Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7896547?dq=6188988
Timestamp: 2014-09-19 06:05:09
Document Index: 628547807

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 12', 'art 604', 'art 606', 'art 604', 'art 606', 'art 604', 'art 606', 'art 604', 'art 604', 'art 606', 'art 606', 'art 604', 'art 606', 'art 604', 'art 606', 'art 604', 'art 606', 'Application No. 08013372']

Patent US7896547 - Radiation image capturing system - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA radiation image capturing system detects the position of a radiation detecting cassette disposed below a patient and the position of a radiation source for emitting a radiation, based on the differences between the propagation times of radio waves emitted from an antenna device to an image capturing...http://www.google.com/patents/US7896547?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7896547 - Radiation image capturing systemAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7896547 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 12/432,889Publication dateMar 1, 2011Filing dateApr 30, 2009Priority dateJul 27, 2007Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS20090257564Publication number12432889, 432889, US 7896547 B2, US 7896547B2, US-B2-7896547, US7896547 B2, US7896547B2InventorsEiichi Kito, Naoyuki Nishino, Yasunori Ohta, Tsuyoshi Tanabe, Takuya Yoshimi, Takeshi Kuwabara, Kazuharu Ueta, Makoto IriuchijimaOriginal AssigneeFujifilm CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (20), Non-Patent Citations (2), Classifications (18), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetRadiation image capturing systemUS 7896547 B2Abstract A radiation image capturing system detects the position of a radiation detecting cassette disposed below a patient and the position of a radiation source for emitting a radiation, based on the differences between the propagation times of radio waves emitted from an antenna device to an image capturing apparatus and the radiation detecting cassette. Based on the detected positions, the relative positions of the image capturing apparatus and the radiation detecting cassette are calculated, and then compared with each other by a position determining unit to judge how the image capturing apparatus is positioned with respect to the radiation detecting cassette. If the image capturing apparatus is not positioned in head-on facing relation to the radiation detecting cassette, then a warning is issued, and an actuating mechanism moves the image capturing apparatus to an appropriate position.
wherein said radiation source and said radiation conversion panel are separate from each other and movable with respect to each other,
wherein said position detecting unit comprises a detector for detecting the respective positions of said radiation source and said radiation conversion panel in a horizontal plane, and
wherein the detector comprises a first horizontal sensor for detecting a horizontal position of the radiation detecting cassette, a first vertical sensor for detecting a vertical position of the radiation detecting cassette, a second horizontal sensor for detecting a horizontal position of the image capturing unit, and a second vertical sensor for detecting a vertical position of the image capturing unit.
2. A radiation image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein said position detecting unit is mounted on said image capturing unit, said cassette, or a cassette holder for holding said cassette.
3. A radiation image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein said image capturing unit includes an actuating unit for moving said image capturing unit to a position which faces said radiation conversion panel head-on, and said actuating unit is energizable based on a determined result from said determining unit.
4. A radiation image capturing system according to claim 3, further comprising a warning unit for issuing a warning if said determining unit judges that said radiation source and said radiation conversion panel are not placed in head-on facing relation to each other based on the determined result from said determining unit.
5. A radiation image capturing system according to claim 3, wherein said detector comprises an azimuthal sensor for detecting a spatial position, a gravitational sensor, or an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration upon displacement of said cassette.
6. A radiation image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein an orientation detecting unit is mounted on said image capturing unit so as to face said cassette,
said orientation detecting unit emits a light toward said cassette, and
based on whether or not said orientation detecting unit detects a reflected light, said determining unit determines whether an irradiated surface of said cassette faces said radiation source.
7. A radiation image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein said determining unit determines whether a distance between said radiation source and said cassette detected by a distance detecting unit matches a predetermined distance between said radiation source and said cassette at a time of capturing a radiation image of the subject.
8. A radiation image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein the detector further comprises a first displacement sensor for detecting a displacement of the radiation detecting cassette and a second displacement sensor for detecting a displacement of the image capturing unit.
9. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines that said radiation source and the radiation conversion panel are placed in heads-on facing relation to each other when a center of the radiation source and a center of the radiation conversion panel are aligned with each other.
10. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 9, wherein the determining unit further determines that said radiation source and the radiation conversion panel are placed in heads-on facing direction when a distance between the radiation source and the radiation conversion panel is defined only by a single vertical distance.
11. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 3, wherein the determining unit determines that said radiation source and the radiation conversion panel are placed in heads-on facing relation to each other when a center of the radiation source and a center of the radiation conversion panel are aligned with each other, and when a distance between the radiation source and the radiation conversion panel is defined only by a single vertical distance.
This is a Continuation-In-Part of Application No. 12/179,740 filed Jul. 25, 2008. The entire disclosure of the prior application, application number 12/179,740, is hereby incorporated by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a general object of the present invention to provide a radiation image capturing system which allows a radiation conversion panel to be reliably and accurately placed in a desired position that faces a radiation source head-on, for thereby efficiently capturing a radiation image of a subject.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view inside an operating room incorporating a radiation image capturing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a radiation detecting cassette according to further still another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a cradle which charges the radiation detecting cassette;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view inside an operating room incorporating a radiation image capturing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 15 is an enlarged side view showing the vicinity of a patient and a radiation detecting cassette in the operating room shown in FIG. 14;
FIG. 16 is a perspective view, partly cut away, of the radiation detecting cassette used in the radiation image capturing system, as viewed from the irradiation side;
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the radiation detecting cassette shown in FIG. 16, as viewed from the rear side;
FIG. 18 is a side view of the radiation detecting cassette;
FIG. 19A is a side view showing a state in which a irradiated surface of the radiation detecting cassette faces an image capturing apparatus and an orientation detecting unit;
FIG. 19B is a side view showing a state in which a rear surface of the radiation detecting cassette faces the image capturing apparatus and the orientation detecting unit;
FIG. 20 is a perspective view inside an operating room incorporating a radiation image capturing system according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 21 is a perspective view, partly cut away, showing internal structural details of the radiation detecting cassette used in the radiation image capturing system shown in FIG. 20;
FIG. 22 is a side elevational view of a surgical table with a patient lying thereon in the operating room shown in FIG. 20; and
FIG. 23 is a block diagram of the radiation image capturing system shown in FIG. 20.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 through 3 show an operating room 12 incorporating a radiation image capturing system 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the operating room 12 has, in addition to the radiation image capturing system 10, a surgical table 16 for a patient 14 to lie thereon, and an instrument table 20 disposed to one side of the surgical table 16 for placing thereon various tools and instruments to be used by surgeons 18 for operating the patient 14. The surgical table 16 is surrounded by various apparatus required for surgical operations, including an anesthesia apparatus, an aspirator, an electrocardiograph, a blood pressure monitor, etc.
The TFTs 60 functioning as a switching device can be combined with another image capturing device such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) device. Further, the TFTs 60 may be replaced by a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) which transfers charge while shifting the charge with the shift pulse corresponding to the gate signal for the TFTs.
The console 28 comprises a transceiver 112 for transmitting and receiving necessary information including radiation image information, positional information, etc. to and from the image capturing apparatus 22, the radiation detecting cassette 24, and the display device 26 by way of wireless communications, an image capturing condition manager 114 for managing image capturing conditions required for the image capturing apparatus 22 to capture radiation images, an image processor 116 for processing radiation image information transmitted from the radiation detecting cassette 24, an image memory 118 for storing the radiation image information processed by the image processor 116, a patient information manager 120 for managing patient information of the patient 14 whose images are to be captured, a cassette information manager 122 for managing cassette information transmitted from the radiation detecting cassette 24, and a position determining unit 124 for determining the relative positional relationship between the image capturing apparatus 22 and the radiation detecting cassette 24 based on the propagation times �t� of radio waves that are transmitted from the antenna device 29 to the image capturing apparatus 22 and the radiation detecting cassette 24.
The position determining unit 124 is supplied, through the transceivers 48, 84, 112, with positional information of the image capturing apparatus 22 and the radiation detecting cassette 24 which is detected based on the differences between the propagation times �t� of radio waves detected by the antenna device 29 which includes the first, second, and third transceivers 29 a, 29 b, 29 c, and compares the relative positions of the image capturing apparatus 22 and the radiation detecting cassette 24 with each other.
The radiation image capturing system 10 according to the first embodiment is basically constructed as described above, and operation of the radiation image capturing system 10 will be described below.
