Tomographic x-ray apparatus for the production of transverse layer images

Claim 1

The method of aligning a patient with respect to tomographic x-ray apparatus which includes an x-ray tomographic scanner apparatus for scanning a patient transverse layer from successive angular positions about said layer so as to provide a computer constructed tomographic image thereof, said method comprising: (a) moving a patient longitudinally relative to the scanner apparatus while the scanner apparatus is restricted to a single relationship such that the patient is scanned from the single angular relationship only but at successive longitudinal positions offset from each other longitudinally of the patient, and (b) storing respective sets of readings from the scanner apparatus for the successive longitudinal positions thereby to provide the data for a graphic display wherein the sets of reading are the basis for successive lines of varying visual characteristics on the display, the stored sets of readings thereby defining a general radiographic view representing a longitudinally extensive image useful in the precise positioning of the patient relative to the tomographic x-ray apparatus for the purpose of a subsequent scanning not restricted to the limited angular relationship but relating to a transverse layer having greatly restricted longitudinal extent.

Claim 2

The method of aligning a patient with respect to tomographic x-ray apparatus which includes an x-ray tomographic scanner apparatus for scanning a patient transverse layer from successive angular positions about said layer so as to provide a computer constructed tomographic image thereof, said method comprising: (a) moving a patient longitudinally relative to the scanner apparatus while the scanner apparatus is restricted to a single relationship such that the patient is scanned from the single angular relationship only but at successive longitudinal positions offset from each other longitudinally of the patient, and (b) storing respective sets of readings from the scanner apparatus for the successive longitudinal positions thereby to provide the data for a graphic display wherein the sets of reading are the basis for successive lines of varying visual characteristics on the display, the stored sets of readings thereby defining a general radiographic view representing a longitudinally extensive image useful in the precise positioning of the patient relative to the tomographic x-ray apparatus for the purpose of a subsequent scanning not restricted to the limited angular relationship but relating to a transverse layer having greatly restricted longitudinal extent.

Claim 4

The method of aligning a patient with respect to tomographic x-ray apparatus which includes a computer tomographic scanner apparatus for scanning a patient transverse layer from successive angular positions in the plane of the transverse layer for the computer construction of a tomographic image, and which utilizes an x-ray beam having a longitudinal extent equal to the thickness of the patient transverse layer to be scanned, said method comprising: (a) longitudinally scanning a patient by means of said x-ray beam of said scanner apparatus while the scanner apparatus is restricted to a single angular relationship such that the patient is scanned from the single angular relationship only but at successive longitudinal segments of the patient offset from each other longitudinally of the patient, and (b) displaying sets of readings from the scanner apparatus for the successive longitudinal segments thereby to provide a graphic display wherein the sets of readings are the basis for successive lines of varying visual characteristics on the display, the displayed sets of readings thereby providing a general radiographic view representing a longitudinally extensive image useful in the precise positioning of the patient relative to the tomographic x-ray apparatus for the purpose of a subsequent scanning not restricted to the limited angular relationship but relating to a patient transverse layer having greatly restricted longitudinal extent.

Claim 5

The method of aligning a patient with respect to tomographic x-ray apparatus which includes a computer tomographic scanner apparatus for scanning a patient transverse layer from successive angular positions in the plane of the transverse layer for the computer construction of a tomographic image, and which utilizes an x-ray beam having a longitudinal extent equal to the thickness of the patient transverse layer to be scanned, said method comprising: (a) longitudinally scanning a patient by means of said x-ray beam of said scanner apparatus while the scanner apparatus is restricted to a single angular relationship such that the patient is scanned from the single angular relationship only but at successive longitudinal segments of the patient offset from each other longitudinally of the patient, and (b) displaying sets of readings from the scanner apparatus for the successive longitudinal segments thereby to provide a graphic display wherein the sets of readings are the basis for successive lines of varying visual characteristics on the display, the displayed sets of readings thereby providing a general radiographic view representing a longitudinally extensive image useful in the precise positioning of the patient relative to the tomographic x-ray apparatus for the purpose of a subsequent scanning not restricted to the limited angular relationship but relating to a patient transverse layer having greatly restricted longitudinal extent.

