Abstract:
A device for reading x-rays including mechanism for transporting a plurality of x-rays to and from a x-ray reading station; the transporting mechanism including a web and mechanism for securing a plurality of x-ray films to the web; the plurality of x-ray films may be spaced one from another along the web; the device including mechanism for controlling the movement of the web to sequentially transport the x-ray films to the reading station; mechanism for sensing the web and overlying x-ray film to identify the location of each x-ray film; sensing mechanism being disposed upstream of the x-ray reading station; mechanism for activating light sources behind the x-ray film and avoiding activating light sources behind the web portions not having overlying x-ray film; light activating mechanism disposed at the x-ray reading station whereby light is passed through said x-ray film and light is not passed through the web not having overlying x-ray film.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to devices for assisting in the reading of x-ray films and more particularly to controlling the lighting used to assist in the reading of x-ray films. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Devices for assisting in the reading of x-rays have undergone an evolution over the history of the use of x-rays. Initially x-rays were simply held up to the light as the doctor or the technician read them. This procedure had its problems and drawbacks. The hand held x-rays tended to not be steady and the light tended to be erratic and uneven. Later, light boxes were developed light boxes consisted of a frame that held a frosted glass with a lamp disposed beneath the frosted glass. The x-ray was placed on the frosted glass where it lay in a stable position. The light box overcame the mentioned drawbacks of the hand held x-ray, but never-the-less had its own problems and drawbacks. The light box emitted a bright light in the areas around the perimeter of the x-ray and a lesser light showed through the x-ray itself. This bright light tended to partially desensitize the sight of the doctor or radiologist reviewing the x-ray. 
     Still later, automation came about, including carriages for transporting a series of x-rays passed a reviewing station including a light box. The x-ray transporting carriages had their own problems. One of the problems with the transporting carriages included the partial desensitizing problem previously confronted in the light boxes. Later modifications included the addition of manual or semi-automatic mechanical shutters to mask unwanted light. Such shutters are driven by hand or motorized. The present invention overcomes the partial sight desensitizing problem by only providing lighting behind the x-ray film. 
     The device used in many radiology departments of medical facilities is a motorized film alternator, commonly referred to as a “Rolloscope™” or “motorized viewer.” This device transports radiology films for the radiologist to view and use in the generation of a report on the radiology findings. These x-ray films may consist of various widths and heights that are transported on a mechanism such as a transparent belt or web and may consist of multiple rows of x-rays, one row located adjacent another. Each row may be referred to as a deck. The area behind the belt or transport mechanism is lighted to allow the radiologist to see the image on the x-ray film. The light consists of a series of flourescent lamps covered by a white plastic panel that provides a diffused white light source. In order for the radiologist to see small findings on the film, masking may be used. The facility places black films around the area to be viewed. The black film is used as a light blocking device. Alternatively, the alternator companies offer mechanical shutters to mask e.g., block unwanted light around these films to increase viewing sensitivity. This masking is typically manual or semiautomatic and is a time consuming process, requiring careful arrangement of black film to create a desired pattern. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes a device for assisting in the reading of radiology films, e.g., x-ray films including mechanism for transporting a plurality of x-rays to and from an x-ray reading station. The transporting mechanism may include a web and mechanism for securing a plurality of x-ray films to the web. The plurality of x-ray films may be spaced one from another along the web. The device has mechanism for controlling the movement of the web to sequentially transport the x-ray films to the reading station. The device includes mechanism for sensing the web and overlying x-ray film to identify the location of each x-ray film. The sensing mechanism is disposed upstream of the x-ray reading station. The device has mechanism for activating light sources behind the x-ray film and avoiding activating light sources behind the web portions not having overlying x-ray film. The light activating mechanism is disposed at the x-ray reading station whereby light is passed through the x-ray film and light is not passed through the web not having overlying x-ray film. 