At this time, the first, second, and third transceivers 29 a, 29 b, 29 c of the antenna device 29 emit radio waves, which are received by the first receiver 51 housed in the radiation detecting cassette 24 and the second receiver 91 mounted on the image capturing apparatus 22. The position determining unit 124 of the console 28 calculates the propagation times �t� of the radio waves emitted from the respective the first, second, and third transceivers 29 a, 29 b, 29 c, from the time the radio waves are emitted until they are received by the first and second receivers 51, 91, and specifies the positions of the first and second receivers 51, 91 in the operating room 12 based on the differences between the propagation times �t�. In other words, the position determining unit 124 calculates the relative positions of the radiation detecting cassette 24 having the first receiver 51 and the image capturing apparatus 22 having the second receiver 91.
If the position determining unit 124 judges that the image capturing apparatus 22 is positioned upwardly of the radiation detecting cassette 24 in vertically head-on facing relation thereto, then the first horizontal sensor 52, the first vertical sensor 54, and the first displacement sensor 56 of the first detector 50 detect the direction, tilt, etc. of the radiation detecting cassette 24. At the same time, the second horizontal sensor 92, the second vertical sensor 94, and the second displacement sensor 96 of the second detector 88 detect the direction, tilt, etc. of the image capturing apparatus 22. The first detector 50 outputs detected signals indicative of the detected quantities to the position calculator 104 of the cassette controller 46, and the second detector 88 outputs detected signals indicative of the detected quantities to the position calculator 126 of the radiation source controller 86. The position calculators 104, 126 then calculate the directions, tilts, etc. of the image capturing apparatus 22 and the radiation detecting cassette 24. The information representing the calculated directions, tilts, etc. is transmitted from the position calculators 104, 126 through the transceivers 48, 84 to the console 28. In the console 28, the transmitted information is supplied through the transceiver 112 to the position determining unit 124.
In the first embodiment, furthermore, the antenna device 29 comprising the first, second, and third transceivers 29 a, 29 b, 29 c is disposed in the operating room 12, and the first and second receivers 51, 91 are combined with the image capturing apparatus 22 and the radiation detecting cassette 24, respectively, for specifying the positions of the image capturing apparatus 22 and the radiation detecting cassette 24. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. Base stations for transmitting and receiving UWB (Ultra Wide Band) signals may be combined with the image capturing apparatus 22 and the console 28, respectively, and a UWB receiver such as a tag, for example, for receiving such UWB signals may be housed in the radiation detecting cassette 24. According to such a modification, the propagation times of UWB signals from the UWB receiver to the base stations may be calculated, and the position of the radiation detecting cassette 24 with the UWB receiver may be specified based on the difference between the calculated propagation times.
According to the first embodiment, as described above, the position of the image capturing apparatus 22 including the radiation source 82 and the position of the radiation detecting cassette 24 housing the radiation detector 40 are detected by the antenna device 29 and the first and second receivers 51, 91 which serve as the position detecting unit. Based on the detected positional information, the position determining unit 124 of the console 28 determines whether or not the image capturing apparatus 22 and the radiation detecting cassette 24 face each other head-on. Consequently, it is possible to recognize in advance when the image capturing apparatus 22 does not face the radiation detecting cassette 24 head-on and cannot capture a radiation image of the patient 14 properly.
Another example of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 7 through 9. According to the other example, the surgical table 16 in the operating room 12 incorporating the radiation image capturing system 10 shown in FIG. 1 is replaced with a stretcher 150 (see FIG. 7) that can be moved into the operating room 12 with the patient 14 lying thereon.
The position determining unit 124 of the console 28 calculates the propagation times �t� of the radio waves emitted from the respective the first, second, and third transceivers 29 a, 29 b, 29 c, from the time the radio waves are emitted until they are received by the second and third receivers 91, 162, and specifies the positions of the second and third receivers 91, 162 in the operating room 12 based on the differences between the propagation times �t�.
The radiation detecting cassette 24 may be inserted into the cassette holder 160 before the stretcher 150 is brought into the operating room 12. If the radiation detecting cassette 24 is inserted into the cassette holder 160 before the stretcher 150 is brought into the operating room 12, then it is determined whether or not the image capturing apparatus 22, the radiation detecting cassette 24, and the cassette holder 160 are positioned in vertically head-on facing relation to each other based on the radio waves emitted from the first, second, and third transceivers 29 a, 29 b, 29 c. Still another example of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. According to the still other example, a surgical table 200 with the radiation detecting cassette 24 being placed on one side thereof is installed in the operating room 12 incorporating the radiation image capturing system 10 shown in FIG. 1.