Claim 7

The method of aligning a patient with respect to computer tomographic x-ray apparatus which includes an x-ray tomographic scanner apparatus for scanning a patient transverse layer from a multiplicity of successive incremental angular positions about said layer so as to provide a computer constructed tomographic image thereof, said method being characterized by effecting a shadowgraphic scanning of the patient with the identical x-ray source central ray axis as used during computer tomography, and comprising: (a) moving a patient longitudinally relative to the scanner apparatus and activating the apparatus to provide pulses of x-ray energy only for beam paths whose central rays are restricted to a single direction with respect to the patient, such that beams of x-ray energy impinge on the patient at successive longitudinal positions offset from each other longitudinally of the patient and (b) storing respective sets of readings from the scanner apparatus for the single direction of the central rays and for the successive longitudinal positions thereby to provide the data for a graphic display wherein the sets of readings are the basis for successive lines of varying visual characteristics on the display, the stored sets of readings thereby defining a general radiographic view representing a longitudinally extensive image useful in the precise positioning of the patient relative to the identically arranged central ray axis of the tomographic x-ray apparatus for the purpose of a subsequent scanning where readings from the scanner apparatus are produced at successive incremental angular positions about a transverse layer.

Claim 8

The method of aligning a patient with respect to computer tomographic x-ray apparatus which includes an x-ray tomographic scanner apparatus for scanning a patient transverse layer from a multiplicity of successive incremental angular positions about said layer so as to provide a computer constructed tomographic image thereof, said method being characterized by effecting a shadowgraphic scanning of the patient with the identical x-ray source central ray axis as used during computer tomography, and comprising: (a) moving a patient longitudinally relative to the scanner apparatus and activating the apparatus to provide pulses of x-ray energy only for beam paths whose central rays are restricted to a single direction with respect to the patient, such that beams of x-ray energy impinge on the patient at successive longitudinal positions offset from each other longitudinally of the patient and (b) storing respective sets of readings from the scanner apparatus for the single direction of the central rays and for the successive longitudinal positions thereby to provide the data for a graphic display wherein the sets of readings are the basis for successive lines of varying visual characteristics on the display, the stored sets of readings thereby defining a general radiographic view representing a longitudinally extensive image useful in the precise positioning of the patient relative to the identically arranged central ray axis of the tomographic x-ray apparatus for the purpose of a subsequent scanning where readings from the scanner apparatus are produced at successive incremental angular positions about a transverse layer.

Claim 10

The method of aligning a patient with respect to tomographic x-ray apparatus which includes a computer tomographic scanner apparatus for scanning a patient transverse layer from successive angular positions in the plane of the transverse layer for the computer construction of a tomographic image, and which utilizes an x-ray beam having a greatly restricted longitudinal extent according to the thickness of the patient transverse layer to be scanned, said method comprising: (a) longitudinally scanning a patient by means of said x-ray beam of said scanner apparatus and turning on the x-ray beam at each longitudinal position with a single beam orientation as to each longitudinal segment of the patient, while effecting a shadowgraphic scanning of the patient with a longitudinal resolution sufficient to facilitate subsequent positioning of the patient for the scanning of a patient transverse layer, and (b) displaying sets of readings from the scanner apparatus for the successive longitudinal segments thereby to provide a graphic display wherein the sets of readings are the basis for successive lines of varying visual characteristics on the display, the displayed sets of readings thereby providing a general radiographic view representing a longitudinally extensive image useful in the precise positioning of the patient relative to the tomographic x-ray apparatus for the purpose of a subsequent computer tomographic scanning of a patient transverse layer having said greatly restricted longitudinal extent.

Claim 11

The method of aligning a patient with respect to tomographic x-ray apparatus which includes a computer tomographic scanner apparatus for scanning a patient transverse layer from successive angular positions in the plane of the transverse layer for the computer construction of a tomographic image, and which utilizes an x-ray beam having a greatly restricted longitudinal extent according to the thickness of the patient transverse layer to be scanned, said method comprising: (a) longitudinally scanning a patient by means of said x-ray beam of said scanner apparatus and turning on the x-ray beam at each longitudinal position with a single beam orientation as to each longitudinal segment of the patient, while effecting a shadowgraphic scanning of the patient with a longitudinal resolution sufficient to facilitate subsequent positioning of the patient for the scanning of a patient transverse layer, and (b) displaying sets of readings from the scanner apparatus for the successive longitudinal segments thereby to provide a graphic display wherein the sets of readings are the basis for successive lines of varying visual characteristics on the display, the displayed sets of readings thereby providing a general radiographic view representing a longitudinally extensive image useful in the precise positioning of the patient relative to the tomographic x-ray apparatus for the purpose of a subsequent computer tomographic scanning of a patient transverse layer having said greatly restricted longitudinal extent.