An imaging apparatus (10, 100) for cone beam computed tomography imaging of an extremity of a patient, the apparatus (10, 100) comprising: a support base that includes a support column mounted thereto, said support base being adapted for transporting and for maneuvering the imaging apparatus into position, the support column having a track formed therein; a vertical translation element adapted to travel inside said track to be positioned at a height position along the support column; a rigid forked support arm rotatably coupled to the vertical translation element, and comprising a first end coupled to the vertical translation element and configured to extend between said first end and a pair of extensions, where the rotation of the rigid forked support arm is about an α axis that intersects the vertical translation element; and a scanner assembly comprising: a scanner that comprises a detector and a radiation source energizable to direct radiation toward the detector while the radiation source and the detector revolve around a scan β axis during imaging operations of the imaging apparatus (10, 100); and a rotatable gantry having said detector and radiation source mounted thereon to revolve the radiation source along a circular radiation source path and to revolve the detector along a circular detector path, the circular radiation source path and the circular detector path extending for more than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees around the scan β axis within a scanner housing, wherein the scanner housing is adapted to enclose the radiation source when the radiation source is revolved by the gantry along the circular radiation source path and to enclose the detector when the detector is revolved along a portion of the circular detector path, the circular radiation source path being within the scanner housing at a radius R2 between the radiation source path and the scan β axis, the circular detector path being partially within the scanner housing at a radius R1 between the detector path and the scan β axis, the radius R2 being greater than the radius R1, and wherein the scanner housing comprises a peripheral gap coinciding with a gap in the radiation source path, the scanner housing being rotatably coupled between the pair of extensions of the rigid forked support arm to rotate about a γ axis that is not parallel to the α axis, and wherein the β axis is orthogonal to the α axis and the γ axis. a support base that includes a support column mounted thereto, said support base being adapted for transporting and for maneuvering the imaging apparatus into position, the support column having a track formed therein; a vertical translation element adapted to travel inside said track to be positioned at a height position along the support column; a rigid forked support arm rotatably coupled to the vertical translation element, and comprising a first end coupled to the vertical translation element and configured to extend between said first end and a pair of extensions, where the rotation of the rigid forked support arm is about an α axis that intersects the vertical translation element; and a scanner assembly comprising: a scanner that comprises a detector and a radiation source energizable to direct radiation toward the detector while the radiation source and the detector revolve around a scan β axis during imaging operations of the imaging apparatus (10, 100); and a rotatable gantry having said detector and radiation source mounted thereon to revolve the radiation source along a circular radiation source path and to revolve the detector along a circular detector path, the circular radiation source path and the circular detector path extending for more than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees around the scan β axis within a scanner housing, a scanner that comprises a detector and a radiation source energizable to direct radiation toward the detector while the radiation source and the detector revolve around a scan β axis during imaging operations of the imaging apparatus (10, 100); and a rotatable gantry having said detector and radiation source mounted thereon to revolve the radiation source along a circular radiation source path and to revolve the detector along a circular detector path, the circular radiation source path and the circular detector path extending for more than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees around the scan β axis within a scanner housing, wherein the scanner housing is adapted to enclose the radiation source when the radiation source is revolved by the gantry along the circular radiation source path and to enclose the detector when the detector is revolved along a portion of the circular detector path, the circular radiation source path being within the scanner housing at a radius R2 between the radiation source path and the scan β axis, the circular detector path being partially within the scanner housing at a radius R1 between the detector path and the scan β axis, the radius R2 being greater than the radius R1, and wherein the scanner housing comprises a peripheral gap coinciding with a gap in the radiation source path, the scanner housing being rotatably coupled between the pair of extensions of the rigid forked support arm to rotate about a γ axis that is not parallel to the α axis, and wherein the β axis is orthogonal to the α axis and the γ axis.