For capturing a radiation image of the patient 14, the cassette holder 206 is positionally adjusted to a position horizontally aligned with the area of the patient 14 (e.g., a knee region) to be imaged. The first, second, and third transceivers 29 a, 29 b, 29 c of the antenna device 29 emit radio waves, which are received by the second receiver 91 mounted on the image capturing apparatus 22 and the fourth receiver 214 of the cassette holder 206. The position determining unit 124 of the console 28 calculates the propagation times �t� of the radio waves emitted from the respective the first, second, and third transceivers 29 a, 29 b, 29 c, from the time the radio waves are emitted until they are received by the second and fourth receivers 91, 214, and specifies the positions of the second and fourth receivers 91, 214 in the operating room 12 based on the differences between the propagation times �t�.
For example, the aforementioned radiation detector (radiation conversion panel) 40 makes up a direct-conversion type of radiation detector, which converts the radiation dose of the irradiated radiation directly into electric signals through the photoelectric conversion layer 59. However, in place of this structure, a indirect-conversion type of radiation detector in which irradiated radiation is converted initially into visible light by a scintillator, and thereafter, the visible light is converted into electric signals using a solid-state detecting device formed from amorphous silicon (a-Si) or the like, may also be used (see, Japanese Patent No. 3494683).
Next, with reference to FIGS. 14 to 19, a radiation image capturing system 600 according to a second embodiment of the invention shall be explained. Structural elements thereof which are the same as those of the radiation image capturing system 10 according to the above-described first embodiment are designated with the same reference numerals and detailed explanations of such features shall be omitted.
The radiation image capturing system 600 includes, as shown in FIG. 14, an orientation detecting unit 602 for detecting a direction of the radiation detecting cassette 24 with respect to the image capturing apparatus 22, the orientation detecting unit 602 being mounted on a side of the image capturing apparatus 22 so as to face the radiation detecting cassette 24 set on the surgical table 16.
The orientation detecting unit 602 comprises, for example, a reflection type photosensor having a light-emitting part 604 for emitting light and a light-receiving part 606 for receiving the emitted light. The light-emitting part 604 and the light-receiving part 606 are directed so as to face the radiation detecting cassette 24 (see FIG. 15).
The light-emitting part 604 emits light toward the radiation detecting cassette 24 substantially orthogonally, and the light-receiving part 606 receives the emitted light reflected by the irradiated surface 36 of the radiation detecting cassette 24. The detection results obtained by the orientation detecting unit 602 is output to a transceiver of the image capturing apparatus 22, and then transmitted to the console 28. The orientation detecting unit 602 may be disposed inside the image capturing apparatus 22.
On the other hand, the radiation detecting cassette 24 comprises a reflection portion 612 having a predetermined width on a flat plate portion 608 a including the irradiated surface 36 of the casing 34 irradiated with the radiation X, along the ends of the flat plate portion 608 a near the walls 610 a to 610 d of the casing 34. The reflection portion 612 is made of, for example, a recursively reflective material. The reflection portion 612 is formed into a sheet shape and attached to the flat plate portion 608 a such that the reflection portion 612 reflects the light emitted from the light-emitting part 604 toward the orientation detecting unit 602 (in the direction indicated by the arrow D). That is, the reflection portion 612 has a frame shape surrounding the flat plate portion 608 a (see FIG. 16).
On a rear plate portion 608 b of the casing 34 on the opposite side of the irradiated surface 36, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, a scattering portion 616 having an uneven surface with a plurality of expanded faces 614 is formed. When the radiation detecting cassette 24 is placed such that the rear plate portion 608 b having the scattering portion 616 faces the image capturing apparatus 22 and the orientation detecting unit 602, the scattering portion 616 scatters the light emitted from the orientation detecting unit 602.
The scattering portion 616 is formed along the surface of the rear plate portion 608 b. Each of the expanded faces 614 has a substantially arcuate shape in cross section and expands outwardly from the casing 34 (in the direction indicated by the arrow E).
That is, the casing 34 includes the reflection portion 612 that is formed on the flat plate portion 608 a facing the patient 14 and the image capturing apparatus 22 and irradiated with the radiation X. The casing 34 also includes the scattering portion 616 that is formed on the rear plate portion 608 b facing the surgical table 16 on which the patient 14 is lying. In other words, the reflection portion 612 is formed on the flat plate portion 608 a closer to the radiation detector 40 irradiated with the radiation X, and the scattering portion 616 is formed on the rear plate portion 608 b on the side of the lead plate 42 which absorbs back scattered rays from the radiation X (in the direction indicated by the arrow E).
