Abstract: Extra-oral dental method and/or apparatus embodiments according to this application can generate cephalometric imaged by digital tomosynthesis. An extra-oral dental imaging system embodiment for creating a cephalometric image of at least part of a human skull can include an X-ray source, an imaging device suitable for producing multiple frames during at least part of an exposure; a memory for registering and/or storing said multiple frames; and a manipulator for displacing the imaging device along an exposure profile between multiple frames during said at least part of the exposure of said object. The imaging device has an active area having a long dimension m and a short dimension n, wherein the aspect ratio m:n is strictly inferior to 1.5.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods for calibrating a spectral X-ray system to perform material decomposition with a single scan of an energy discriminating detector or with a single scan at each used X-ray spectrum. The methods may include material pathlengths exceeding the size of the volume reconstructable by the system. Example embodiments include physical and matching calibration phantoms. The physical calibration phantom is used to measure the attenuation of X-rays passing therethrough with all combinations of pathlengths through the calibration's basis materials. The matching digital calibration phantom is registered with the physical calibration phantom and is used to calculate the pathlength though each material for each measured attenuation value. A created data structure includes the X-ray attenuation for each X-ray spectrum or detector energy bin for all combinations of basis material pathlengths.

Abstract: An extra-oral dental imaging apparatus for obtaining an image from a patient has a radiation source; a first digital imaging sensor that provides, for each of a plurality of image pixels, at least a first digital value according to a count of received photons that exceed at least a first energy threshold; a mount that supports the radiation source and the first digital imaging sensor on opposite sides of the patient's head; a computer in signal communication with the digital imaging sensor for acquiring a first two-dimensional image from the first digital imaging sensor; and a second digital imaging sensor that is alternately switched into place by the mount and that provides image data according to received radiation.

Abstract: The present invention provides an intraoral X-ray system comprising: an X-ray source located in an environment; a robotic arm comprising an actuatable scissor arm, the robotic arm having a first end configured to be attached to a mounting and a second end attached to the X-ray source, at least one of the first and the second ends comprising a rotatable actuatable joint; a position sensor to determine variation of position and/or orientation of the environment with respect to the X-ray source and variation of position and/or orientation of a mobile X-ray sensor with respect to the X-ray source; and a driving unit actuating the robotic arm as a function of the determined variation of position and/or orientation to control the position and/or orientation of the X-ray source with respect to a predetermined position and/or orientation of the X-ray source.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for obtaining operating parameters for x-ray imaging a patients maxillofacial region, the method comprising: —identifying a patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1, —determining a height of a horizontal plane of said patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1 when the patient is in an occlusion position or bites a patient positioning accessory, said horizontal plane passing through the teeth and the bones of the jaw, —acquiring through a slit-shaped collimator window a first set of data relative to said patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1 including the horizontal plane using x-ray CBCT imaging and a first x-ray dose, said first set of data being suitable for generating a CBCT slice, —reconstructing the CBCT slice comprising the horizontal plane based on the first set of data relative to the patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1, —obtaining operating parameters for an x-ray imaging apparatus based on the reconstructed CBCT s

Abstract: An extra-oral dental imaging apparatus for obtaining an image from a patient has a radiation source; a first digital imaging sensor that provides, for each of a plurality of image pixels, at least a first digital value according to a count of received photons that exceed at least a first energy threshold; a mount that supports the radiation source and the first digital imaging sensor on opposite sides of the patient's head; a computer in signal communication with the digital imaging sensor for acquiring a first two-dimensional image from the first digital imaging sensor; and a second digital imaging sensor that is alternately switched into place by the mount and that provides image data according to received radiation.

Abstract: An extra-oral dental imaging system comprises an X-ray source (102) and an imaging device (101) suitable for producing multiple frames during at least part of an exposure of an object (200), the imaging device (101) being displaced along a scanning direction (X). A method for creating a cephalometric image of a human skull comprises a step of setting said imaging device (101) with an active area having in an imaging plane a width extending along said scanning direction (X), said width varying along a height direction perpendicular to said scanning direction (X); a step of synchronously displacing the X-ray source (102) and the imaging device (101) along said exposure profile; and a step of registering multiple frames produced by the imaging device (101) during the exposure of said object (200) to be imaged. Using for creating a cephalometric image by digital tomosynthesis.

