Abstract: A digitized tomosynthesis method, system and apparatus is provided for obtaining 3D volumetric imaging of an object wherein a ray of energy from a source travels through the object to impinge on an energy sensor defining an image plane and the object is rotated about an axis whereby an image is acquired by the energy sensor at successive rotational positions of the object, and wherein the object is rotated about an axis of rotation at a canted angle with respect to the image plane.

Abstract: A ray tracing kernel calibration procedure for the film simulation mode of digitized tomosynthesis in which the coordinate of the source position with respect to an energy source, e.g., x-ray radiation, is determined. Shadow images of registration markers are used to aid in computing the azimuth; computing the elevation angle; and using the elevation angle and azimuth to compute the coordinate of source position with respect to the sensor.

Abstract: A digitized tomosynthesis method for projecting a 3D volumetric image of an object onto a virtual projection plane that comprises an alpha blend plane subdivided into a rectangular array of pixel cells. A ray of energy defines a trace representing a virtual sight path ray passing from a view point through one pixel cell of the alpha blend plane to define a view level image, wherein a 3D volumetric image of the object is projected by computing the coordinate of an object voxel referenced to the image plane, computing the image plane intercept of the ray of energy from the source through the object voxel, and forming a plurality of successively selected view level image planes at the alpha blend plane.