     The present invention provides an area of light source that automatically conforms to dimensions of the area behind the x-ray films. The present invention includes mechanism for transporting and supporting x-ray films for reading by a doctor or radiologist. The device includes mechanism for transporting a plurality of x-ray films to and from an x-ray film reading station. The transporting mechanism includes an elongated transparent film, e.g., web for securing a plurality of x-ray films to the web. The plurality of x-ray films may be spaced one from another along the web or the x-ray films may abut one another. The mechanism for securing the x-ray films to the web may be a pocket formed along an edge of the web. Alternatively, the securing mechanism may be a clip that fastens the x-ray film to the web. The transporting mechanism e.g., web, may carry one, two or more rows of x-ray film sheets and a plurality of x-ray film sheets may be viewed simultaneously at the reading station. 
     The present device includes mechanism for controlling the movement of the web carrying the x-ray film to sequentially transport the individual x-ray films to the reading station. The present device includes mechanism for sensing the location of the x-ray film with respect to the web. The sensing mechanism may include a plurality of photoelectric cells to sense the presence and location of the x-ray film. The sensing mechanism is disposed upstream of the x-ray reading station. The sensing mechanism may sense the vertical dimension, as well as, the horizontal dimension of each of the x-ray films, e.g. ten inch x-ray film as distinct from twelve inch x-ray film as distinct from a seventeen inch x-ray film. The sensing mechanism also may sense the leading edge of a sheet of x-ray film and the trailing edge of the sheet of x-ray film. The information obtained by the sensing mechanism is in data form and stored for use as the web is moving to the reading station. The data then directs the light bank to illuminate only the areas which are beneath the x-ray film. 
     The reading station of the present device has a plurality of light sources positioned to selectively pass light through the x-ray film at the reading station to illuminate the x-ray film, without illuminating the areas of the web around the periphery of the sheets of x-ray film. The device has mechanism controlled by the sensing mechanism to activate only the light sources that pass light through the x-ray film and avoid activating the light sources that would pass light through the web that does not have overlying x-ray film. Thus light is only passed through the x-ray film and not through the layer that is solely web. This selective lighting prevents the partial desensitizing of the sight of the doctor or radiologist reading the x-rays. 
     The sensing mechanism reads the dimensions and location of the x-ray film, converting such information into digital data. The digital data is stored until the x-ray film reaches the reading station. The digital data then activates the light sources behind the x-ray film. The sensing mechanism serves a further purpose in that it senses the linear movement of the web so as to determine the timing of when the x-ray film is located in the reading station. 
     The sensing mechanism senses both the vertical dimension of the x-ray and the horizontal dimension of the x-ray. In other words the sensing mechanism recognizes the compete shadow of the x-ray film. The sensing mechanism may sense the density of the x-ray film and subsequently increase or decrease the intensity of the light directed through various areas of the x-ray to provide the desired level of light transmitted through the x-ray films. 
     As the x-ray films pass through the film detection scanners the location, size and if desired shape of the x-rays films are scanned into digital form, entered into a computer shift register in digital data form and synchronized with the encoder to provide the illuminate light directly behind the films and not to the bare web. Software allows tracking of films in alternative directions, e.g., for right and left movement. 
     The present invention also includes a method for reading x-ray films. The method includes passing a plurality of x-ray films through a film detection scanner; sensing the size, location, and if desired shape, of each of the x-ray films; entering the sensed information of each of the x-ray films into a computer shift register; transmitting the sensed information of the x-ray films to a light bank to provide illumination solely and directly behind each of the x-ray films upon movement of the x-ray films to a reading position in front of the light bank. The method may include the step of disabling the light bank during the movement of the x-ray film. The method may include the step of selectively dimming the light source to adjust for variation of density of the x-ray film. The method may include the step of selectively dimming the light source including selectively dimming the light source applied to an individual x-ray film to avoid hot spots or hot light. The method of the present invention may include movement of x-ray film with either direction, e.g., rightward movement or leftward movement. The method of the present invention may include the step of selectively increasing the intensity of the light to increase the light passing through a selected portion of an x-ray film to assist in reading a portion of the x-ray film. 
