An X-ray apparatus includes an X-ray source embodied to generate X-rays; an X-ray detector; and an X-ray reflector. The X-ray reflector is embodied to reflect X-rays generated by the X-ray source such that the reflected X-rays hit the X-ray detector. The X-ray detector is in particular embodied to detect the X-rays. The X-ray apparatus can, on the one hand, enlarge the available space above a patient. Furthermore, focusing via the X-ray reflector enables the power of the X-ray source to be increased while retaining a constant spatial resolution or the spatial resolution to be improved while retaining a constant power of the X-ray source.

The present invention provides a mobile imaging system for imaging of patients in medical interventions comprising a ring gantry with a plurality of independently rotating rings whereas a first rotating ring positions an X-ray source with collimator and a second rotating ring positions an image detector such that the region of interest (patient) can be positioned off-centered with respect to the ring center. The system supports planar X-ray imaging and Computed Tomography (CT) and Cone beam CT (CBCT) acquisitions of three dimensional (3D) volumes with variable X-ray field of views (FOVs) adapted to regions of interest (ROIs), which are not required to be of cylindrical shape. The mobile system can be equipped with stereoscopic cameras integrated in the gantry an on moving rings to support optical tracking and navigation of instruments within the same co-ordinate system of X-ray information. The gantry can be equipped with additional sensors and robotic manipulators on further rings operating in said co-ordinate system on mobile platform. The gantry provides a generic mechanical and electrical interface to a supporting structure, which can be attached to a variety of mobility platforms to support robotic positioning of the system in various orientations of scanner in treatment rooms to accommodate a wide range of patient setups, including the possibility for inclined and vertical scans of patients in upright position.

Disclosed herein is a system and method, which utilize primary beam modulation to enable single-scan dual-energy CT (DECT) on a conventional CT scanner. An attenuation sheet with a spatially-varying pattern is placed between the x-ray source and the imaged object. During the CT scan, the modulator selectively hardens the x-ray beam at specific detector locations. Thus, this method simultaneously acquires high and low energy data at each projection angle. High and low energy CT images can then reconstructed from the projections via an iterative CT reconstruction algorithm, which accounts for the spatial modulation of the projected x-rays.

The invention relates to off-center detector X-ray tomography reconstruction of an image of an object on the basis of projection data acquired during a rotation of an X-ray source and the off-center detector around the object in two rotational passes of less than 360°, wherein a focus point of the X-ray beam travels along largely overlapping arcs (401, 402) in the two rotational passes, the off-center detector being positioned asymmetrically with respect to a central of the X-ray beam and a direction of a detector offset being reversed between the passes. According to the invention, redundancy weighting of the projection data with respect to a redundant acquisition of projection values during each of the rotational passes is made using a redundancy weighting function determined on the basis of a union of the arcs (401, 402).

A method and system is disclosed for acquiring image data of a subject. The image data can be collected with an imaging system in a selected manner and/or motion. More than one projection may be combined to generate and create a selected view of the subject.

A multimodal imaging apparatus, comprising a rotatable gantry system positioned at least partially around a patient support, a first source of radiation coupled to the rotatable gantry system, the first source of radiation configured for imaging radiation, a second source of radiation coupled to the rotatable gantry system, the second source of radiation configured for at least one of imaging radiation or therapeutic radiation, wherein the second source of radiation has an energy level more than the first source of radiation, and a second radiation detector coupled to the rotatable gantry system and positioned to receive radiation from the second source of radiation, and a processor configured to combine first measured projection data based on the radiation detected by the first detector with second measured projection data based on the radiation detected by the second detector, and reconstruct an image based on the combined data, wherein the reconstructing comprises at least one of correcting the second measured projection data using the first measured projection data, correcting the first measured projection data using the second projection data, and distinguishing different materials imaged in the combined data using the first measured projection data and the second measured projection.

Various methods and systems are provided for stationary CT imaging. In one embodiment, an imaging system comprises a chamber shaped to enclose a subject to be imaged, a support surface disposed within the chamber and shaped to maintain the subject in an upright position, and an annular imaging unit encircling the chamber and having a fixed angular orientation to the chamber, the annular imaging unit including a distributed x-ray unit and a detector array arranged opposite to each other across the chamber. The imaging system may image the subject without rotation of the annular imaging unit.

Imaging systems and methods are provided for scanning a patient’s head using a portable CT scanner. An imaging assembly can comprise a portable scan board on which a patient is positioned, and a corresponding portable CT scanner positioned and locked onto the portable scan board. The portable CT scanner and the portable scan board can form a portable CT scanning assembly capable of rotating an X-ray source and corresponding X-ray detector around the patient’s head to transmit X-rays through the patient’s head at one or more angles, while translating across the portable scan board to scan one or more portions of the patient’s head. A composite image reconstructed based on the rotational and translational scanning is generated representing one or more interior aspects of the patient’s head.

Disclosed herein is an imaging system for a radiotherapy device which is configured to provide therapeutic radiation to a patient via a source of therapeutic radiation. The imaging system comprises a source of imaging radiation, a CBCT panel detector, and a CT detector, wherein the source of imaging radiation is configured to be adjustable such that in a first configuration it is configured to emit imaging radiation towards the CT detector and in a second configuration it is configured to emit imaging radiation towards the CBCT detector.

An x-ray imaging apparatus and associated methods are provided to execute multi-pass imaging scans for improved quality and workflow. An imaging scan can be segmented into multiple passes that are faster than the full imaging scan. Data received by an initial scan pass can be utilized early in the workflow and of sufficient quality for treatment setup, including while the another scan pass is executed to generate data needed for higher quality images, which may be needed for treatment planning. In one embodiment, a data acquisition and reconstruction technique is used when the detector is offset in the channel and/or axial direction for a large FOV during multiple passes.