Patent ID: 8824638

Claim:
A multi-bladed collimator, comprising: a solid base member comprising an inner opening, the base member containing internal grooves adjacent internal spacers; a rotational member comprising an inner opening with channels extending radially from the inner opening; and multiple X-ray-attenuating blades that define an aperture, wherein the blades are mechanically connected to or interfaced with the base member and the rotational member using first guides on one side of the blades that are configured to fit in the grooves of the base member and second guides on an opposite side of the blades that are configured to fit in the channels of the rotational member so that when the rotational member rotates with respect to the base member, the aperture changes in size, wherein a single plane passes through all of the blades in the entire collimator and wherein an outer surface of the blades are configured to be contained by the internal spacers; and wherein the base member and the rotational member are located on opposite sides of the X-ray-attenuating blades.