In the radiation image capturing system 600 according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 19A, the light-emitting part 604 of the orientation detecting unit 602 emits light toward the radiation detecting cassette 24 (in the direction indicated by the arrow E), the reflection portion 612 formed on the casing 34 reflects the emitted light, and the reflected light returns toward the orientation detecting unit 602 (in the direction indicated by the arrow D) so as to allow the light-receiving part 606 to receive the reflected light. Specifically, a part of reflection portion 612 which is not covered by the patient 14 reflects the emitted light to the light-receiving part 606 (in the direction indicated by the arrow D). That is, the reflection portion 612 is formed on the flat plate portion 608 a near the walls 610 a to 610 d of the casing 34 in order to avoid the patient 14 lying on the irradiated surface 36.
Then, based on the detection results obtained by the orientation detecting unit 602, a detection signal is output to the transceiver in the image capturing apparatus 22. Thereafter, the detection signal is further output to a status determination unit (not shown) through the transceiver of the console 28.
The status determination unit confirms, based on the detection signal, that the light emitted from the light-emitting part 604 is received by the light-receiving part 606, and determines that the flat plate portion 608 a having the reflection portion 612 of the casing 34 faces the orientation detecting unit 602. That is, the status determination unit confirms that the radiation detecting cassette 24 is placed such that the irradiated surface 36 faces toward the image capturing apparatus 22 (in the direction indicated by the arrow D).
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 19B, if the radiation detecting cassette 24 is inadvertently placed so that the rear plate portion 608 b having the scattering portion 616 faces toward the patient 14 and the image capturing apparatus 22 (in the direction indicated by the arrow D), because the light emitted from the light-emitting part 604 of the orientation detecting unit 602 travels toward the detecting cassette 24 (in the direction indicated by the arrow E) and is scattered into directions by the expanded faces 614 of the scattering portion 616, the light-receiving part 606 does not receive the scattered light. Accordingly, the orientation detecting unit 602 does not output a detection signal indicating that the light emitted from the light-emitting part 604 is received by the light-receiving part 606. As a result, it is determined that the rear plate portion 608 b of the casing 34 having the scattering portion 616 faces the orientation detecting unit 602.
In this case, it is confirmed that the irradiated surface 36 of the radiation detecting cassette 24 does not face toward the image capturing apparatus 22 (in the direction indicated by the arrow D), and the surface opposite to the irradiated surface 36 inadvertently faces the image capturing apparatus 22.
As described above, according to the second embodiment, the radiation detecting cassette 24 is placed between the patient 14 and the surgical table 16, and the orientation detecting unit 602 disposed thereabove along with the image capturing apparatus 22 emits light to the radiation detecting cassette 24. Based on the receipt of the emitted light reflected by the radiation detecting cassette 24, whether the irradiated surface 36 of the radiation detecting cassette 24 faces toward the image capturing apparatus 22 (in the direction indicated by the arrow D) or not is detectable.
Because the radiation detecting cassette 24 has the scattering portion 616 on the rear plate portion 608 b opposite to the irradiated surface 36, when the emitted light is not received by the orientation detecting unit 602, it is confirmed that the irradiated surface 36 is not directed to the image capturing apparatus 22 (in the direction indicated by the arrow D). As a result, based on the detection result, it is possible to reliably and easily reset the radiation detecting cassette 24 such that the irradiated surface 36 faces the image capturing apparatus 22. Thus, a desirable image capturing operation can be performed. Further, it is possible to improve operation efficiency because an image is not captured when the irradiated surface 36 of the radiation detecting cassette 24 inadvertently faces oppositely.
In addition, instead of the aforementioned orientation detecting unit 602, for example, a gravity sensor can be disposed inside the radiation detecting cassette 24. With the gravity sensor, it is possible to detect vertical direction with respect to the radiation detecting cassette 24. When an image capturing operation is performed with the patient 14 lying on the surgical table 16, it is possible with the gravity sensor to determine whether the irradiated surface 36 of the radiation detecting cassette 24 faces the image capturing apparatus 22 or not.
