Patents by Inventor Emi TAMURA

Emi TAMURA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20160038108
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an X-ray CT apparatus which comprises high voltage generation processing circuitry configured to selectively generate a first voltage and a second voltage higher than the first tube voltage; a first filter formed from a material having substantially the same atomic number as that of a contrast material to be administered to an object and configured to perform radiation quality adjustment; a second filter formed from a material different from the contrast material and configured to perform radiation quality adjustment; a filter switching mechanism configured to switch between the first filter and the second filter to be interposed between a X-ray tube and the object; and control processing circuitry configured to control the high voltage generation unit and the filter switching mechanism to synchronize switching between the first voltage and the second voltage with switching between the first filter and the second filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Emi TAMURA, Yasuo SAITO, Takuzo TAKAYAMA, Hiroaki MIYAZAKI, Hiroaki NAKAI
  • Publication number: 20160029982
    Abstract: A medical image diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment includes detecting elements and processing circuitry. Each of the detecting elements contains, in an effective area thereof, a plurality of cells each configured to output an electrical signal when at least one photon has become incident thereto. Processing circuitry generates an image on the basis of a signal obtained by adding together the electrical signals output by the plurality of cells. The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment includes a plurality of arrays in each of which two or more of the detecting elements containing an equal quantity of cells in the effective areas thereof are arranged, while the plurality of arrays are arranged in such a manner that the distances between the centers of the effective areas are constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Emi TAMURA, Yasuo SAITO, Hiroaki MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20160033654
    Abstract: Provided is a photon-counting type X-ray CT apparatus according to embodiments including a detector, a first collecting unit, a second collecting unit, and an image reconstruction unit. The detector detects an X-ray and outputs a signal. The first collecting unit collects count data of photons of the X-ray for every energy band with a predetermined time width by using the signal output from the detector. The second collecting unit corrects integration data obtained by integrating the signal with the predetermined time width by using the signal output from the detector. The image reconstruction unit corrects the count data by using the integration data. The image reconstruction unit generates a reconstructed image by performing a reconstructing process on the corrected count data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Emi TAMURA, Yasuo Saito
  • Publication number: 20150312998
    Abstract: A gantry includes two X-ray source rings and a detector ring. Each X-ray source ring includes a plurality of X-ray sources arrayed circumferentially. The detector ring is provided next to the X-ray source ring and includes a plurality of X-ray detectors arrayed circumferentially. Each of the plurality of X-ray detectors detects X-rays from the X-ray source ring. A data collection circuit collects raw data corresponding to the intensity of the detected X-rays. A reconstruction unit reconstructs the collected raw data into a CT image based on digital data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Emi TAMURA, Yasuo SAITO, Takuzo TAKAYAMA, Hiroaki MIYAZAKI, Hiroaki NAKAI
  • Publication number: 20150305697
    Abstract: A gantry includes an X-ray source ring and a detector ring. The X-ray source ring includes a plurality of X-ray sources arrayed circumferentially. The detector ring is provided next to the X-ray source ring and includes a plurality of X-ray detectors arrayed circumferentially. Each of the plurality of X-ray detectors detects X-rays from the X-ray source ring. At least one wedge filter is provided on the inner circumferential side of the X-ray source ring. A filter support member supports at least one wedge filter rotatable about the rotation axis. A filter driver drives the filter support member. An imaging controller controls the filter driver to rotate at least one wedge filter about the rotation axis in synchronism with generation of X-rays from the X-ray source ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Emi Tamura, Yasuo Saito, Takuzo Takayama, Hiroaki Miyazaki, Hiroaki Nakai
  • Publication number: 20150287221
    Abstract: An X-ray computed tomography (CT) apparatus includes a detector, and processing circuitry. The detector is configured to output, at each incidence of an X-ray photon, a signal enabling measurement of an energy value of the X-ray photon. Processing circuitry is configured to estimate an energy range to be used for imaging based on an imaging condition and to reconstruct X-ray CT image data using counting information to which an energy value within the energy range is associated among pieces of counting information that are collected from individual signals output by the detector at each incidence of an X-ray photon that has been irradiated from an X-ray tube and has passed through a subject, and in which a counting value and an energy value of X-ray photons incident to the detector are associated with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Takuzo TAKAYAMA, Yasuo SAITO, Emi TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20150250444
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a photon counting CT apparatus includes an X-ray source, a photon counting CT detector, and a calibration unit. The X-ray source includes a cathode configured to generate electrons and an anode including a plurality of targets configured to generate a plurality of characteristic X-rays having different energies. The photon counting CT detector detects X-ray photons generated by the X-ray source. The calibration unit calibrates the gain of the photon counting CT detector based on the correspondence relationship between the photon energies of the plurality of characteristic X-rays and outputs from the photon counting CT detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Emi TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20150198725
    Abstract: A photon-counting type X-ray computed tomography apparatus that comprises a high-voltage generator to generate a voltage signal, an X-ray tube to emit X-rays when the X-ray tube receives the voltage signal from the high-voltage generator, an X-ray detector to detect photons derived from the X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube, and circuitry to count a number of the detected photons with respect to a plurality of energy bands, detect a number of photons in a first energy band that exceeds an energy level corresponding to a voltage value of the voltage signal, and changing a number of photons at a second energy band based on the detected number of photons in the first energy band, to correct for operational limitations of the X-ray detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Emi TAMURA, Yasuo Saito, Takuzo Takayama, Hiroaki Miyazaki, Hiroaki Nakai