Abstract: An intraoral x-ray system mountable to a dentist’s office wall including components movable to compensate for defects in the wall’s flatness or the wall not being sufficiently perpendicular to the floor. The system also includes monitoring and compensation capabilities to compensate for drift in the position of the system’s x-ray source or patient movement before and during x-ray imaging, thereby avoiding the need for the taking of additional x-ray images and exposing the patient unnecessarily to extra x-ray dose. Additionally, the system further includes a data/signal processing unit that allows the x-ray source to be precisely moved along a predetermined trajectory and allows the system to perform computed tomosynthesis examinations of a patient. In addition, the x-ray source is attachable/detachable from the system’s robotic arm, with the system compensating automatically for the change in weight at the robotic arm’s end due to removal of the x-ray source.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for obtaining operating parameters for x-ray imaging a patients maxillofacial region, the method comprising: —identifying a patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1, —determining a height of a horizontal plane of said patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1 when the patient is in an occlusion position or bites a patient positioning accessory, said horizontal plane passing through the teeth and the bones of the jaw, —acquiring through a slit-shaped collimator window a first set of data relative to said patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1 including the horizontal plane using x-ray CBCT imaging and a first x-ray dose, said first set of data being suitable for generating a CBCT slice, —reconstructing the CBCT slice comprising the horizontal plane based on the first set of data relative to the patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1, —obtaining operating parameters for an x-ray imaging apparatus based on the reconstructed CBCT s

Abstract: An intraoral tomosynthesis imaging apparatus having an intraoral detector coupled to a frame or radio-opaque marker attached to its radiation facing surface without any frame attached, wherein the frame defines a target aperture for an incident radiation beam. An enclosure seats against the target aperture and houses at least one x-ray source configured to emit a radiation beam from each of a plurality of focal points within the enclosure A collimator is disposed to form a collimated radiation beam and direct the collimated beam through the target aperture and to the detector. A geometric calibration phantom having a plurality of radio-opaque markers is disposed in the path of the collimated beam. This arrangement is modified to operate as a regular intraoral imaging device by accommodating a high-power central source at the same or different distances as other sources from the detector and displacing the phantom from the field of view.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods for calibrating a spectral X-ray system to perform material decomposition with a single scan of an energy discriminating detector or with a single scan at each used X-ray spectrum. The methods may include material pathlengths exceeding the size of the volume reconstructable by the system. Example embodiments include physical and matching calibration phantoms. The physical calibration phantom is used to measure the attenuation of X-rays passing therethrough with all combinations of pathlengths through the calibration's basis materials. The matching digital calibration phantom is registered with the physical calibration phantom and is used to calculate the pathlength though each material for each measured attenuation value. A created data structure includes the X-ray attenuation for each X-ray spectrum or detector energy bin for all combinations of basis material pathlengths.

Abstract: Extra-oral dental method and/or apparatus embodiments according to this application can generate cephalometric imaged by digital tomo synthesis. An extra-oral dental imaging system embodiment for creating a cephalometric image of at least part of a human skull can include an X-ray source, an imaging device suitable for producing multiple frames during at least part of an exposure; a memory for registering and/or storing said multiple frames; and a manipulator for displacing the imaging device along an exposure profile between multiple frames during said at least part of the exposure of said object. The imaging device has an active area having a long dimension m and a short dimension n, wherein the aspect ratio m:n is strictly inferior to 1.5.

