Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A volumetric computed tomography (VCT) system for producing, in one single rotation, x-ray measurements for reconstructing a plurality of image slices through a portion of a subject positioned along an axis of rotation, the VCT system comprising:an x-ray source array having a plurality of source positions for producing x-rays emanating from each of the source positions, wherein the x-ray source positions are arranged in a two-dimensional array having an extent in the direction of the axis of rotation;an x-ray detector array for acquiring x-ray measurements for each of the source positions separately, the x-ray detector array including x-ray detector elements that are spaced one from the other in the direction of the axis of rotation; andmeans for rotating the source array and the detector array about the axis of rotation,wherein the x-ray source array and the x-ray detector array have comparable extent along the direction of the axis of rotation. 2. The VCT system of claim 1, further comprising a collimator to partly limit the divergence of the x-rays emanating from each of the source positions, wherein the divergence is partly limited in the direction of the axis of rotation, and wherein each source position illuminates multiple x-ray detector elements in the direction of the axis of rotation. 3. The VCT system of claim 2 wherein each source position illuminates a substantial fraction of the x-ray detector elements in the direction of the axis of rotation. 4. The VCT system of claim 3 wherein each source position illuminates the entire array of detector elements in the direction of the axis of rotation. 5. The VCT system of claim 1, wherein said x-ray source positions are equally spaced in at least one direction. 6. The VCT system of claim 1, wherein said x-ray source positions are unequally spaced in at least one direction. 7. The VCT system of claim 1, wherein detector elements in said detector array are equally spaced in at least one direction. 8. The VCT system of claim 1, wherein detector elements in said detector array are unequally spaced in at least one direction. 9. The VCT system of claim 1, wherein said x-ray source array is a two-dimensional scanned anode x-ray source. 10. The VCT system of claim 1 wherein the array of detector elements is a two-dimensional array. 11. The VCT system of claim 1 wherein the array of detector elements is a one-dimensional array. 12. A method of volumetric computed tomography comprising:producing x-rays from a plurality of source positions arranged in a two-dimensional array having an extent in the direction of an axis of rotation;passing the x-rays from each source position through an object to produce transmitted x-rays from each source position;measuring the transmitted x-rays from each source position with a detector array, the detector array containing elements separated in the direction of the axis of rotation; androtating the source and the detector array around the axis of rotation;wherein the plurality of source positions and the detector array have comparable extent in the direction of the axis of rotation. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising partly limiting a divergence of the x-rays from each source position using a collimator, wherein the divergence is partly limited in the direction of the axis of rotation such that the x-rays exiting the collimator do not all travel in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and wherein each source position illuminates multiple elements separated in the direction of the axis of rotation. 14. The method of claim 12 wherein each source position illuminates a substantial fraction of the x-ray detector elements in the direction of the axis of rotation. 15. The method of claim 13 wherein each source position illuminates the entire array of detector elements in the direction of the axis of rotation. 16. The method of claim 12 wherein said detector array forms a one-dimensional linear array. 17. The method of claim 12 wherein said detector array forms a two-dimensional array. 18. The method of claim 12 wherein said plurality of source positions have an axial extent comparable or exceeding the axial extent of the object. 19. The method of claim 12 wherein said detector array has an axial extent comparable or exceeding the axial extent of the object.