0030]     The alarm part  13  outputs alarm sound.  
         [0031]     The control part  14  includes a computer and peripheral devices, such as a memory. The control part  14  controls the I.I. spot part  4 , the beam limiting device  8 , the high voltage source  9 , the tilting mechanism part  10 , the table top move mechanism part  11 , the power assistant mechanism part  12  and the alarm part  13  according to the instruction inputted by the user operating the spot side operation part  5  and/or the table side operation part  6 .  
         [0032]     Next, operation of the X-ray imaging apparatus is explained. After the X-ray imaging apparatus starts, the control part  14  performs processing as shown in  FIG. 4 , in order to receive the instruction by the user.  
         [0033]     In Step Sa 1  in  FIG. 4 , the control part  14  initially sets a safe lock mode as OFF state. The safe lock mode is a mode which determines a lock state of the spot side operation part  5 , and when the safe lock mode is ON, at least one operation of the spot side operation part  5  is locked, and when the safe lock mode is OFF, the lock of the operation is released.  
         [0034]     In Step Sa 2 , the control part  14  holds to receive ON signal from the switches or the sensors of the spot side operation part  5  and the table side operation part  6 . When one of the switches or the sensors turn on, the control part  14  goes forward to Step Sa 3  from Step Sa 2 .  
         [0035]     In Step Sa 3 , the control part  14  checks whether the switch turned on is the safe lock switch  5   d . When the turned on switch is the safe lock switch  5   d , the control part  14  goes forward to Step Sa 4  from Step Sa 3 . In Step Sa 4 , the control part  14  further checks whether a period while the safe lock bottom  5   a  corresponding to the safe lock switch  5   d  is pushed is more than 2 seconds.  
         [0036]     When the bottom of the safe lock switch  5   d  is pushed for a period not more than 2 seconds, the control part  14  returns from Step Sa 4  to Sep Sa 2  to hold. That is, at this time, the control part  14  ignores the operation of the safe lock button  5   a . On the other hands, when the safe lock bottom  5   a  is pushed for a period more than 2 seconds, namely when the safe lock bottom is pushed for a long time, the control part  14  goes forward to Step Sa 5  from Step Sa 4 . In Step Sa 5 , the control part  14  changes ON/OFF of the safe lock mode. In Step Sa 6 , the control part  14  changes lighting of the safe lock lamp  5   c . That is, when the safe lock mode is OFF and the safe lock bottom  5   a  is pushed for long time, the control part  14  changes the safe lock mode to ON and the turned off safe lock lamp  5   c  to turn on. On the contrary, when the safe lock mode is OFF and the safe lock bottom  5   a  is pushed for long time, the control part  14  changes the safe lock mode to OFF and the turned on safe lock lamp  5   c  to turn off. After this, the control part  14  goes back to Step Sa 2  to hold.  
         [0037]     In Step Sa 3 , when the switch switched on is not the safe lock switch, the control part  14  goes forward to Step Sa 7 . In Step Sa 7 , Step Sa 8  and Step Sa 9 , the control part  14  checks whether the switch switched on is one of the emergency stop switch  6   c , the format selection switch  5   i  and the beam limiting operation switch  5   j . When the switch switched on is not any of these switches, and in other words, when the switched switch is one of the fluoroscopy/radiography switch  5   e , the tilting switch  5   f , the table top move switch  5   g , the power assistant sensors  5   h , the tilting switch  6   a  and the table top move switch  6   b , for example, the control part  14  goes forward to Step Sa 10  from Step Sa 9 . In Step Sa 10 , the control part  14  checks whether the safe lock mode is ON. When the safe lock mode is OFF, the control part  14  goes forward to Step Sa 11  from Step Sa 10 . When the switch switched on is one of the emergency stop switch  6   c , the format selection switch  5   i  and the beam limiting operation switch  5   j , the control part  14  goes forward to Step Sa 11  from either Step Sa 7 , Step Sa 8  and Step Sa 9 . That is, when any one of the emergency stop switch  6   c , the format selection switch  5   i  and the beam limiting operation switch  5   j  turns on, the control part  14  goes forward to Step Sa 11  regardless of the state of the safe lock mode. Since the emergency stop switch  6   c  is a switch which is used in an imperative situation, it is desired that the emergency stop switch  6   c  can be used any time. The format selection switch  5   i  is used for selecting a format among a plurality of formats, each of which corresponds to an X-ray irradiation range, such as a whole range or half range of X-ray detector. The format selection switch  5   i  and the beam limiting operation switch  5   j  are switches that are related to X-ray limiting. Since the operator operates the X-ray limiting frequently, the operation can be performed regardless of the safe lock mode. However, the format selection switch  5   i  and the beam limiting operation switch  5   j  may be locked when the safe lock mode is ON. When one of the fluoroscopy/radiography switch  5   e  and the tilting switch  5   f , the table top move switch  5   g , the power assistant sensors  5   h , the tilting switch  6   a  and the table top move switch  6   b  turn on, the control part  14  goes forward to Step Sa 11  only when the safe lock mode is OFF.  