Abstract: An extra-oral dental imaging system comprises an X-ray source (102) and an imaging device (101) suitable for producing multiple frames during at least part of an exposure of an object (200), the imaging device (101) being displaced along a scanning direction (X). A method for creating a cephalometric image of a human skull comprises a step of setting said imaging device (101) with an active area having in an imaging plane a width extending along said scanning direction (X), said width varying along a height direction perpendicular to said scanning direction (X); a step of synchronously displacing the X-ray source (102) and the imaging device (101) along said exposure profile; and a step of registering multiple frames produced by the imaging device (101) during the exposure of said object (200) to be imaged. Using for creating a cephalometric image by digital tomosynthesis.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods for improving semi-automatic and/or fully automatic tooth segmentation in reconstructed images of X-ray scans using multi-energy X-ray spectra and/or a multi-energy X-ray scanner at more than one energy. Such improved segmentation of teeth in a reconstructed image of an X-ray scan is a critical first step in the utilization of the image for applications in orthodontics, endodontics, and implant planning In accordance with the methods, tooth segmentation may be performed semi-automatically or automatically for images which are reconstructed from a multi-energy X-ray scan. The results of the tooth segmentation may be represented as an image map which identifies voxels which are within a tooth or as a three-dimensional (3D) grid or any other representation of a three-dimensional (3D) spatial region.

Abstract: An apparatus for computed tomography imaging of a patient has a rotatable mount that is actuable to rotate about a rotation axis and that supports, at opposite ends an x-ray source and an x-ray detector, wherein the x-ray source is disposed to direct a radiation beam through the patient and toward the detector. A patient positioning apparatus positions the patient relative to the rotation axis. A control logic processor controls rotation of the rotatable mount and acquires image data for the patient at each of a number of angular positions about the rotation axis. A collimator is disposed in front of the x-ray source and controlled by the control logic processor to center the radiation beam, at each of the plurality of angular positions, on a region of interest that is spaced apart from the rotation axis.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for obtaining operating parameters for x-ray imaging a patients maxillofacial region, the method comprising: —identifying a patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1, —determining a height of a horizontal plane of said patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1 when the patient is in an occlusion position or bites a patient positioning accessory, said horizontal plane passing through the teeth and the bones of the jaw, —acquiring through a slit-shaped collimator window a first set of data relative to said patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1 including the horizontal plane using x-ray CBCT imaging and a first x-ray dose, said first set of data being suitable for generating a CBCT slice, —reconstructing the CBCT slice comprising the horizontal plane based on the first set of data relative to the patients maxillofacial first region of interest ROI1, —obtaining operating parameters for an x-ray imaging apparatus based on the reconstructed CBCT s

Abstract: A method or computer program for forming a digital model of a patient's teeth. The method includes the steps of: obtaining a plurality of projection images acquired by scanning a negative impression of the patient's teeth using a computed tomographic imaging apparatus; generating, from the plurality of projection images, an air volume model of the air that surrounds the negative impression; defining a transition surface along edges of the air volume model that touch the negative impression; forming the digital model of the patient's teeth according to the defined transition surface; and displaying, storing, or transmitting at least a portion of the digital model of the teeth.

Abstract: An extra-oral dental imaging system comprises an X-ray source (102) and an imaging device (101) suitable for producing multiple frames during at least part of an exposure of an object (200), the imaging device (101) being displaced along a scanning direction (X). A method for creating a cephalometric image of a human skull comprises a step of setting said imaging device (101) with an active area having in an imaging plane a width extending along said scanning direction (X), said width varying along a height direction perpendicular to said scanning direction (X); a step of synchronously displacing the X-ray source (102) and the imaging device (101) along said exposure profile; and a step of registering multiple frames produced by the imaging device (101) during the exposure of said object (200) to be imaged. Using for creating a cephalometric image by digital tomosynthesis.

Abstract: Extra-oral dental method and/or apparatus embodiments according to this application can generate cephalometric imaged by digital tomosynthesis. An extra-oral dental imaging system embodiment for creating a cephalometric image of at least part of a human skull can include an X-ray source, an imaging device suitable for producing multiple frames during at least part of an exposure; a memory for registering and/or storing said multiple frames; and a manipulator for displacing the imaging device along an exposure profile between multiple frames during said at least part of the exposure of said object. The imaging device has an active area having a long dimension m and a short dimension n, wherein the aspect ratio m:n is strictly inferior to 1.5.

Abstract: Improved image reconstruction for an extra-oral imaging system that includes scan imaging capabilities such as cephalometric imaging. Exemplary method and/or apparatus embodiments according to the application can to implement a dynamic cropping for an active area for each frame used in image reconstruction that was obtained during a scan imaging.