Shadowgraphic slit scanner

Abstract

Abstract A shadowgraphic scanner for producing electronic two-dimensional shadowgraphic images of an examined region of a patient. A source of radiation produces a generally planar beam of radiation which is scanned along the examined region. A two-dimensional array of radiation detectors fixed relative to the source of radiation, but movable in unison therewith relative to the patient. The two-dimensional array of radiation detectors includes a plurality of columns of detectors arranged transverse to the direction in which the beam of radiation is scanned. A first collimator is placed between the source and the patient and a second collimator is placed between the patient and the array of detectors. Both collimators are fixed relative to the source and the detectors and are configured and dimensioned to permit passage therethrough of a beam of radiation of a cross section which corresponds in size to the array of detectors to irradiate the entire array, as the patient is being scanned. Each column of detectors sequentially detects radiation passing through the same section so that a detector from each column contributes sequentially to each section of the examined region. An analog memory cyclically sums the output of each of the columns of radiation detectors in a corresponding plurality of columns of memory units. When a column of memory units has summed the output from each of the columns of detectors, the sum is transferred to an image memory, the memory units in the column zeroed, and the cycle repeated until the entire region of interest is scanned. The data stored in the image memory is displayed on a video monitor.

Inventors

• 👤 Edwin Roderick Hill

Bibliographic Details