    
    
     IN THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the reading station taken along the line II—II in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a view of the lamps and mother board; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a light reflector and lamp; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a lamp and light reflector taken along the line V—V in FIG.  3 ;. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII—VII in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view of an alternative web support. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present controlled light source device  10  (FIG. 1) for reading x-ray film may include a frame  11  supporting a first roll support  12 , a second roll support  13  and an x-ray reading station  14  including an etched polymer sheet  15 , e.g., etched Plexiglass™. The frame  11  may be of any suitable construction, typically of angle iron and steel sheeting materials or of polymeric construction. The first roll support  12  is adapted to carry a roll  16  of a composite of web  17  and a plurality of sheets of x-ray film  18 . 
     The web  17  may include a trough  17   a  (FIG. 7) that serves to trap the lower edge of the x-ray film adjacent the principal portion  17   b  of the web  17 . The trough  17   a  may be formed merely by folding a lower portion of the web  17  as shown in FIG.  7 . The web  17  may be of any suitable transparent polymer sheet such as polyethylene or polypropylene, for example having a thickness and strength sufficient to support the x-ray film  18 . The web  17  rides along against the etched polymer sheet  15 . An alternative support is trough  17   c  is shown in FIG.  8 . The trough  17   c  has a strip  17   c ′ that is secured to web  17  by a two sided adhesive strip  17   c ″. The adhesive strip  17   c ″ serves to space the strip  17   c ′ from web  17  sufficient to permit the x-ray film  18  in the slot  17   c ″′. Any suitable mechanism may be used to hold the x-ray films adjacent the web  17 . For example, a pocket or a clamp may be used to secure an edge of the x-ray film to the web. Alternatively, a line or filament may be used wherein the line is stretched along the web x-ray composite  17 / 18 . 
     The first roll support  12  (FIG. 1) may be in the form of a power driven shaft  19 . The roll  16  of the web  17  and x-ray film  18  may be mounted for use by placement over the driven shaft  19 . The shaft  19  may be controlled by a power mechanism such as a small electric motor  21  to either permit controlled withdrawing, e.g., stripping of the composite  17 / 18  from the roll  16  or to provide powered wrapping of the composite  17 / 18  onto the roll  16 . 
     The second roll support  13  may be in the form of a power driven shaft  22  to support the second roll  23  of the web  17 . The shaft  22  may be driven by power mechanism such as a small electric motor  24 . The shaft  22  serves during normal operation to strip the composite of web  17  and x-ray film sheets  18  from roll  16  and wrap the composite  17 / 18  onto roll  23 . The operation of power driven shafts  19  and  22  may be reversed so that the composite of web  17  and x-ray film sheets  18  are stripped from roll  23  and wrapped onto roll  16 . This permits the doctor or  20  radiologist to review again a x-ray film that has already passed the reading station by return of the x-ray film to the reading station  14 . 
     The device  10  includes sensing mechanism  26  that serves to scan the composite of the web  17  and x-ray film  18 . The sensing mechanism  26  may include a plurality of individual sensors  26   a ,  26   b ,  26   c , and  26   d . The sensing mechanism  26  is disposed downstream of the roll  16  and upstream of the reading station  14 . The sensing mechanism  26  may be a plurality of photoelectric cells operated on any of various principles such as reflective light or a system in which the amount of light passing through the composite is measured. One suitable system is the product available from Banner Engineering Corp. of Minneapolis, Minn. under the designation MINI-BEAM EXPERT™. Suitable photoelectric cells are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,356,393 and 5,808,256. 
     The individual sensors  26   a - 26   d  may be positioned to read the presence of the x-ray film in the path leading from the roll  16  to the reading station  14 . The sensor  26   a  may be placed in a lower location to read the leading edge of the x-ray film and the trailing edge of the x-ray film. 
