Abstract: A computerized tomography process (100) that provides, optionally, for preliminary scans (101), helically-oriented full scans (102), and/or improved resolution scans (103). In some instances, partial cross-sectional views are captured which views are then later joined to yield a complete view. In some instances a helical image-capture path is used. In yet other instances small lateral shifts to the position of the X-ray source are used to provide higher resolution views of the object being scanned.

Abstract: An irradiation apparatus particularly well suited to the irradiation of food at or near the point of consumption includes an irradiation chamber, one or more ionizing radiation sources such as x-ray tubes, and a rotating food support. In one embodiment, one or more x-ray sources are disposed axially in relation to the support. In another, one or more x-ray sources are disposed radially in relation to the support. The position of the x-ray sources in relation to the food may also be varied depending on the size of the food.

Abstract: An irradiation apparatus particularly well suited to the irradiation of food at or near the point of consumption includes an irradiation chamber, one or more ionizing radiation sources such as x-ray tubes, and a rotating food support. In one embodiment, one or more x-ray sources are disposed axially in relation to the support. In another, one or more x-ray sources are disposed radially in relation to the support. The position of the x-ray sources in relation to the food may also be varied depending on the size of the food.

Abstract: An irradiation apparatus particularly well suited to the irradiation of food at or near the point of consumption includes an irradiation chamber, one or more ionizing radiation sources such as x-ray tubes, and a rotating food support. In one embodiment, one or more x-ray sources are disposed axially in relation to the support. In another, one or more x-ray sources are disposed radially in relation to the support. The position of the x-ray sources in relation to the food may also be varied depending on the size of the food.

Abstract: A plurality of diagnostic scanners (S1, S2, . . . , Sn) share access to a remote, communal processing center (CP) that performs reconstruction and post reconstruction processing for various modalities. Each of the diagnostic scanners submits a data set to the remote center electronically over the lines (T). An scheduling computer (22) assigns a priority to each of the received data sets and controls a plurality of parallel processors (261, 262, . . . , 26n) accordingly. The reconstructed image representations are sent electronically back to the address that sent them, or another designated location, for display on a monitor (281, 282, . . . , 28n, 28cf, 28r). Upgrades loaded into the remote center are immediately available for all users. Software modifications, hardware adjustments, training services, operations monitoring, and scanner operating services of individual scanners are provided from the remote center.

Abstract: An irradiation apparatus particularly well suited to the irradiation of food at or near the point of consumption includes an irradiation chamber, one or more ionizing radiation sources such as x-ray tubes, and a rotating food support. In one embodiment, one or more x-ray sources are disposed axially in relation to the support. In another, one or more x-ray sources are disposed radially in relation to the support. The position of the x-ray sources in relation to the food may also be varied depending on the size of the food.

Abstract: A registration system (200) for use in connection with an image guided surgery system (10) is provided. It includes a medical diagnostic imaging apparatus (100) for collecting image data from a subject (310). An image data processor (130) reconstructs an image representation of the subject from the image data. An image projector (230) depicts the image representation on the subject (310). In a preferred embodiment, the image projector (230) depicts the image representation on the subject (310) such that registration between the subject (310) and the image representation is readily apparent. Preferably, the image projector (230) is a laser lightshow projector, a projection television, or a backlit liquid crystal display device. Optionally, a data processor (210) applies corrections to the image data such that surface contours of the subject (310) are accounted for when the image is projected onto the subject (310).