         [0038]     In Step Sa 11 , the control part  14  sends identification information of the switch switched on or the sensors to a main control processor. After that, the control part  14  goes back to Step Sa 2 .  
         [0039]     The control part  14  performs the above-mentioned processing shown in  FIG. 4  and further performs a main control processing as another task. In the main control processing, the control part  14  performs the following controls, respectively, according to the switch switched on. The control part  14  makes the I.I. spot part  4 . active and starts to supply the high voltage to the X-ray tube  7  from the high voltage source  9 , when the fluoroscopy/radiography switch  5   e  turns on. When the tilting switches  5   f  and  6   a  turn on, the control part  14  controls the tilting mechanism part  10  to raise the bed part  1 . The spot carriage part  3  and the I.I. spot part  4  are also raised according to the bed part  1  being raised. When the table top move switches  5   g  and  6   b  turn on, the control part  14  controls the table top move mechanism part  11  to move the table top  1   a . When one of power assistant sensors  5   h  turns on, the control part  14  controls the power assistant mechanism part  12  to assist the movement of the I.I. spot part  4  in a direction determined by the sensors. The direction is a far or near direction to the patient and/or a longitudinal direction of the table top, etc. When the format selection switch  5   i  turns on, the control part  14  chooses a format.  
         [0040]     When the beam limiting operation switch  5   j  turns on, the control part  14  controls the beam limiting device  8  to adjust the X-ray irradiation range. When the emergency stop switch  6   c  turns on, the control part  14  performs emergency stop of operation of each part, such as the high voltage source  9 , the tilting mechanism part  10 , the table top move mechanism part  11  and the power assistant mechanism part  12 .  
         [0041]     When one of the fluoroscopy/radiography switch  5   e , the tilting switch  5   f , the table top move switch  5   g , the power assistant sensors  5   h , the tilting switch  6   a  and the table top move switch  6   b  turn on, while the safe lock mode is OFF, the above-mentioned operation is performed. However, when the safe lock mode is ON, the control part  14  goes forward to Step Sa 12  from Step Sa 10 . The control part  14  controls the alarm part  13  to output the alarm sound in Step Sa 12 . In addition, without Step Sa 11 , the control part  14  goes back to Step Sa 2 . That is, while the safe lock mode is ON, when one of the fluoroscopy/radiography switch  5   e , the tilting switch  5   f , the table top move switch  5   g , the power assistant sensors  5   h , the tilting switch  6   a  and the table top move switch  6   b  turn on, the alarm sound outputs without performing each corresponding operation. Moreover, in addition to or instead of the alarm sound, the alarm part  13  may display a warning message shown in  FIG. 5  on a display, for example.  
         [0042]     Thus, according to the X-ray imaging apparatus in the first embodiment, when the user pushes the safe lock button  5   a  for more than 2 seconds, the safe lock mode can be turned on and off. In addition, since the safe lock lamp  5   c  turns on and off according to operation ON/OFF of the safe lock mode, the user can easily recognize the state of the safe lock mode.  
