EP0211608A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Radiation imaging systems and methods for X-rays
Assignee: Philips Nuclear Medicine Inc
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Filing: 1986-07-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-07-30
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for control of a video e.g. television camera (40) in an imaging system. The system includes a radiation source (10), an image intensifier tube (16) and associated components e.g. a cine camera (36), a spot film camera (34) and a spot film device (22), for acquiring analog radiation representing images in one or more of several prime analog study modes. Radiation is directed from the source (10) through a subject (18) to the intensifier tube (16) and to selected ones of the analog acquisition components (22, 34, 36). As the analog images are acquired, the video camera (40) views the image produced by tube (16) to produce another image, on a monitor (42). in verification that the radiation exposure is of a character suitable for the selected analog image acquisition mode. Sets of representations of camera operating parameters are stored in memory circuitry coupled in control units (44. 501 to the camera (40). Each set of representations corresponds to a different analog study mode, or combination of modes In response to selection of one or a combination of analog study modes, the corresponding set of camera operating parameters is applied to the camera, in orderto optimize camera performance for the particular study mode, or combination of modes, which has been selected. The camera video signal may be suppressed in response to a selection of a slow video camera scan rate for a study mode, while maintaining transmission of synchronization signals from the camera (40) to the monitor (42).
Inventors
- 👤 Leonard F. Plut
- 👤 David Nicolay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:10
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/30; H04N5/32; H04N23/00; H04N23/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
An imaging system comprising: a source (10) for propagating radiation along a path (12); an imaging device (16) spaced from the source (10) and interposable in said path (12), said imaging device (16) being responsive to said radiation incident thereon to produce a substantially real time visible light image corresponding to said incident radiation; analog image acquisition apparatus (22, 34, 36) including means for acquiring an analog image corresponding to said radiation in at least one of a predetermined plurality of analog operating modes; means (52, 53, 54) coupled to said analog image acquisition apparatus for selecting at least one of said analog image acquisition operating modes; and (40, 42, 44, 50) for viewing said real time image substantially during acquisition of said analog image to verify said acquisition of said analog image, said viewing means including a video camera (40):characterised in that said viewing means includes circuitry and apparatus (44, 50) for defining an adjustable set of camera operating parameters; and means (50) for adjusting at least one of said set of operating parameters as a function of the selection of analog image acquisition operating mode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
187 words
An imaging system comprising: a source (10) for propagating radiation along a path (12); an imaging device (16) spaced from the source (10) and interposable in said path (12), said imaging device (16) being responsive to said radiation incident thereon to produce a substantially real time visible light image corresponding to said incident radiation; analog image acquisition apparatus (22, 34, 36) including means for acquiring an analog image corresponding to said radiation in at least one of a predetermined plurality of analog operating modes; means (52, 53, 54) coupled to said analog image acquisition apparatus for selecting at least one of said analog image acquisition operating modes; and (40, 42, 44, 50) for viewing said real time image substantially during acquisition of said analog image to verify said acquisition of said analog image, said viewing means including a video camera (40):characterised in that said viewing means includes circuitry and apparatus (44, 50) for defining an adjustable set of camera operating parameters; and means (50) for adjusting at least one of said set of operating parameters as a function of the selection of analog image acquisition operating mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system according to Claim 1 further comprising: a digital acquisition system (46) coupled to said camera (40) for digitizing video output information from said camera (40) and for producing therefrom a further image corresponding to said incident radiation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to Claim 2 wherein said digital acquisition system (46) comprises means for operating upon said digitized information for enhancing said further image.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
35 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said analog image acquisition memscomprises one or more of a spot film camera (22); a spot film device (34); and a cine camera (36).
Claim 6
Independent Claim
127 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said camera (40) produces a video signal representing a viewed portion of said visible light image, along with sync signals; said viewing means (40, 42, 44, 50) includes a monitor (42) coupled to receive said video and sync signals for producing a television image corresponding to said visible light image; and means (44) associated with said camera (40) for controlling said camera (40) to scan at a selected one of a plurality of scan rates; and said means for adjusting (50) includes circuitry (Fig. 9) coupled to said camera (40) and said scanning rate control means (44) for suppressing said video signal in response to the selection of at least one of said predetermined scan rates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to Claim 5, further comprising; means (Fig. 9) for maintaining transmission of said sync signals to said monitor simultaneously with suppression of said video signal.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
75 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said means for adjusting (50) includes means (208, 210, 215, 217, 219, 221) for storing ensembles of camera operating parameter representations, each ensemble corresponding to one of said analog image acquisition operating modes; and means for applying one of said ensembles to adjust said camera parameters for a predetermined analog image acquisition operating mode, in response to selection of that mode for system operation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system according to Claim 7 wherein said means for storing comprises a nonvolatile random access memory (215, 217, 219, 221).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 further including means for modifying at least some of said parameter representations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sytem according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said radiation is x-radiation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
1 1 . A system according to Claim 10 wherein said system is a medical diagnostic imaging system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
102 words
An imaging method comprising the steps of propagating radiation along a path; producing a substantially real time visible light image corresponding to said radiation: acquiring an analog image corresponding to said radiation in at least one of a predetermined plurality of operating modes; selecting at least one of said analog image acquisition operating modes; employing a video camera (40) for viewing said substantially real time image substantially during acquisition of said analog image to verify said analog image acquisition, and characterised by the step of adjusting said camera operating parameters as a function of the selection of said analog image acquisition mode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
102 words
An imaging method comprising the steps of propagating radiation along a path; producing a substantially real time visible light image corresponding to said radiation: acquiring an analog image corresponding to said radiation in at least one of a predetermined plurality of operating modes; selecting at least one of said analog image acquisition operating modes; employing a video camera (40) for viewing said substantially real time image substantially during acquisition of said analog image to verify said analog image acquisition, and characterised by the step of adjusting said camera operating parameters as a function of the selection of said analog image acquisition mode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to Claim 12 further including the step of digitizing video output information from said camera (40) and producing therefrom a further image corresponding to said radiation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to Claim 13 further including the step of operating upon said digitized information to enhance said further image.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
38 words
A method according to any one of Claims 12 to 14 wherein said analog image acquisition step comprises operating one or more of a spot film camera (22); a spot film device (34); and a cine camera (36).
Claim 18
Independent Claim
88 words
A method according to any one of Claims 12 to 15 wherein said camera produces a video signal representing a video portion of said visible light image, and synchronization signals; and the method further includes the steps of: producing by use of a monitor (42) a television image corresponding to said visible light image; controlling said camera (40) to scan at a selected one of a plurality of scan rates, and suppressing said video signal in response to selection of at least one of said predetermined scan rates.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to Claim 16 further comprising the step of maintaining transmission of said synchronization signals to the monitor simultaneously with the performance of said video signal suppression step.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
62 words
A method according to any one of Claims 12 to 17 wherein said adjusting step comprises storing ensembles of video camera operating parameter representations, each ensemble corresponding to one of said analog image acquisition operating modes, and applying one of said ensembles to adjust camera operating parameters for a predetermined analog image acquisition operating mode in response to selection of that mode.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
16 words
A method according to any one of Claims 12 to 18 wherein said radiation is x-radiation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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