Abstract: A sequence control (40) causes a transmitter (24) and gradient amplifiers (20) to transmit radio frequency excitation and other pulses to induce magnetic resonance in selected dipoles and cause the magnetic resonance to be focused into a series of echoes in each of a plurality of data collection intervals following each excitation. A receiver (38) converts each echo into a data line. Calibration data lines having a close to zero phase-encoding are collected during each of the data collection intervals. The calibration data lines in each data collection interval are zero-filled (86) to generate a complete data set and Fourier transformed (88) into a series of low resolution complex images (90.sub.1, 90.sub.2, . . . 90.sub.n), each corresponding to one of the data collection intervals. The low resolution images are normalized (92) and their complex conjugates taken (94). Imaging data lines are sorted by a data collection interval and zero-filled (104) to create full data sets.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance gantry (A) includes a magnet (12) which generates a uniform magnetic field in a thin (under 15 cm thick) imaging volume (10). Gradient coils (30) and radio frequency coils (20) transmit radio frequency and gradient magnetic field pulses of conventional imaging sequences into the imaging volume. A patient support surface (42) moves a patient continuously through the imaging volume as the pulses of the magnetic resonance sequence are applied. A tachometer (52) monitors movement of the patient. A frequency scaler (54) scales the frequency of the RF excitation pulses applied by the transmitter (22) and the demodulation frequency of the receiver (26) in accordance with the patient movement such that the selected slice moves in synchrony with the patient through the imaging volume. The slice select gradient is indexed after magnetic resonance signals to generate a full set of views for reconstruction into a two-dimensional image representation of the slice are generated.

Abstract: Superconducting magnets (10) of a magnetic resonance imager create static magnetic fields through an examination region (12). Gradient magnetic field coils (30) under control of a gradient magnetic field control (42) generate gradient magnetic fields across the examination region (12), as a whole. A plurality of surface coils (36, 38) receive radio frequency signals from each of two distinct subregions within the examination region (12). The two receiver coils are connected with separate receivers (60.sub.1, 60.sub.2) which demodulate the received magnetic resonance signals. The magnetic resonance signals are reconstructed (76) into an image representation (80, 82) of the first and second subregions. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, a radio frequency transmitter (40) and a whole body coil (32) generate and manipulate the magnetic resonance signals within the first and second subregions. In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of transmitters (40.sub.1, 40.sub.2, . . .

Abstract: RF and gradient pulse combinations (30, 32, 36, 38) are applied to limit or define a region of interest in two dimensions (42) by pre-saturating surrounding regions (34a, 34b, 40a, 40b). A 90.degree. RF pulse (50) is applied in the presence of a slice select gradient (60) to excite selected dipoles in a slice or slab, defining the region of interest or voxel in the third dimension. Phase encoding gradients (62) and (64) are applied to encode spatial position in two dimensions of the slice. A binomial refocusing pulse (52) suppresses the water and refocuses the metabolite resonance into an echo which is acquired (68) by a receiver (26). A Fourier transform means (72, 74) transforms the received magnetic resonance signals to create a two dimensional array (76) or matrix of spectra (78) corresponding to a two dimensional array of spatial positions within the slice.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance is excited in first selected dipoles and suppressed in second selected dipoles in an examination region (10) by the application of a binomial 90.degree. pulse (40). The induced resonance is phase encoded along at least two axes by phase encode gradients (42, 44). Concurrently, an RF refocussing pulse (54) and a slice select gradient pulse (56) are applied. Analogous pulse pairs (68, 70; 72, 74) are applied once with the slice select gradient along each of three mutual orthogonal axes such that a voxel or volume defined by the intersection of the three slices is defined. A magnetic resonance echo (84) is allowed to form, which echo is attributable to the resonating dipoles within the defined voxel. The phase encoding gradients have divided the voxel into subvoxels along the respective axes.

Abstract: A binomial pulse generator (32) selectively generates binomial radio frequency excitation pulses (60) which induce magnetic resonance only in selected hydrogen dipoles and suppresses resonance in others. An inversion pulse generator (34) generates a first inversion pulse (70) in the presence of a first magnetic field gradient (72) generated by a gradient control (22). The inversion pulse only inverts the magnetization of resonating nuclei in a first plane defined by the first magnetic field gradient. A second inversion pulse (74) applied in the presence of a second magnetic field gradient (76) inverts the magnetization of resonating nuclei in a second planar region defined by the second magnetic field gradient. A third inversion pulse (78) applied concurrently with a third magnetic field gradient (80) inverts the magnetization of resonating nuclei in a third planar region defined by the third magnetic field gradient.