     The sensor  26   a  compiles data defining where an x-ray film  18  begins and ends in the supported position on the web. The sensor  26   b  is in a partially elevated position to distinguish between short x-ray film  18  having a vertical dimension of perhaps 10 inches and x-ray film  18  having a vertical dimension greater than 10 inches. The sensor  26   b  for example may be placed slightly more than 10 inches from the zero line, e.g., bottom line of the supported x-ray film  18 . 
     The device  10 , if desired, may include a web  17  adapted to carry a plurality of vertically spaced rows e.g., decks  18  and  18   a  of x-ray films. While the device  10  is shown with two decks  18  and  18   a , the device  10  may have a single deck or there may be more than two decks. The sensor  26   c  may be placed at a location to sense the leading edge and the trailing edge of the upper row of x-ray films  18   a . The sensor  26   d  is placed slightly more than 10 inches from the zero line of the upper row of x-ray film  18   a  on the web  17 . 
     The reading station  14  (FIGS. 2 and 3) may include a sheet of thick etched polymer  15 . The polymer sheet  15  serves to support the composite of web  17  and x-ray film sheets  18 . The polymer sheet  15  may be supported by the frame  11  in a position that provides proper orientation for the reading of the x-ray film  18  by the doctor or radiologist. A lighting bank  29  is disposed to the rear of the polymer sheet  15  to illuminate the x-ray film sheet  18  at the reading station  14 . The lighting bank  29  includes a plurality of sets of lamps, such as lamps  31 ,  32 . The lamp set  31  is adapted to illuminate x-ray film  18  that is the shortest set, e.g., 10 inches in vertical dimension. The Light set  32  is adapted to illuminate, in combination with light set  31 , the x-ray film sheets  18  that are 12 inches in vertical dimension. 
     Light set  31  includes a plurality of vertically oriented lamps  31   a - 31   h . The lamps  31   a - 31   h  may be identical in construction and includes a reflector support  36  in which a lamp  37  is supported. The reflector support  36  may be channel shaped as shown in FIG.  4 . The lamp  37  may be a string lamp of the type available from JKL Lamps, Inc. of California under the designation CCFC (Cold cathode flourescent). The lamps are of the type used in lap top computer screens. Typically such lights or lamps will be 3 mm in diameter and may be of any desired length The combination of the support  36  and lamp  37  is mounted on a mother board  38 . The support  36  may be constructed of polymer and formed in the desired shape such as by vacuum molding. 
     Light set  32  may be similar in construction to light set  31 , however, light set  32  is only 2 inches in length and includes a plurality of vertically oriented lamps  32   a - 32   h . The lamps  32   a - 32   h  may be identical in construction to the lamps  31   a - 31   h  except for length. The lamps  32   a - 32   h  are mounted on the mother board  38  as described with respect to lamps  31   a - 31   h.    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SECOND PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The second embodiment of the present controlled light source device  110  (FIG. 6) for reading x-ray film may include a frame  111  supporting a first roll support  112 , a second roll support  113  and an x-ray reading station  114 . The frame  111  may be of any suitable construction. The first roll support  112  is horizontally supported and is adapted to carry a horizontal roll  116  of a composite of web  117  and a plurality of sheets of x-ray film  118 . The web  117  may be of any suitable transparent polymer sheet material having sufficient strength and integrity to carry and transport the x-ray film  118 . Any suitable mechanism may be used to hold the x-ray films adjacent the web. For example, a trough  117   a  may extend along one edge of the web/x-ray composite  117 / 118 . The second preferred embodiment  110  of the present invention thus may be similar in construction to the first embodiment  10  except the orientation of the rolls  112 ,  113  and web  117  are for vertical movement of the web in contrast to the horizontal movement in the first embodiment  10 . 
     The first roll support  112  may be in the form of a shaft  119  driven by an electric motor  121 . The roll  116  of the web  117  may be mounted for use by placement over the driven shaft  119 . The shaft  119  may be controlled by the small electric motor  121  to either permit controlled stripping of the composite  117 / 118  from the roll  116  or to provide powered wrapping of the composite  117 / 118  onto the roll  116 . 
