X-ray diagnostic apparatus for allowing stereoscopic visualization on X-ray images of an object under examination

Claim 2

An X-ray diagnostic apparatus (100) for allowing stereoscopic visualization on X-ray images of an object (3) under examination, characterized by comprising: means (1; 13) for irradiating and projecting intermittently X-rays toward the object (3) at two different projection angles in relation to the object (3), thereby intermittently producing at least first and second X-ray transmission images; first conversion means (4; 5) for converting the first and second X-ray transmission images into first and second electron images and finally into first and second visual images in synchronism with the X-ray projections, and for deviating center positions of the first and second visual images at its output focal plane by deflecting the first and second electron images; second conversion means (7) having at least first and second conversion regions and converting the first and second visual images intermittenlly incident upon the first and second conversion regions respectively into first and second video signals; and, means (12) for controlling the X-ray irradiation and projection means, the first conversion means (4; 5) and the second conversion means (7) in such a manner that the first and second X-ray transmission images are alternately produced, converted and deviated at the output focal plane, and when the first visual image is incident upon the first conversion region, electrical scanning of the first conversion region is blanked out for an optical storage of the first visual image therein, and also that of the second conversion region is performed during one scanning period upon which the second visual image has been previously incident.

Claim 3

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized by further comprising: means (8) for temporarily storing the first and second video signals independently that are alternately derived from the second conversion means (7); and, means (11) for simultaneously displaying the first and second visual images of the object by processing the first and second video signals read out from the storage means (9;10).

Claim 4

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, charac- terized by further comprising: means (6) having at least first and second lenses (61; 62) and optically coupling the first conversion means (4; 5) to the second conversion means ' (7) in such a manner that the first and second visual images alternately derived from the output focal plane of the first conversion means (4; 5) at the given deviation with respect to their center positions, are transferred through the first and second lenses (61; 62) and focused on the first and second conversion regions of the second conversion means (7) respectively.

Claim 5

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized by further comprising: an X-ray diaphram (2) for limiting beams of the X-rays irradiated from the X-ray irradiation and projection means (1; 13).

Claim 6

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the first conversion means (4; 5) is a deflection coil type X-ray image intensifier, the second conversion means (7) is a single television camera, and the storage means (8) is constructed by first and second digital memories (9; 10).

Claim 7

An X-ray diagnostic apparatus (200) for allowing stereoscopic visualization on X-ray images of an object (3) under examination, comprising: means (1; 23) for irradiating and projecting sequentially a plurality of X-rays toward the object (3) at two different projection angles with respect to the object (3), thereby sequentially producing at least first, second, third and fourth X-ray transmission images respectively; first conversion means (4; 5) for converting all of the X-ray transmission images into first, second, third . and fourth electron images and finally into first, second, third and fourth visual images respectively in synchronism with the X-ray projections, and for deviating center positions between two relative visual images of the first, second, third and fourth visual images at its output focal plane by deflecting said two relative electron images; second conversion mesns (7) having at least first and second conversion regions and converting all of the visual images into first, second, third and fourth video signals; means (21) for injecting an X-ray contrast medium into a diagnostic portion of the object (3) in synchronism with the X-ray projections in such a manner that at least the first and second X-ray video signals are obtained as mask image signals before the X-ray contrast medium is penetrated in the diagnostic portion, and at least the third and fourth X-ray video signals are obtained as contrast image signals after the X-ray contrast medium is penetrated therein; means (20) for digitally processing two relative video signals from the first, second, third and fourth video signals so as to derive at least a digital subtraction image signal; and means (22) for performing controls of the X-ray irradiation and projection means (1; 23), the first and second conversion means (45; 7), the injection means (21), and the digital process means (20) in such a manner that the first, second, third and fourth X-ray transmission images are sequentially produced in relatlon to the penetration of the X-ray contrast medium, converted and deviated at the output focal plane, when one of said two relative visual images is incident upon the first conversion region, electrical scanning of the first conversion region is blanked out for an optical storage of its visual image, and also that of the second conversion region is performed during one scanning period, upon which the remaining of said two relative visual images has been previously incident, whereby the digital subtraction is carried out between the two relative video signals.'