Next, with reference to FIGS. 20 to 23, a radiation image capturing system 700 according to a third embodiment of the invention shall be explained. Structural elements thereof which are the same as those of the radiation image capturing systems 10, 600 are designated with the same reference numerals and detailed explanations of such features shall be omitted.
In the radiation image capturing system 700, as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the radiation detecting cassette 24 is placed on the surgical table 16 on which the patient 14 is lying. The grid 38, the radiation detector 40, and the lead plate 42 are not disposed in the four corners of the radiation detecting cassette 24, but signal generators 702 are disposed respectively in the four corners of the radiation detecting cassette 24. A signal detector 704 is disposed in the image capturing apparatus 22, correspondingly to the four signal generators 702 (see FIG. 22). The signal detector 704 of the image capturing apparatus 22 detects signals from the four signal generators 702 of the radiation detecting cassettes 24. Specifically, each of the signal generators 702 comprises a magnet or a magnetic generator, and the signal detector 704 comprises a three-axis magnetic field sensor for detecting a magnetic field that is generated continuously or intermittently by each of the magnets or the magnetic generators.
As shown in FIG. 22, it is assumed that the distance between the image capturing apparatus 22 and the radiation detecting cassettes 24, i.e., the distance between a radiation source 82 of the image capturing apparatus 22 and the radiation detector 40 of the radiation detecting cassettes 24 is represented by d. In the radiation image capturing system 700, the distance d is adjusted into conformity with a predetermined distance (source-to-image distance, hereinafter also referred to as �SID�) df from the radiation source 82 to the radiation detector 40 at the time a radiation image of the patient 14 is to be captured. Thereafter, the image capturing apparatus 22 applies the radiation X to the patient 14.
The distance d may be adjusted when the image capturing apparatus 22 is moved to a desired position by controlling the universal arms 30 a, 30 b with a radiation source movement controller to be described later (see FIG. 23), or when one of the surgeons 18 or the radiological technician manually moves the universal arms 30 a, 30 b and the image capturing apparatus 22.
The image capturing apparatus 22 comprises an image capturing switch 80, a radiation source 82, a transceiver 84, a radiation source controller 86, a warning unit 708, a signal detector 704, a distance calculator 710, and a determining unit 712.
The radiation source controller 86 controls the radiation source 82, the signal detector 704, and the determining unit 712 based on an image capturing start signal supplied from the image capturing switch 80 and image capturing conditions supplied from the transceiver 84. The radiation source 82 outputs the radiation X under the control of the radiation source controller 86. The signal detector 704 detects signals transmitted from the signal generators 702 under the control of the radiation source controller 86.
The distance calculator 710 calculates the distance d (see FIG. 22) based on the signals from the signal generators 702 which have been detected by the signal detector 704. As described above, each of the signal generators 702 comprises a magnet or a magnetic generator, and the signal detector 704 comprises a three-axis magnetic field sensor for detecting a magnetic field that is generated continuously or intermittently by each of the magnets or the magnetic generators. Therefore, the distance calculator 710 calculates the three-dimensional positions and directions of the signal generators 702 with respect to the signal detector 704, based on the intensities of the magnetic fields detected by the magnetic sensor, and calculates the distance d from the three-dimensional positions and directions and the present position of the radiation source 82.
Thus, the signal generators 702, the signal detector 704, and the distance calculator 710 jointly serve as a distance detecting unit 714 for detecting the distance d.
Under the control of the radiation source controller 86, the determining unit 712 determines whether the distance d calculated by the distance calculator 710 matches the SID df or not. If the distance d does not match the SID df, then the determining unit 712 outputs a control signal for equalizing the distance d with the SID df to the radiation source movement controller 706. The SID df is included in the image capturing conditions that are supplied from the console 28 via transceivers 112, 84 to the radiation source controller 86.
Based on the control signal from the determining unit 712, the radiation source movement controller 706 causes the universal arms 30 a, 30 b to move the image capturing apparatus 22 to a predetermined position depending on the SID df until the distance d matches the SID df. After having moved the image capturing apparatus 22, the radiation source movement controller 706 outputs, to the determining unit 712, a response signal indicative of the completion of the movement of the image capturing apparatus 22.
If the determining unit 712 judges that the distance d does not match the SID df, then the determining unit 712 outputs, to the warning unit 708, a warning signal indicating that the distance d does not match the SID df. If the determining unit 712 is supplied with the response signal from the radiation source movement controller 706, then the determining unit 712 stops outputting the warning signal to the warning unit 708.
