Abstract: A CT scanner comprising a stator and a rotor having an axis of rotation mounted to the stator so that the rotor is rotatable about the axis of rotation comprising: an X-ray source mounted to the rotor, said X-ray source having a focal spot from which X-rays emanate; an X-ray detector array comprising a matrix of rows and columns of X-ray detectors; anti-scattering (AS) material for absorbing X-rays positioned between columns of the X-ray detectors; and anti-scattering (AS) material for absorbing X-rays positioned between rows of the X-ray detectors, whereby the AS material is located between every other row and/or column of detectors, respectively. Furthermore, the thickness and/or height of the foils between rows may be different from the thickness and/or height of the foils between columns.

Abstract: An x-ray tube (16) suitable for use in a computed tomography (CT) scanner (10) includes an envelope (42) which defines an evacuated chamber. An anode (40) and a cathode assembly (70) are disposed within the chamber. The anode defines a target area (56) which is struck by electrons (52) emitted by a filament (54) of the cathode assembly and emits x-rays (46). The target area lies partially on a first annular portion (80) which is disposed at first angle (a) relative to a plane perpendicular to an axis of rotation (R) of the anode, and partially on a second portion (82,120) which is radially spaced from the first portion and disposed at a second angle (?), relative to the plane. The second angle is greater than the first angle. The portions of different slope allow the x-ray tube to take advantage of a shallow angle, while minimizing the heel effect.

Abstract: An x-ray tube (16) suitable for use in a computed tomography (CT) scanner (10) includes an envelope (42) which defines an evacuated chamber. An anode (40) and a cathode assembly (70) are disposed within the chamber. The anode defines a target area (56) which is struck by electrons (52) emitted by a filament (54) of the cathode assembly and emits x-rays (46). The target area lies partially on a first annular portion (80) which is disposed at first angle (a) relative to a plane perpendicular to an axis of rotation (R) of the anode, and partially on a second portion (82,120) which is radially spaced from the first portion and disposed at a second angle (B), relative to the plane. The second angle is greater than the first angle. The portions of different slope allow the x-ray tube to take advantage of a shallow angle, while minimizing the heel effect.

Abstract: A CT scanner comprising a stator and a rotor having an axis of rotation mounted to the stator so that the rotor is rotatable about the axis of rotation comprising: an X-ray source mounted to the rotor, said X-ray source having a focal spot from which X-rays emanate; an X-ray detector array comprising a matrix of rows and columns of X-ray detectors; anti-scattering (AS) material for absorbing X-rays positioned between columns of the X-ray detectors; and anti-scattering (AS) material for absorbing X-rays positioned between rows of the X-ray detectors, whereby the AS material is located between every other row and/or column of detectors, respectively. Furthermore, the thickness and/or height of the foils between rows may be different from the thickness and/or height of the foils between columns.

Abstract: In a rotate rotate CT scanner a plurality of source-detector units are mounted on a gantry displaced from each other in the Z direction and the detector units are arranged to acquire data from large volumes of a subject in a single rotation so that the scanner can provide time-coherent images of large organs.

Abstract: In a rotate rotate CT scanner a plurality of source-detector units are mounted on a gantry displaced from each other in the Z direction and the detector units are arranged to acquire data from large volumes of a subject in a single rotation so that the scanner can provide time-coherent images of large organs.

Abstract: The origin of a cone or fan beam of B, &ggr;, or x radiation is moved in a continuous path such as a circle or is stepped among a two-dimensional grid of preselected points. The cone beam of radiation passes through a patient (14) in an imaging region (12) and is detected by a detector array (16). A data collection circuit (20) samples the detector array to generate radiation intensity sub-images. A circuit (56) monitors the shifting of the focal spot and controls an image shifting circuit (58) to shift physical coordinates of the sampled sub-image analogously. A sub-imaging combining circuit (60) interleaves or otherwise combines spatially shifted sub-images. In one embodiment, the combined sub-images forms a higher resolution composite image representation. In another embodiment, a plurality of combined, spatially shifted sub-images are collected at angularly offset orientations around the subject and are reconstructed into a higher resolution composite image representation.