According to one embodiment, an X-ray tube assembly includes a cathode, an anode target, a joint including an inflow part into which a coolant flows, a first cylindrical pipe to which the joint is connected at one end, and the anode target is joined at an outer bottom part of the other end, a second cylindrical pipe whose first end part is fitted into the inflow part, and whose second end part is arranged to eject the coolant toward the bottom part of the first cylindrical pipe, the second cylindrical pipe being placed inside the first cylindrical pipe and an elastic member provided between the first end part and the first cylindrical pipe.

A computer tomograph (1) for mammographic x-ray imaging includes a MBFEX tube (20) and a flat-bed x-ray detector (30). Cathodes (40) are arranged in a fixed manner in rows in the MBFEX tube (20), the cathodes (40) being provided for the field emission of electrons. Geometry, radiation density and wavelength range of an x-ray beam (b) can be set. The MBFEX tube (20) is movable parallel (z) to the flat-bed x-ray detector (30). The flat bed x-ray detector (30) includes a moveable x-ray screen (31), the opening of which can be set. Using the x-ray screen (31), an imaging area (A) on the detector surface (D) of the flat-bed x-ray detector (30) can be selected and moved. Compared to conventional computer tomographs having rotating x-ray components, the computer tomograph (1) has a lighter and more compact design, with which a particularly small focal spot size is achieved.

An x-ray apparatus includes a vacuum chamber that includes a window for exit of x-rays. Electrons are generated at a cathode within the vacuum chamber and accelerated toward a target anode associated with the window. An x-ray generating layer is included as a surface of the target anode to receive the electrons emitted by the cathode and to create x-rays. A blocking path blocks over 70% of the free electrons reaching said target anode from continuing on to exit through the window, while allowing x-rays leaving the x-ray generating layer to continue along the selectively blocking path to exit through the window. The x-ray apparatus is capable of operating at low voltage and relatively high power to reduce the necessary shielding and the corresponding weight of the apparatus yet allow more ready absorption of x-rays by items being irradiated.

This specification describes an anode for an X-ray tube with multiple channels, where each channel defines an electron aperture through which electrons from a source pass to strike a target and a collimating aperture through which X-rays produced at the target pass out of the anode as a collimated beam. At least a portion of the walls of each channel are lined with an electron absorbing material for absorbing any electrons straying from a predefined trajectory. The electron absorbing material has a low atomic number, high melting point and is stable in vacuum. Graphite may be used as the electron absorbing material.

There is provided an anode stack for cooling and electrically insulating a high voltage anode of an X-ray device. The anode stack has at least a conductor member and a dielectric member, and the conductor member has a main body and a peripheral portion. The dielectric member overlies and couples with the main body of the conductor member at one surface. At an opposing surface of the main body of the conductor member, an end of the high voltage anode is coupled thereto in use. The peripheral portion of the conductor member has an annular region that surrounds at least a part of the dielectric member and which is spaced therefrom.

An x-ray tube anode can include an electron hole extending from an electron entry at an exterior of the anode into a core of the anode, and an x-ray hole extending from an x-ray exit at the exterior of the anode into the core of the anode. The x-ray hole can intersect the electron hole at the core of the anode. In one embodiment, the electron hole and the x-ray hole can form a seamless bore from the electron entry to the x-ray exit. In another embodiment, the anode can be a single, integral, monolithic material with a single bore extending therethrough. In another embodiment, the core of the anode can include a target material located at a concave wall of the core of the anode.

Described herein is an x-ray tube assembly that includes: a housing that encloses an inner volume; a movable divider within the inner volume, the movable divider dividing the inner volume into a first volume and a second volume; an x-ray tube within the first volume; the first volume between the housing and the x-ray tube filled with an insulating fluid; and the second volume filled with a compressible gas.

A liquid metal or spiral groove bearing structure for an x-ray tube and associated process for manufacturing the bearing structure is provided that includes a bearing shaft rotatably disposed in a bearing housing or shell. The shell includes a thrust seal engaged with a sleeve to maintain co-axiality for the rotating liquid metal seal formed in the shell about the shaft. The shaft has a bore for the introduction of a cooling fluid into the bearing assembly in which is disposed a cooling tube. The cooling tube includes turbulence-inducing features to increase the turbulence of the cooling fluid flowing through the cooling tube, consequently enhancing the heat exchange between the cooling fluid and the shaft. This maximizes the heat transfer from the shaft to the oil, allowing materials with lower thermal conductivities, such as non-refractory materials, to be used to form the bearing shaft and shell.

Electron beam collimators and linear accelerators include a target and a collimator body. The collimator body has a central aperture that opens at an exit to the target and has a final internal diameter at the exit that defines an electron beam spot size on the target.

Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems for calibration of a radiation system to compute a gain correction(s) are provided. A calibration procedure is performed during which a portion of the detector array is shadowed by an object, causing the detector array to be non-uniformly exposed to radiation. A portion of a projection generated from the calibration procedure and indicative of radiation that did not traverse the object is separated from a portion of the projection indicative of radiation that did traverse the object, and a gain correction(s) is computed from the portion of the projection indicative of radiation that did not traverse the object (e.g., and is thus indicative of radiation that merely traversed air).