A medical imaging apparatus includes an anode rotating type X-ray tube which generates X-rays, a high voltage generation unit implemented by circuitry which generates a high voltage to be applied to the X-ray tube, a power supply unit implemented by circuitry which supplies power to the high voltage generation unit, and a control unit implemented by circuitry which controls the high voltage generation unit to stop or start supply of a filament current to the X-ray tube and/or supply of a current to a stator coil for anode rotation in accordance with a predetermined rule.

According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are disclosed of systems that may be used for cooling objects, such as X-ray tubes and detectors, etc. Also disclosed are exemplary embodiments of methods for cooling objects, such as X-ray tubes and detectors, etc. For example, an exemplary embodiment includes a system that can be used to cool an X-ray tube and detector with one chiller. As another example, an exemplary embodiment of a method includes using one chiller to cool an X-ray tube and detector.

Man-portable radiation generation sources and systems that may be carried by hand to a site of interest by one or two people, are disclosed. Methods of use of such sources and systems are also disclosed. Battery operated radiation generation sources, air cooled radiation generation sources, and charged particle accelerators, are also disclosed. A radiation generation source, a radiation scanning system, and a target assembly comprising target material having a thickness of less than 0.20 mm are also disclosed.

A bearing structure for an X-ray tube is provided that includes a journal bearing shaft with a radially protruding thrust bearing flange encased within a bearing housing or sleeve. The sleeve includes a thrust seal that is engaged with the sleeve in a manner to maintain coaxiality for the rotating liquid metal seal formed in the sleeve about the shaft. The shaft includes a central bore containing a cooling tube that directs coolant within the bore to maximize the heat transfer from the shaft to the coolant, allowing materials with lower thermal conductivities, such as steel, to be used to form the bearing shaft. The thrust flange on the shaft is formed with channel(s) therein that enable the coolant and/or the liquid metal to effect greater heat transfer on the components of the sleeve through the thrust flange, thereby reducing thermal deformation of the bearing components.

An X-ray inspection device achieves a high cooling effect without using an expensive air conditioner and is excellent in cleaning property. The inside of a first case of an X-ray inspection device is separated into plural cooling partitions by separation walls by the use limit temperature and the like, and heat sources respectively having intrinsic use limit temperature are stored in respective partitions. Because a flow passage of air is set inside the cooling partition so that the heat sources having low use limit temperature are disposed upstream of the heat sources having high use limit temperature, the cooling efficiency is excellent. A heat absorption member of a heat exchange device exists inside the first case, and a heat radiation member exists inside a second case communicating with the external air. Because there is no protrusion of the heat radiation member as the total cases, cleaning property is excellent.

A heat pump is used to cool an X-ray tube, and waste heat from the heat pump is used to heat a separate part (a spectroscope, for example). As a result, the X-ray tube can be cooled using the heat pump, and the waste heat from the heat pump resulting from the cooling thereof can be used to heat a separate part. In this way, by heating a separate part using the waste heat from the heat pump, it is possible to effectively utilize heat generated from the X-ray tube so as to reduce the power consumption.

Improved heat transfer from an x-ray tube can be accomplished with a heatsink surrounding at least part of an x-ray tube. The heatsink can be electrically connected to an anode of the x-ray tube and can be an electrical current path. The heatsink can include a plurality of protrusions extending radially outward from the x-ray tube and can be a single, integral substance extending from an inner-surface of the heatsink to a distal-end of the protrusions.

Described is an image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) apparatus comprising a medical imaging device and a radiation source, wherein the radiation source is provided on a gantry which surrounds the medical imaging device. The apparatus further comprises ducting for directing cool air from a source of cool air to a gap between the gantry and the medical imaging device.

A stationary anode for an X-ray generator, in particular of an X-ray imaging device or an X-ray therapy or spectroscopy device, includes a main anode body and an internal cooling duct, running in the axial direction, for conveying a cooling fluid to a heat exchange surface of the main anode body. A nozzle, disposed at the end of the cooling duct, is inventively positioned with respect to the heat exchange surface via stop elements such that, between the heat exchange surface and the nozzle, a gap is formed which extends over an angular range of 360 about the axial direction.

The disclosed technology relates to an X-ray conversion target. In one aspect, the X-ray conversion target includes target body and a target part arranged within the target body, the target part having a first face configured to produce X-rays. The X-ray conversion target further comprises a cooling passage having a side wall, at least a part of the side wall being consisted of a portion of the target part.