Various methods and systems are provided for x-ray tube conditioning for a computed tomography imaging method. In one embodiment, x-ray may be generated in an x-ray tube of a radiation source prior to a diagnostic scan to warmup the x-ray tube to a desired temperature for the diagnostic scan. The power delivered to the x-ray tube during warmup may be adjusted in a closed loop system based on an initial temperature of the x-ray tube and the desired temperature for the diagnostic scan. During tube warmup, by placing a blocking plate coupled to a collimator blade in a path of the x-ray beam, the x-ray beam may be blocked from exiting a collimator.

There is disclosed a mobile radiographic imaging apparatus including a component operable to emit radiation for imaging a subject, an arm rotatably connected at a proximal end thereof to a body section of the apparatus, such that it is supported by the body section and can slew relative to the body section about an upright axis, and to a distal end of which said component is connected, and a generator assembly arranged in the body section and including a generator arranged in the casing and electrically connected to said component, the apparatus being configured such that the generator assembly rotates with the arm, about said axis, wherein the generator assembly has a centre of mass which is radially offset from said axis in a second direction that is substantially opposite to said first direction.

A Compton camera for medical imaging is divided into segments with each segment including part of the scatter detector, part of the catcher detector, and part of the electronics. The different segments may be positioned together to form the Compton camera arcing around part of the patient space. By using segments, any number of segments may be used to fit with a multi-modality imaging system.

A high dose output, through transmission and reflective target x-ray tube and methods of use includes, in general an x-ray tube for accelerating electrons under a high voltage potential having an evacuated high voltage housing, a hemispherical shaped through and reflective transmission target anode disposed in said housing, a cathode structure to deflect the electrons toward the hemispherical anode disposed in said housing, a filament located in the geometric center of the anode hemisphere disposed in said housing, a power supply connected to said cathode to provide accelerating voltage to the electrons.

A system with a gantry of a computed tomography device and a docking station and method are for cooling a component of the gantry. In an embodiment, the system includes a gantry of a computed tomography device, the gantry including a chassis and a heat store; and a docking station. The gantry is movable via the chassis relative to the docking station. The gantry and the docking station are detachably connectable to one another such that a detachable coolant-exchange connection for exchanging a coolant and/or a detachable heat-conduction connection for heat conduction is formed between the heat store and the docking station.

An X-ray CT apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to obtain initial temperature information of a photon counting detector before a main scan, information about the shape of a subject, and a scan condition of the main scan. The processing circuitry is configured to estimate a temperature change of the photon counting detector to be observed when the main scan is performed, on the basis of the initial temperature information, the information about the shape of the subject, and information about the scan condition of the main scan. The processing circuitry is configured to judge whether or not it is possible to perform the main scan, on the basis of the temperature change and the initial temperature information.

Various methods and systems are provided for x-ray tube conditioning for a computed tomography imaging method. In one embodiment, a scout scan may be carried out prior to a diagnostic to warmup the x-ray tube to a desired temperature for the diagnostic scan. A scout scan parameter optimizing algorithm may be used to determine scout scan parameters based on a selected patient absorbed dose range and an amount of energy to be imparted to an x-ray tube during the scout scan preceding a diagnostic scan. By using a hardening filter in the path of the x-ray beam, radiation absorbed dose of the subject being scanned may be limited to the selected patient absorbed dose range.

According to one embodiment, an X-ray computed tomography apparatus includes an X-ray tube, a photon counting detector, and processing circuitry. The X-ray tube radiates X-rays. The photon counting detector detects the

X-rays radiated from the X-ray tube and transmitted through a subject. The processing circuitry adjusts a temperature adjustment amount used for regulating a temperature of the photon counting detector according to an imaging mode.

The present invention relates to optimizing values for scan parameters for a scan of an object. An object specific exposure time is determined based on a maximal required value of a z-dependent tube current by exposure time product along a z-axis of the object and a maximal available tube current value of a tube used for the scan of the object (140). The maximal available tube current value depends on a tube voltage and maximal electric power of the tube at given focal spot area (110) and the z-dependent tube current by exposure time product profile is based on a dose index value or a pixel noise index value for the scan of the object, the tube voltage, and a z-dependent object size along the z-axis (120). The object specific exposure time is used for determining values of the scan parameters for the scan of the object (150).

Disclosed herein is a method comprising: causing emission of characteristic X-rays of a chemical element introduced into a human body; capturing images of a portion of the human body with the characteristic X-rays; determining a three-dimensional distribution of the chemical element in the portion based on the images.