摘要:
A toroidal x-ray tube (I) is supported (II) for rotation about a horizontal axis (170) , translation along a vertical axis (172) , and translation along a horizontal axis (174) . The x-ray tube includes a toroidal housing (A) , an annular anode (B) , and a cathode (C) which rotates a beam of electrons around the annular anode. A plurality of parallel connected voltage sources (90₁, 90₂, ..., 90 n ) provide a sufficiently high bias voltage between the electron source and the anode that x-rays are generated. The x-ray beam passes through a compensator crystal (62) , an annular window (20) , a collimator (132) , through a subject received in a central bore (26) of the x-ray tube, and impacts an arc segment of radiation detectors (130) . The x-ray detectors are stationarily mounted outside of the plane of the annular window (FIGURES 2 and 7), nutate into the plane of the windows opposite of the origin of the x-ray beam (FIGURE 6), rotate in part (FIGURE 9) or rotate in full (FIGURE 8). Angular position monitors (58, 154) determine the angular position of the cathode assembly, hence the x-ray beam, and the angular position of the detectors in the rotating detector embodiment.
摘要:
A high frequency voltage generator ( 10 ) produces a high positive voltage and a high negative voltage. A parallel connected coil ( 26 ) and diode ( 30 ) are connected between the high voltage supply and a target ( 44 ) of an x-ray tube ( 40 ). A second parallel connected coil ( 28 ) and diode ( 32 ) are connected between the negative voltage and an electron source ( 42 ) of the x-ray tube. The coils are preferably a multiple pancake design (FIGURE 3). When the tube starts to arc, the sudden increase in current flow through the coil is converted and stored in a magnetic field leaving only a small current to contribute to arcing. The coils are sized such that the current which passes to the x-ray tube is sufficiently small that the arcing is usually extinguished without an avalanche phenomenon occurring. The diodes permit the energy stored in the magnetic field to be converted into a current flow through the coil and diode such that the energy is dissipated as heat by the inherent electrical resistance of the coil with only a minimal amount of the energy passing over time to the x-ray tube.
摘要:
An evacuated envelope (C) which is connected with an anode (A) , has a cathode assembly (B) rotatably mounted inside. Magnets (44, 46) hold the cathode assembly stationary as the anode and envelope rotate. A ferrite core transformer (60) includes a ferrite core primary (66) stationarily mounted exterior to the envelope. A secondary (64) is mounted to the cathode assembly interior to the envelope. The secondary winding includes a ferrite core (70) , a portion of which is surrounded by a ceramic, dielectric bobbin (76) . The bobbin includes walls or ridges (78) which define a spiral groove (80) therearound in which an uninsulated electric wire (82) is received. The uninsulated electric wire is connected with a cathode filament (52) . The primary winding has a ferrite core (90) that has about five times the cross section as the secondary ferrite core to compensate for a low, about 20%, coupling efficiency between the primary and secondary windings. Preferably, the primary winding core tapers (94) adjacent its pole faces to focus magnetic flux toward pole faces (72, 74) of the secondary ferrite core.
摘要:
A toroidal x-ray tube (I) is supported (II) for rotation about a horizontal axis (170) , translation along a vertical axis (172) , and translation along a horizontal axis (174) . The x-ray tube includes a toroidal housing (A) , an annular anode (B) , and a cathode (C) which rotates a beam of electrons around the annular anode. A plurality of parallel connected voltage sources (90₁, 90₂, ..., 90 n ) provide a sufficiently high bias voltage between the electron source and the anode that x-rays are generated. The x-ray beam passes through a compensator crystal (62) , an annular window (20) , a collimator (132) , through a subject received in a central bore (26) of the x-ray tube, and impacts an arc segment of radiation detectors (130) . The x-ray detectors are stationarily mounted outside of the plane of the annular window (FIGURES 2 and 7), nutate into the plane of the windows opposite of the origin of the x-ray beam (FIGURE 6), rotate in part (FIGURE 9) or rotate in full (FIGURE 8). Angular position monitors (58, 154) determine the angular position of the cathode assembly, hence the x-ray beam, and the angular position of the detectors in the rotating detector embodiment.
摘要:
An x-ray tube assembly includes an anode (A) and an envelope (C). A cathode assembly (B) including a cathode (12), which is supported in the envelope on a bearing (32), emits a beam of electrons which strike the anode forming a focal spot (14). The anode rotates relative to the cathode such that focal spot follows a generally annular path along an annular face (16) of the anode. If the axis of the anode and the cathode assembly are screwed or offset, the focal spot path is not circular and wobbles. An adjustment assembly (60) allows adjustment of the relative positions of the anode, the cathode and the envelope to adjust the anode and cathode assembly axes. Another adjustment assembly including one or more electrodes (102, 108) adjusts the position of the focal spot. A control circuit (110) applies an electrostatic potential to the electrodes to move the focal spot such that it stays on a constant plane of the annular face of the anode.An angular position encoder (106) identifies the angular orientation of the anode.