         [0043]     And when the safe lock mode is ON, even if the fluoroscopy/radiography switch  5   e  turns on, the X-ray irradiation from X-ray tube  7  is not performed. Therefore, when the safe lock mode is set to ON while the doctor or the radiological technologist leaves the X-ray imaging apparatus, even if the patient touches the spot side operation part  5  or the table side operation part  6 , such as the fluoroscopy/radiography switch  5   e , unnecessary X-ray irradiation is not performed.  
         [0044]     Moreover, in the first embodiment, when the safe lock mode is ON, even if the tilting switches  5   f  and  6   a  or the table top move switches  5   g  and  6   b  turn on, the tilting mechanism part  10  or the table top move mechanism part  11  does not operate. Therefore, when the safe lock mode is set to ON when the doctor or the radiological technologist leaves the X-ray imaging apparatus, even if the patient touches the spot side operation part  5  and the table side operation part  6 , such as the tilting switches  5   f  and  6   a  or the table top move switches  5   g  and  6   b , tilting of the bed part  1  or movement of table top  1   a  is not performed.  
         [0045]     Moreover, in the first embodiment, when the safe lock mode is ON, even if either of the power assistant sensors  5   h  turns on, the power assistant mechanism part  12  does not operate. Therefore, when the safe lock mode is set to ON when the doctor or the radiological technologist leaves the X-ray imaging apparatus, even if the patient grasped the handle  5   b  and the power assistant sensors  5   h  turn on, power assistance of movement of the I.I. spot part  4  is not performed, and the I.I. spot part  4  does not move easily. As shown in  FIG. 1 , since the spot side operation part  5  is located on upper side of the patient laid on the table top  1   a , when the patient grasps handle  5   b  by accident, the patient pulls the handle  5   b  to the patient&#39;s side in many cases. In such a case, the power assistance works in such a direction that the I.I. spot  4  comes to the patient. For this reason, when the patient pulls the handle  5   b  even a little, the I.I. spot  4  approaches the patient rapidly, which makes the patient surprised, however, it can reduce such a situation by the first embodiment. Especially, in a case when movement of the I.I. spot  4  in the far and near direction can be locked, the above-mentioned situation can be reduced and it is very useful.  
         [0046]     Moreover, in the first embodiment, since the alarm sound is outputted when the safe lock mode is ON and one of the fluoroscopy/radiography switch  5   e , the tilting switch  5   f , the table top move switch  5   g , the power assistant sensors  5   h , the tilting switch  6   a  and the table top move switch  6   b  turn on as mentioned above, the doctor and the radiological technologist can notice a situation where the patient touches the spot side operation part  5  or the table side operation part  6 . Thereby, the doctor and the radiological technologist can be reminded to observe the patient&#39;s action carefully.  
         [0047]     The following various modification may be possible according to the first embodiment. For example, the operation for turning off the safe lock mode may not be limited to the long press of a button, but may be just to push a button again, or may be to push several bottoms simultaneously, etc. The X-ray imaging apparatus shown in  FIGS. 1A through 1C  may include a structure which can attach an X-ray tube on I.I. spot part  4  side and position a film under the table top  1   a  to obtain an X-ray image on the film. In this situation, it is possible to control X-ray irradiation from the X-ray attached on I.I. spot part  4  side as well as the X-ray tube  7 .  
         [0048]     The present invention may be not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept. Although the above embodiment and modification may include various steps or various elements, one or more steps or elements may be arbitrarily selected. For instance, one or more steps or elements described as the embodiment or modification may be omitted. In addition, some elements in different embodiments may be combined. According to the above embodiment, even if a first switch is touched by the patient, it can prevent irradiating the X-ray certainly. Since the first switch is arranged in such a position that the patient can touch, the operationality is not deteriorated. Moreover, in the first embodiment, although the I. I. spot part is shown as a detector which detects the X-ray passing through the patient and changes the X-ray into the electric signal, instead of the I. I., an indirect change type flat panel detector which changes the X-ray into an optical signal once to change the optical signal to an electric signal or a direct type flat panel detector which changes X-rays into a electric signal directly may be used. As another modification, the following feature may be applied. When the safe lock mode is ON, an operation of the spot side operation part  5  is locked, however an operation of the table side operation part  6  may not be locked.