Abstract: Provided is an X-ray apparatus and a method of controlling an X-ray apparatus capable of detecting a sign of breakage of a filament. A method of controlling an X-ray apparatus for performing control involving controlling a filament current flowing through a filament of a cathode part to maintain constant a tube current flowing between the cathode part and an anode part with a target, includes: monitoring the current value of at least one of the filament current and the tube current; detecting the mode of change in the current value; determining the presence or absence of a sign of breakage of the filament based on the mode of change in the current value; and issuing a warning based on the determination.

Abstract: The type and/or properties of a substance included in an object is identified highly accurately regardless of the thickness of the substance. A data processing apparatus processes counts detected at each of pixels of a photo counting detector in each of a plurality of energy ranges of X-rays. The X-rays are radiated from an X-ray tube, and transmitted through an object. The apparatus calculates an image of the object based on the counts, and sets a region of interest on the image. The apparatus further removes, from the image, pixel information showing a background present in the region of interest, and calculates, pixel by pixel, inherent information inherent to the substance, based on the counts detected at each of the respective pixels in each of the energy ranges of the X-rays in the region of interest. The inherent information indicates a transmission characteristic inherent to the X-rays.

Abstract: The type and/or properties of a substance is identified highly accurately regardless of the thickness of the substance. A data processing apparatus processes counts detected at each of pixels of a photo counting detector in each of a plurality of energy ranges of X-rays. The X-rays are radiated from an X-ray tube, and transmitted through an object. The apparatus calculates an image of the object based on the counts, and sets a region of interest on the image. The apparatus further removes, from the pixel, pixel information showing a background present in the region of interest, and calculates, pixel by pixel, inherent information inherent to the substance, based on the counts detected at each of the respective pixels in each of the energy ranges of the X-rays in the region of interest. The inherent information indicates a transmission characteristic inherent to the X-rays.

Abstract: Provided is an X-ray apparatus and a method of controlling an X-ray apparatus capable of detecting a sign of breakage of a filament. A method of controlling an X-ray apparatus for performing control involving controlling a filament current flowing through a filament of a cathode part to maintain constant a tube current flowing between the cathode part and an anode part with a target, includes: monitoring the current value of at least one of the filament current and the tube current; detecting the mode of change in the current value; determining the presence or absence of a sign of breakage of the filament based on the mode of change in the current value; and issuing a warning based on the determination.

Abstract: A low-energy X-ray image formation apparatus includes an X-ray generator generating X-rays having an energy spectrum showing an energy range continuously ranging from 18-30 keV (or ?37 keV), the energy range being higher in energy from an effective energy of an energy range ranging 10 to 23 keV. A detector detects the X-rays transmitted through a soft tissue of a subject or a tissue of a substance. The tissue of the substance corresponds in a contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) to the soft tissue of the object. A console acquires an image of the soft tissue of the object or of the substance, based on a detection signal from the detector. The soft tissue and the substance are defined as a soft tissue and a substance presenting a CNR of 3.8 or more when the X-rays are radiated in a condition where an X-ray tube voltage is set at 20 kV.

Abstract: An output phosphor film used in an output screen of an image intensifier is made of ZnS or (Zn, Cd)S host material and at least one activator element selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ag, Au, Al, and Cl. The phosphor film is formed on a face plate by means of chemical vapor-deposition, or physical vapor deposition in an inert-gas atmosphere having a pressure of 1 Pa or more, and is heat-treated. The formed phosphor film has hexagonal (Wurtzite-type) crystal and/or cubic (sphalerite-type) crystal structure. These crystals are orientated such that the (002) planes of the hexagonal crystals and/or the (111) planes of the cubic crystals are substantially parallel to the face plate.

