Abstract: A dental radiology apparatus includes an X-radiation generator and a sensor opposite it receiving radiation from the generator. The apparatus produces a panoramic image of an object by displacement of the assembly formed of the generator and the sensor along a given trajectory in a plane, the generator having at least one collimation slit elongated along a z-axis perpendicular to the plane to produce an X-ray beam elongated along this axis in a first mode of operation, the sensor with an array of pixels extending along the Z-axis in correspondence with the beam. The apparatus includes elements for pivoting the sensor by 90° to extend it in a direction parallel to the plane P, switching the generator provided with the collimation slit from the first mode to a second mode of operation to produce an X-ray beam elongated parallel to the direction of the sensor, so that the these positioned sensor is always in correspondence with the beam.

Abstract: A method for directing image data to a dental treatment site wherein a sensor controller is positioned near a programmed radio-frequency identification device at the dental treatment site. A command entry configures the sensor controller to encode and transmit image data content for delivery to a receiving address, according to information obtained from the radio-frequency identification device. A digital sensor that is associated with the sensor controller is positioned in proximity to a subject. Image data is acquired from the digital sensor and transmitted from the sensor controller to a wireless access point, and from the wireless access point to a host computer at the receiving address. The acquired transmitted image data is stored in a computer-accessible electronic memory.

Abstract: A panoramic dental x-ray unit. The unit includes a support rotating about an axis and carrying, in the opposite position, an x-ray source and detector which move following a predetermined trajectory. The unit further includes means for acquiring images of the dental arch of a patient corresponding to the positions of the detector and of the source with respect to the dental arch. There is also provided means for reconstruction of a two portions of a panoramic image corresponding respectively to two disconnected portions of the dental arch, the reconstruction being performed from certain acquired images which each contain at least one piece of information concerning the two disconnected portions of the dental arch.

Abstract: An apparatus for obtaining an intraoral x-ray image from a patient has an x-ray source and an intraoral image detector comprising one or more detectable elements. One or more sensors are positionally coupled near the x-ray source and are energizable to sense the location of the one or more detectable elements when the intraoral image detector is within the patient's mouth. A control logic processor is in signal communication with the one or more sensors and is responsive to stored instructions for calculating a detector position of the intraoral image detector. A projector is positionally coupled to the x-ray source and is in signal communication with the control logic processor and is energizable to project an image toward the calculated intraoral image detector position in response to signals from the control logic processor.

Abstract: A dental X-ray apparatus of the conical-beam digitized-tomography type includes: an X-ray generator emitting an X-ray beam towards an object and provided with a collimation element for collimating the emitted beam; an X-ray sensor having an active surface arranged opposite the generator; wherein the generator and the sensor can rotate simultaneously about a rotation axis, the sensor being oriented so that a longitudinal axis extending from the generator to the sensor through the rotation axis is perpendicular to the active surface of the sensor, the center of the sensor being transversally offset relative to the projection of the axis on the sensor's active surface, the arrangement of the collimation element and the sensor thus offset defining that the collimated beam illuminates the sensor's active surface while leaving a peripheral area of the surface that is faintly illuminated by the collimated beam relative to the rest of the active surface.

Abstract: A method for obtaining an intraoral x-ray image determines an initial spatial position and angular orientation of an x-ray source relative to a detector. A first x-ray image is obtained with the x-ray source at the initial spatial position and angular orientation and stored, associating the initial spatial position and angular orientation to the first x-ray image. A sequence repeats that calculates a next spatial position and angular orientation for the x-ray source, provides positional adjustment information between the x-ray source and detector for obtaining a next x-ray image, measures and records the actual spatial position and angular orientation of the x-ray source relative to the detector and obtains and stores the next x-ray image at the measured spatial position and angular orientation, and forms a composite image using image data from the first and from the one or more next x-ray images.

Abstract: A dental x-ray unit comprising: an X-ray generator adapted to generate an X-ray beam in the direction of a patient's head, means of collimation adapted to confer given dimensions to the generated X-ray beam; a sensor placed facing the generator, receiving the radiologic projection of the collimated beam having irradiated the patient's head and supplying a cephalometric image of the patient's head, characterized in that the device includes: the means to acquire at least one photographic image of the patient's head, the means of automatic control for the means of collimation according to the at least one photographic image so that the dimensions of the collimated X-ray beam are adjusted to the dimensions of the patient's head.

Abstract: A combined imaging apparatus for x-ray imaging of a subject in multiple modes has a supporting structure having an extended rotary arm, wherein the rotary arm has a computed tomography detector and a panoramic imaging detector, both mounted adjacently against a movable platen. A detector positioning apparatus is actuable to translate the position of the movable platen to either of at least first and second positions with respect to an x-ray source. The first position disposes the computed tomography detector in the direct path of an x-ray source and the second position disposes the panoramic imaging detector in the direct path of the x-ray source.

