A hybrid imaging system is disclosed including an arcuate arm defining a first and a second end the arcuate arm including a first detector assembly for 2D x-ray imaging of a patient and a second detector assembly for CT imaging of the patient, wherein the imaging system includes an internal drive mechanism for rotating the arcuate arm (e.g. translating the arcuate arm along an arcuate path) around the patient.

The present invention provides stationary CT architecture for imaging at a faster temporal resolution and lower radiation dose. In embodiments, the architecture features stationary distributed x-ray sources and rotating x-ray detectors. Provided is a stationary source computed tomography (CT) architecture comprising: a detector disposed on a rotatable gantry; an x-ray source disposed on a fixed ring; wherein the detector is disposed on the gantry in a manner such that the detector is capable of rotating around a subject and of receiving a signal from the x-ray source. Embodiments of the invention include a CT-MRI scanner comprising the stationary CT architecture.

A radio therapy system includes a first x-ray source. The first x-ray source is configured to produce first x-ray photons in a first energy range suitable for imaging and project the first x-ray photons onto an area designated for imaging. The system includes a second x-ray source configured to produce second x-ray photons in a second energy range higher energy than the first energy range, produce third x-ray photons in a third energy range higher energy than the first energy range, project the second x-ray photons onto the area designated for imaging, and project the third x-ray photons onto an area designated for treatment. The system includes an analytical portion configured to collect and combine data to create a composite output including at least one image, the combining based in part on a spectral analysis.

Various methods and systems are provided for an x-ray imaging system. In one example, a method for decelerating a rotor of an x-ray tube of an imaging system includes controlling and/or monitoring a speed and position of the rotor, passing the rotor through a first position where a force exerted on the rotor, is less than Earth's gravitational pull, the force due to a combination of gravity and radial acceleration, and initiating a predefined deceleration profile to decelerate the rotor to a halt when the x-ray tube passes through the first position.

A radiological apparatus including: a gantry encapsulated within a cover, a patient platform, and two radiation sources with imaging directions orthogonal to each other, sliding vertically to perform vertical scanning of a patient standing on the platform. The gantry cover top view is L shaped, each radiation source being located outside the gantry cover, inside the angular sector of the L, and is encapsulated within a cover sliding vertically with the radiation source it encapsulates. The radiological apparatus also includes: a first security device stopping the vertical scanning, when it detects a patient body part going outside a first predetermined area, to avoid collision with the vertically sliding radiation sources covers, and a second security device stopping the vertical scanning, when it detects an object or a person external to the radiological apparatus within a second predetermined area, to avoid collision with the vertically sliding radiation sources covers.

A radiological imaging method including: 2 radiation sources with imaging directions orthogonal to each other, performing vertical scanning of a standing patient along a vertical scanning direction, wherein the radiological method includes at least one operating mode in which: a frontal scout view is made so as to identify a specific bone(s) localization within the frontal scout view, both driving current intensity and voltage intensity modulations of the frontal radiation source, depending on patient thickness and on the identified specific bone(s) localization along the vertical scanning direction, are performed simultaneously, preferably synchronously, and automatically, so as to improve a compromise between: lowering the global radiation dose received by a patient during the vertical scanning, and increasing the local image contrasts of the identified specific bone(s) localization at different imaging positions along the vertical scanning direction, for the frontal image.

An automatic method of categorizing the contact force of a catheter tip against a portion of a patient's heart based on motion of the catheter tip, the method comprising (a) capturing a series of 3D-coordinate data points of the catheter tip as a function of discrete times with a 3D medical imaging system, the 3D coordinates corresponding to an orthogonal 3-axis spatial coordinate system, (b) using a programmable computing system, computing a set of measures based on the series of 3D-coordinate data points, (c) categorizing each measure by a respective set of predetermined threshold values; and (d) combining the categorized measures to yield a relative quality of the contact force.

A computer-implemented method is for providing a difference image data record. In an embodiment, the method includes a determination of a first real image data record of an examination volume in respect of a first X-ray energy, and a determination of a multi-energetic real image data record of the examination volume in respect of a first X-ray energy and a second X-ray energy, the second X-ray energy differing from the first X-ray energy. The method further includes the determination of the difference image data record of the examination volume by applying a trained function to input data, wherein the input data is based upon the first real image data record and the multi-energetic real image data record, as well as the provision of the difference image data record.

A method of sequential monoscopic tracking is described. The method includes generating a plurality of projections of an internal target region within a body of a patient, the plurality of projections comprising projection data about a position of an internal target region of the patient. The method further includes generating external positional data about external motion of the body of the patient using one or more external sensors. The method further includes generating, by a processing device, a correlation model between the projection data and the external positional data by fitting the plurality of projections of the internal target region to the external positional data. The method further includes estimating the position of the internal target region at a later time using the correlation model.

A radiotherapy apparatus for the delivery of an energetic beam to a target tissue in a treatment zone, including: a rotatable gantry for rotating the end of a beam delivery system about a circle centered on an isocentre and normal to an axis of rotation Z1 of the gantry, the path between the end of the beam delivery system and the isocentre defining a central beam axis Z2 at every rotation angle of the gantry about the axis of rotation Z1; an imaging ring having a central bore and an imaging system for acquiring images of a patient in an imaging zone of the imaging system, wherein the imaging ring is located in the radiotherapy apparatus such that its imaging zone intersects the axis of rotation Z1 of the gantry, and wherein the imaging ring is mechanically coupled to the rotatable gantry through a mechanical structure.