Abstract: An X-ray television apparatus includes an X-ray image intensifier and an imaging unit. The X-ray image intensifier converts an X-ray image into a visible image. The visible image is transmitted to the imaging unit by optical fiber bundles coupled with each other by a coupling mechanism. The imaging unit converts the visible image into an electrical signal of an image. Bolts are threadably engaged with a flat ring base provided to the X-ray image intensifier. By an elastic pressure of coil springs into which the bolts are inserted, a holding member provided to the coupling mechanism couples the imaging tube to the X-ray image intensifier via the optical fiber bundles. An electrostatic shielding film is formed on a surface of the holding member and prevents a pseudo signal generated by the X-ray image intensifier from entering the imaging unit, thereby reducing the noise components contained in the electrical signal of an image.

Abstract: A phosphor screen constructed by forming a phosphor layer on one side of an optical fiber plate consisting of a large number of bundled single optical fibers, each of which fibers comprises a cylindrical core and a clad surrounding the curved surface of the fiber core. At least that side of the respective fiber cores which faces the phosphor layer is removed, to provide a depression. Sufficiently large spaces are formed between the fiber cores and phosphor layer, to prevent both members from being brought into optical contact with each other.

Abstract: A phosphor screen which has an optical fiber plate formed of a number of bundled single optical fibers, each of which fibers consists essentially of a cylindrical core and a clad surrounding the curved peripheral wall of the core and a phosphor layer formed on one surface of the optical fiber plate, characterized in that the cylindrical core on the other surface of the optical fiber plate is removed, to provide a depression of a depth of at least 1 .mu.m, thereby producing an image having high contrast.

Abstract: A phosphor screen constructed by forming a phosphor layer on one side of an optical fiber plate consisting of a large number of bundled single optical fibers, each of which fibers comprises a cylindrical core and a clad surrounding the curved surface of the fiber core. At least that side of the respective fiber cores which faces the phosphor layer is removed, to provide a depression. Sufficiently large spaces are formed between the fiber cores and phosphor layer, to prevent both members from being brought into optical contact with each other.

Abstract: A phosphor screen which has an optical fiber plate formed of a number of bundled single optical fibers, each of which fibers consists essentially of a cylindrical core and a clad surrounding the curved peripheral wall of the core and a phosphor layer formed on one surface of the optical fiber plate, characterized in that the cylindrical core on the other surface of the optical fiber plate is removed, to provide a depression of a depth of at least 1 .mu.m, thereby producing an image having high contrast.

Abstract: An input phosphor screen includes a substrate having a substantially smooth surface, and first and second phosphor layers both vapor-deposited sequentially on the substrate. The first layer is made of phosphor crystal particles having a mean diameter of 15 .mu.m or less. The second layer has a thickness ten or more times that of the first layer and is made of individual columnar crystals of alkali halide grown vertically on the crystal particles, standing close together with fine spaces therebetween. A third layer is preferably deposited on the second layer as a continuous film. These three layers can be deposited by evaporating a phosphor material or materials at a prescribed temperature and at a predetermined degree of vacuum.

Abstract: An input screen and method of forming one for an image intensifier tube including a substrate in which a plurality of crystal grains of aluminum or aluminum alloy are formed in a plane with the crystal grains having non-directional shapes in the plane. The crystal grains are formed by heating in a vacuum or non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature between 450.degree. C. and 650.degree. C. The oxidized layer is next removed by an etchant, and a phosphor layer formed on the crystal grains by vapor-deposit.

Abstract: An input phosphor screen includes a substrate having a substantially smooth surface, and first and second phosphor layers both vapor-deposited sequentially on the substrate. The first layer is made of phosphor crystal particles having a mean diameter of 15 .mu.m or less. The second layer has a thickness ten or more times that of the first layer and is made of individual columnar crystals of alkali halide grown vertically on the crystal particles, standing close together with fine spaces therebetween. A third layer is preferably deposited on the second layer as a continuous film. These three layers can be deposited by evaporating a phosphor material or materials at a prescribed temperature and at a predetermined degree of vacuum.

Abstract: A cathode ray tube device includes a cathode ray tube of which cathode is heated in a waiting state as well as a normal operating state to emit an electron beam. The emitted electron beam in the waiting state is prevented from impinging the fluorescent surface of the tube by supplying a predetermined voltage or current independent of a signal for the normal operation to the grid of an electron gun assembly or a deflecting device.