     The second roll support  113  may be in the form of a shaft  122  driven by an electric motor  124  to support the second roll  123  of the web  117 . The shaft  122  serves during normal operation as to strip the composite of web  117  and x-ray film sheets  118  from roll  116  and wrap the composite  117 / 118  onto roll  123 . The operation of power driven shafts  119  and  122  may be reversed so that the composite of web  117  and x-ray film sheets  118  are stripped from roll  123  and wrapped onto roll  116 . This permits the doctor or radiologist to again study an x-ray film that has already passed the reading station  114  by return of the x-ray film to the reading station. 
     The device  110  includes sensing mechanism  126  that serves to scan the composite of the web  117  and x-ray film  118 . The sensing mechanism  126  is a strip sensor and may include a plurality of individual sensors forming the elongated strip that senses the entire length and breadth of the x-ray film  118 . The sensing mechanism  126  is disposed downstream of the roll  116  and upstream of the reading station  114 . The sensing mechanism  126  may be a plurality of photoelectric cells operated on any of various principles such as reflective light or a system in which the amount of light passing through the composite  117 / 118  is measured. Suitable photoelectric cells or sensors  126  are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,356,393 and 5,808,256. The individual sensors  126  may be positioned to read the presence of the x-ray film in the path leading from the roll  116  to the reading station  114 . The sensor  126  may be placed in a location to read the leading edge of the x-ray film and the trailing edge of the x-ray film along with film height. The sensor  126   a  compiles data defining where an x-ray film  118  begins and ends in the supported position on the web  117 . 
     The device  110 , if desired, may include a web  117  adapted to carry a plurality of spaced decks of x-ray films  118  and  118   a . While the device  110  is shown with two decks, the device  110  may have a single deck  118  or there may be more than two decks. The sensor  126   c  may be placed at a location to sense the leading edge  118 ′ and the trailing edge  118 ″ of the upper row of x-ray films  118   a.    
     The reading station  114  may include a sheet of thick etched polymer  115 . The polymer sheet  115  forms a path that serves to support the composite of web  117  and x-ray film sheets  118 . The polymer sheet  115  may be supported by the frame  111  in a position that provides proper orientation for the reading of the x-ray film  118  by the doctor or radiologist. A lighting bank  129  is disposed to the rear of the polymer sheet  115  to illuminate the x-ray film sheet  118  at the reading station  114 . The lighting bank  129  includes a plurality of sets of lamps, such as lamps  131 ,  132 . The light set  131  is adapted to illuminate x-ray film  118  that is the shortest set, e.g., 10 inches in vertical dimension. The light set  132  is adapted to illuminate, in combination with light set  131 , the x-ray film sheets  118  that are, for example, 12 inches in vertical dimension. 
     Light set  131  includes a plurality of vertically oriented lamps  131   a - 131   h . The lamps  131   a - 131   h  may be identical in construction and includes a reflector support  136  in which a lamp  137  is supported. The reflector support  136  may be channel shaped as shown in FIG.  4 . The lamp  137  may be a string lamp or light of the type available from JKL lamps, Inc. of California under the designation CCFC (Cold cathode flourescent). Support  136  and lamp  137  is mounted on a mother board  138 . The support  136  may be constructed of polymer such as by vacuum molding. 
     Lamp set  132  may be similar in construction to light set  131 , however, light set  132  is only 2 inches in length and includes a plurality of vertically oriented lamps  132   a - 132   h . The lamps  132   a - 132   h  may be identical in construction to the lamps  131   a - 131   h  except for length. 
     The lamps  132   a - 132   h  are mounted on the mother board  138  as described with respect to lamps  131   a - 131   h.    
     Various modifications can be made to the device  110 , for example, the elongated film  117  may be adapted to carry more than two rows of x-ray films. Further, the device  110  may be adapted to carry over sized sheets of x-ray film that may over lie the two rows of the web.