Abstract: According to one aspect, a device for assisting in removing an implanted lead is provided. The device comprises a body portion having a center adapted to accommodate the lead, a cutting component coupled to the body portion to assist in separating tissue from the lead, and at least one anchoring component disposed at least partially within the body portion, the at least one anchoring component capable of providing pressure on the lead that resists movement of at least part of the body portion along the lead at least in part by applying fluid pressure.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a device for assisting in removing an implanted lead is provided. The device comprises a body portion having a center adapted to accommodate the lead, a cutting component coupled to the body portion to assist in separating tissue from the lead, and at least one anchoring component disposed at least partially within the body portion, the at least one anchoring component capable of providing pressure on the lead that resists movement of at least part of the body portion along the lead at least in part by applying fluid pressure.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a device for assisting in removing an implanted lead is provided. The device comprises a body portion having a center adapted to accommodate the lead, a cutting component coupled to the body portion to assist in separating tissue from the lead, and at least one anchoring component disposed at least partially within the body portion, the at least one anchoring component capable of providing pressure on the lead that resists movement of at least part of the body portion along the lead at least in part by applying fluid pressure.

Abstract: According to some aspects, a device comprising a plurality of cameras arranged in an array, each of the plurality of cameras producing a signal indicative of radiation impinging on the respective camera, the plurality of cameras arranged such that the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras at least partially overlaps the field of view of at least one adjacent camera of the plurality of cameras, to form a respective plurality of overlap regions, an energy conversion component for converting first radiation impinging on a surface of the energy conversion component to second radiation at a lower energy that is detectable by the plurality of cameras, and at least one computer for processing the signals from each of the plurality cameras to generate at least one image, the at least one processor configured to combine signals in the plurality of overlap regions to form the at least one image is provided.

Abstract: Some aspects include a device comprising a plurality of cameras arranged in an array, each producing a signal indicative of radiation impinging on the respective camera, the plurality of cameras arranged such that the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras at least partially overlaps the field of view of at least one adjacent camera of the plurality of cameras, to form a respective plurality of overlap regions, an energy conversion component for converting first radiation impinging on a surface of the energy conversion component to second radiation at a lower energy that is detectable by the plurality of cameras, and at least one computer for processing the signals from each of the plurality cameras to generate at least one image, the at least one processor configured to combine signals in the plurality of overlap regions to form the at least one image.

Abstract: According to some aspects, a device comprising a plurality of cameras arranged in an array, each of the plurality of cameras producing a signal indicative of radiation impinging on the respective camera, the plurality of cameras arranged such that the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras at least partially overlaps the field of view of at least one adjacent camera of the plurality of cameras, to form a respective plurality of overlap regions, an energy conversion component for converting first radiation impinging on a surface of the energy conversion component to second radiation at a lower energy that is detectable by the plurality of cameras, and at least one computer for processing the signals from each of the plurality cameras to generate at least one image, the at least one processor configured to combine signals in the plurality of overlap regions to form the at least one image is provided.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a device for assisting in removing an implanted lead is provided. The device comprises a body portion having a center adapted to accommodate the lead, a cutting component coupled to the body portion to assist in separating tissue from the lead, and at least one anchoring component disposed at least partially within the body portion, the at least one anchoring component capable of providing pressure on the lead that resists movement of at least part of the body portion along the lead at least in part by applying fluid pressure.

Abstract: A mobile apparatus. The mobile radiography apparatus includes: a frame; a transport mechanism coupled to the frame, the transport mechanism adapted to facilitate transport of the mobile apparatus between locations; an x-ray source mounted to the frame; a computed radiography (CR) scanner coupled to the frame and adapted to acquire one or more images from an image recording medium; a storage area disposed on the frame configured to removably retain at least one digital radiography (DR) detector; and a display coupled to the frame and connected to the CR scanner and the DR detector to display the one or more images acquired by the CR scanner or DR detector.

Abstract: A mobile apparatus. The mobile radiography apparatus includes: a frame; a transport mechanism coupled to the frame, the transport mechanism adapted to facilitate transport of the mobile apparatus between locations; an x-ray source mounted to the frame; a computed radiography (CR) scanner coupled to the frame and adapted to acquire one or more images from an image recording medium; a storage area disposed on the frame configured to removably retain at least one digital radiography (DR) detector; and a display coupled to the frame and connected to the CR scanner and the DR detector to display the one or more images acquired by the CR scanner or DR detector.

Abstract: A storage phosphor cassette for use in recording radiographic images of elongated objects. The cassette comprises a shell and a single storage phosphor plate. The shell includes first and second opposite open ends. The single storage phosphor plate is housed within the shell and is adapted to be at least partially removable from the shell through the first and second open ends. A radiation image of the elongate object can be read by extracting a first portion of the single plate through one of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scanning the first portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a first partial image, and then extracting a second portion of the single plate through the other of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scanning the second portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a second partial image. The first and second partial images can be combined to form the image of the elongate object.

Abstract: A mobile computed radiography (CR) unit. The mobile CR unit includes a CR scanner adapted to acquire one or more images from an image recording medium, a frame that supports the CR scanner, an x-ray source mounted to the frame, a transport mechanism coupled to the frame and adapted to facilitate transport of the mobile CR apparatus between locations, and a display coupled to the frame and connected to the CR scanner to display the one or more images acquired by the CR scanner. The mobile CR unit in constructed as a single free-standing integrated device which provides for the exposure of a storage phosphor media, the scanning of the exposed media to generate a digital medical image, and the display of the generated digital medical image.