Claim 8

An X-ray diagnostic apparatus (200) for allowing stereoscopic visualization on X-ray images of an object (3) under examination, comprising: means (1; 23) for irradiating and projecting sequentially a plurality of X-rays toward the object (3) at two different projection angles with respect to the object (3), thereby sequentially producing at least first, second, third and fourth X-ray transmission images respectively; first conversion means (4; 5) for converting all of the X-ray transmission images into first, second, third . and fourth electron images and finally into first, second, third and fourth visual images respectively in synchronism with the X-ray projections, and for deviating center positions between two relative visual images of the first, second, third and fourth visual images at its output focal plane by deflecting said two relative electron images; second conversion mesns (7) having at least first and second conversion regions and converting all of the visual images into first, second, third and fourth video signals; means (21) for injecting an X-ray contrast medium into a diagnostic portion of the object (3) in synchronism with the X-ray projections in such a manner that at least the first and second X-ray video signals are obtained as mask image signals before the X-ray contrast medium is penetrated in the diagnostic portion, and at least the third and fourth X-ray video signals are obtained as contrast image signals after the X-ray contrast medium is penetrated therein; means (20) for digitally processing two relative video signals from the first, second, third and fourth video signals so as to derive at least a digital subtraction image signal; and means (22) for performing controls of the X-ray irradiation and projection means (1; 23), the first and second conversion means (45; 7), the injection means (21), and the digital process means (20) in such a manner that the first, second, third and fourth X-ray transmission images are sequentially produced in relatlon to the penetration of the X-ray contrast medium, converted and deviated at the output focal plane, when one of said two relative visual images is incident upon the first conversion region, electrical scanning of the first conversion region is blanked out for an optical storage of its visual image, and also that of the second conversion region is performed during one scanning period, upon which the remaining of said two relative visual images has been previously incident, whereby the digital subtraction is carried out between the two relative video signals.'

Claim 9

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the digital process means (20) includes: first and second A/D converters (132r; 132ℓ) for converting the two relative video signals from the second conversion means (7) into two relative digital video signals respectively; first and second algorithmic processors (133r; 1331) for performing at least the digital subtraction between the two relative digital video signals so as to derive the digital subtraction image signal; first and second digital memories (134ℓ; 1351) for temorarily storing the two relative video signals and also the corresponding digital subtraction image signal which are obtained from the first algorighmic processor (13ℓ); third and fourth digital memories (134r: 135r) for temporarily storing the two relative video signals and also the corresponding digital subtraction image signal which are obtained from the second algorighmic processor (133r); and first and second D/A converters (137ℓ; 137r; 139ℓ; 139r) for converting the two relative video signals and the corresponding digital subtraction image signals into analogue video signals and image signals, which are derived from the first and second algorighmic processors (133r; 133R) respectively.

Claim 10

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized by further comprising: first means (25) for simultaneously displaying the two subtraction image signals derived from the first and and second algorithmic processors (133r; 133t), said image signals being obtained before the X-ray contrast medium is penetrated into the diagnostic portion of the object, and second means (26) for simultaneously displaying the two subtraction image signals derived from the first and second algorighmic processors (133r; 133R), said image signals being obtained after the X-ray contrast medium is penetrated into the diagnostic portion of the object.

Claim 11

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized by further comprising: means (6) having at least first and second lenses (61; 62) and optically coupling the first conversion means (4; 5) to the second conversion means (7) in such a manner that the two relative visual images alternately derived from the output focal plane of the first conversion means (4; 5) at the given deviation with respect to their center positions, are transferred through the first and second lenses (61; 62) and focussed on the first and second conversion regions of the second conversion means (7) respectively.

Claim 12

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized by further comprising: an X-ray diaphram (2) for limiting beams of the X-rays irradiated from the X-ray irradiation and projection means (1; 23).

Claim 13

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the first conversion means (4; 5) is a deflection coil type X-ray image intensifier, and the second conversion means (7) is a single television camera.