Abstract: The exemplary disclosure includes a patient support, an x-ray tube with a diaphragm installation comprising diaphragm plates for the limitation of the x-ray beam irradiating the patient, and a cassette changer for x-ray film cassettes. The cassette changer is a large cassette changer for the entire area to be detected. The diaphragm installation exhibits a fixed diaphragm which limits the maximum size of the x-ray beam, and mechanism for the individual, independent adjustment of movable diaphragm plates determining the dimension of the x-ray beam in the longitudinal direction of the patient support.

Abstract: A mobile X-ray apparatus comprises a base and a column on the base and rotatable about a vertical axis. A carriage is mounted for upward and downward movement on the column and an arm is mounted on the carriage for movement therewith. On one end of the arm is an X-ray tube head assembly which is rotatable with the column about its vertical axis throughout a 180.degree.. The tube head assembly is counterweighted by an X-ray film cassette bin plus control circuitry for operating the X-ray tube, together with the housing for the control circuitry. The tube head assembly may be placed in a storage and transport position in which the tube head is well within the confines of the base of the unit, thereby contributing to the stability of the unit.