Abstract: A dental radiology apparatus includes: a generator (18) emitting X-radiation provided with a collimation device collimating the radiation in an appropriate manner using several forms of collimation slits, at least one radiation sensor (20a, 20b) including a first, a second and a third image acquisition surface which are each positioned opposite an appropriate form of slit in order to use the apparatus in panoramic mode, cone beam tomographic mode and mode determining a trajectory which will be used in panoramic mode respectively. In the third mode a form of slit elongated along a plane P is arranged opposite the third surface corresponding to a part of the second surface along a Z-axis perpendicular to the plane P and the assembly is driven in rotation about an axis parallel to the Z-axis.

Abstract: A dental X-ray apparatus of the conical-beam digitized-tomography type includes: an X-ray generator emitting an X-ray beam towards an object and provided with a collimation element for collimating the emitted beam; an X-ray sensor having an active surface arranged opposite the generator; wherein the generator and the sensor can rotate simultaneously about a rotation axis, the sensor being oriented so that a longitudinal axis extending from the generator to the sensor through the rotation axis is perpendicular to the active surface of the sensor, the center of the sensor being transversally offset relative to the projection of the axis on the sensor's active surface, the arrangement of the collimation element and the sensor thus offset defining that the collimated beam illuminates the sensor's active surface while leaving a peripheral area of the surface that is faintly illuminated by the collimated beam relative to the rest of the active surface.

Abstract: A dental radiology apparatus includes an X-radiation generator and a sensor opposite it receiving radiation from the generator. The apparatus produces a panoramic image of an object by displacement of the assembly formed of the generator and the sensor along a given trajectory in a plane, the generator having at least one collimation slit elongated along a z-axis perpendicular to the plane to produce an X-ray beam elongated along this axis in a first mode of operation, the sensor with an array of pixels extending along the Z-axis in correspondence with the beam. The apparatus includes elements for pivoting the sensor by 90° to extend it in a direction parallel to the plane P, switching the generator provided with the collimation slit from the first mode to a second mode of operation to produce an X-ray beam elongated parallel to the direction of the sensor, so that the these positioned sensor is always in correspondence with the beam.

Abstract: A dental radiology apparatus includes: a generator (18) emitting X-radiation provided with a collimation device collimating the radiation in an appropriate manner using several forms of collimation slits, at least one radiation sensor (20a, 20b) including a first, a second and a third image acquisition surface which are each positioned opposite an appropriate form of slit in order to use the apparatus in panoramic mode, cone beam tomographic mode and mode determining a trajectory which will be used in panoramic mode respectively. In the third mode a form of slit elongated along a plane P is arranged opposite the third surface corresponding to a part of the second surface along a Z-axis perpendicular to the plane P and the assembly is driven in rotation about an axis parallel to the Z-axis.

Abstract: The regions of interest of images of both breasts of a patient are defined as regions of the image of minimal surface area and containing views of the breasts. These regions of interest are aligned for simultaneous display of the images. The display now allows simple and direct comparison of the images of both breasts, notably allowing immediate comparison of structural disorganizations within the two breasts.

Abstract: The stereotaxic images being digitized, a target pixel in a target region of interest is selected, a target window of chosen dimensional characteristics and containing the said target region of interest is generated around the selected target pixel, a set of pixels is determined in a second image, according to a predetermined selection criterion, a second window, of the same dimensional characteristics as the said target window, is generated around each selected pixel, a correlation processing between the grey-scale levels of the pixels of each second window and the grey-scale levels of the pixels of the target window is carried out so as to obtain a correlation value for each second window, and the region of interest homologous to the target region of interest is identified on the basis of the analysis of the set of correlation values thus obtained, so as to minimize the risks of matching error between the homologous regions of interest.

Abstract: The method comprises a histogram of the radiographed image, i.e., a real histogram, a mathematical model of the image chain and the object obtained by calibration. The mathematical model of the image chain and the object and a set of parameters of acquisition, of the detector, of the positioner and of the object are used to determine two values of gray level, gray min and gray max, delimiting a useful zone and the part below gray min and the part above gray max are suppressed in the real histogram, i.e., a limited histogram. A set of rules is applied to the limited histogram in order to determine the level of brightness (WL) and the contrast (WW) is obtained from the brightness and possibly from one or more parameters selected by the user or fixed a priori.

Abstract: The regions of interest of images of both breasts of a patient are defined as regions of the image of minimal surface area and containing views of the breasts. These regions of interest are aligned for simultaneous display of the images. The display now allows simple and direct comparison of the images of both breasts, notably allowing immediate comparison of structural disorganizations within the two breasts.