At the time the warning unit 708 is supplied with the warning signal from the determining unit 712, the warning unit 708 energizes a light-emitting diode (LED), for example, to emit light, indicating that the distance d does not match the SID df, to the surgeons 18 or the radiological technician in the operating room 12.
The radiation image capturing system 700 according to the third embodiment is basically constructed as described above, and operations of the radiation image capturing system 700 will be described below. Detailed explanations of the operations which are the same as those of the radiation image capturing systems 10, 600 shall be omitted.
After the above preparatory process is finished, the surgeons 18 or the radiological technician turns on the image capturing switch 80 of the radiation image capturing system 700 set in the operating room 12. Then, the radiation source controller 86 receives the image capturing conditions, and controls the signal detector 704 to detect the signals transmitted from the signal generators 702, supplies, to the determining unit 712, the SID df included in the image capturing conditions, and controls the determining unit 712 to compare the supplied SID df with the distance d.
The signal generators 702 are continuously or intermittently transmitting signals. Under the control of the radiation source controller 86, the signal detector 704 detects the signals transmitted from the signal generators 702, and outputs the detected signals to the distance calculator 710. The distance calculator 710 calculates the distance d based on the signals from the signal detector 704, and outputs the calculated distance d to the determining unit 712. Under the control of the radiation source controller 86, the determining unit 712 determines whether the distance d matches the SID df or not.
If the determining unit 712 judges that the distance d does not match the SID df, then the determining unit 712 outputs, to the warning unit 708, a warning signal indicating that the distance d does not match the SID df, and also outputs, to the radiation source movement controller 706, a control signal to equalize the distance d with the SID df.
Based on the warning signal from the determining unit 712, the warning unit 708 indicates, to the surgeons 18 or the radiological technician through LED light emission or the like, that the distance d does not match the SID df. Based on the control signal from the determining unit 712, the radiation source movement controller 706 controls the universal arms 30 a, 30 b to move the image capturing apparatus 22 to a predetermined position of the radiation source 82 where the distance d matches the SID df. After having moved the image capturing apparatus 22, the radiation source movement controller 706 outputs, to the determining unit 712, a response signal indicative of the completion of the movement of the image capturing apparatus 22.
Based on the response signal supplied to the determining unit 712, the determining unit 712 stops outputting the warning signal to the warning unit 708, and outputs the response signal to the radiation source controller 86. The warning unit 708 stops indicating, to the surgeons 18 or the radiological technician, that the distance d does not match the SID df. Further, based on the supplied response signal, the radiation source controller 86 controls the radiation source 82 to apply radiation X at a given dose to the patient 14 according to the image capturing conditions.
If the determining unit 712 judges that the distance d matches the SID df, then the determining unit 712 does not output the warning signal to the warning unit 708 or the control signal to the radiation source movement controller 706, but outputs, to the radiation source movement controller 706, a response signal indicating that the distance d matches the SID df. Based on the supplied response signal, the radiation source controller 86 starts the image capturing process by applying a radiation from the radiation source.
As described above, the radiation image capturing system 700 according to the third embodiment automatically detects the distance d between the radiation source 82 and the radiation detecting cassette 24 by the distance detecting unit 714, and automatically determines whether the distance d matches the SID df or not by the determining unit 712. With this system, it is possible to adjust the distance d into conformity with the SID df easily and highly precisely before capturing a radiation image. Thus, highly precise radiation image information can be obtained.
In the case where the surgeons 18 or the radiological technician manually operates the universal arms 30 a, 30 b to adjust the distance d before radiation image capturing, the distance d is detected automatically and whether the distance d matches the SID df or not is determined automatically. Thus, the burden on the surgeons 18 or the radiological technician can be remarkably lessened. Further, a radiation image can be captured efficiently.
In addition, according to the radiation image capturing system 700, in the case where the determining unit 712 determines that the distance d does not match the SID df, the radiation source movement controller 706 can automatically move the image capturing apparatus 22 by the universal arms 30 a, 30 b so as to the distance d matches the SID df. That is, the detection of the distance d, the determination whether the distance d matches the SID df or not, and the adjustment of the distance d into conformity with the SID df are performed automatically. Thus, the burden on the surgeons 18 or the radiological technician is further lessened, and the distance d and the SID df can be adjusted reliably and highly precisely. As a result, further more highly precise radiation image information can be obtained easily.
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