Abstract: In one aspect, a mobile computed radiography (CR) unit is provided. The mobile CR unit includes a CR scanner adapted to acquire one or more images from an image recording medium, and a transport mechanism coupled to the CR scanner, the transport mechanism adapted to facilitate transport of the mobile CR apparatus between locations. In another aspect, the mobile CR unit in constructed as a single free-standing integrated device having a frame that couples together the CR scanner, a display adapted to view the one more images acquired by the CR scanner, and a plurality of wheels that allow the mobile CR unit to be transported from one location to another.

Abstract: A storage phosphor cassette for use in recording radiographic images of elongated objects. The cassette comprises a shell and a single storage phosphor plate. The shell includes first and second opposite open ends. The single storage phosphor plate is housed within the shell and is adapted to be at least partially removable from the shell through the first and second open ends. A radiation image of the elongate object can be read by extracting a first portion of the single plate through one of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scanning the first portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a first partial image, and then extracting a second portion of the single plate through the other of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scanning the second portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a second partial image. The first and second partial images can be combined to form the image of the elongate object.

Abstract: A storage phosphor cassette for use in recording radiographic images of elongated objects. The cassette comprises a shell and a single storage phosphor plate. The shell includes first and second opposite open ends. The single storage phosphor plate is housed within the shell and is adapted to be at least partially removable from the shell through the first and second open ends. A radiation image of the elongate object can be read by extracting a first portion of the single plate through one of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scanning the first portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a first partial image, and then extracting a second portion of the single plate through the other of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scanning the second portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a second partial image. The first and second partial images can be combined to form the image of the elongate object.

Abstract: A radiation image read-out method and apparatus for a stimulable phosphor sheet, provided with a layer of stimulable phosphor, which has been exposed to radiation to carry information about an image, and the image is thereby stored on the stimulable phosphor sheet. The method includes the steps of: exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to stimulating rays to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation; sensing the emitted light to generate a detection signal; amplifying the detection signal using a first amplifier or a second amplifier, dependent on the magnitude of the detection signal, to generate an amplified detection signal, the first amplifier differing from the second amplifier; and converting the amplified detection signals into a digital signal to form a digital image. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second amplifiers are logarithmic and linear amplifiers.

Abstract: A method of acquiring at least one image from an image recording medium using a pulsed radiation source is provided. In one aspect, a method of scanning an image recording medium that has been exposed to X-ray radiation comprises providing first radiation along a plurality of scan traces over a surface of the image recording medium such that the first radiation does not impinge on the image recording over at least one interval along each of the plurality of scan traces. The pulsed laser source may reduce and/or eliminate cross-influence artifacts in images resulting from pulsed radiation image acquisition.

Abstract: A mobile computed radiography (CR) unit. The mobile CR unit includes a CR scanner adapted to acquire one or more images from an image recording medium, a frame that supports the CR scanner, an x-ray source mounted to the frame, a transport mechanism coupled to the frame and adapted to facilitate transport of the mobile CR apparatus between locations, and a display coupled to the frame and connected to the CR scanner to display the one or more images acquired by the CR scanner. The mobile CR unit in constructed as a single free-standing integrated device which provides for the exposure of a storage phosphor media, the scanning of the exposed media to generate a digital medical image, and the display of the generated digital medical image.

Abstract: A method of scanning a sample responsive to stimulating radiation by providing stimulated radiation to the sample along a scanning path that includes more than one pass over at least a portion of the sample. The method includes the steps of performing two read-outs at a particular intensity stimulating radiation. A first read-out of the sample is performed with a the intensity stimulating radiation to produce a first image signal having information representing a first exposure image. A second read-out of the sample is performed with the intensity stimulating radiation to produce a second image signal having information representing a second exposure image. The first and second image signals are then combined to form a third image signal representative of the image stored on the sample.

Abstract: A storage phosphor cassette for use in recording radiographic images of elongated objects. The cassette comprises a shell and a single storage phosphor plate. The shell includes first and second opposite open ends. The single storage phosphor plate is housed within the shell and is adapted to be at least partially removable from the shell through the first and second open ends. A radiation image of the elongate object can be read by extracting a first portion of the single plate through one of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scanning the first portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a first partial image, and then extracting a second portion of the single plate through the other of the two opposing ends of the cassette and scanning the second portion of the single storage phosphor plate to obtain a second partial image. The first and second partial images can be combined to form the image of the elongate object.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus that facilitate exposure and/or automatic transfer of an image recording medium from an apparatus adapted to handle the image recording medium, such as a cassette, to an image acquisition system, such as an image reader. In one exemplary implementation, a side-access cassette for handling an image recording medium is provided that facilitates the automatic transfer of the image recording medium from the cassette into an automatic loader and from the automatic loader into the cassette. The cassette may further include a radiation conversion window to attenuate radiation during high energy X-ray imaging such that the cassette and automatic loader may be employed in a variety of X-ray imaging processes and techniques. In one aspect, such a conversion window allows recording media such as phosphor plates to be exposed using source radiation incident to the cassette having energy levels on the order of MeV, which is significantly higher than that typically used to expose phosphor plates.