JPS6323780B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an X-ray apparatus that can perform simultaneous imaging from multiple directions (for example, two directions).

In recent years, with the development and widespread use of X-ray television equipment (hereinafter referred to as X-ray television), X-ray examinations are being used in a wide range of fields. reinstatement,
Alternatively, when removing a foreign object from the body, it is not possible to obtain sufficient information by taking images from one direction, so it is necessary to take images from two directions.

Two-way imaging devices currently employed to meet the above requirements include those shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b. As shown in the figure, this device has a top plate attached to the tip of a horizontal U-shaped arm (hereinafter simply referred to as U-shaped arm) 3, which is rotatably attached to a support member hanging from the ceiling via a rotating shaft 4. 2
A U-shaped X-ray imaging device in which an X-ray image detection device (for example, an image intensifier I/I) 6 and an X-ray tube 5 are fixed, which are arranged vertically facing each other so as to sandwich a subject 1 placed on the and a ceiling in which an X-ray tube 10 and an I/I 11 are attached to the lower ends of two telescopic supports 8 and 9 suspended from the ceiling, and are arranged oppositely on the left and right so as to sandwich the subject 1 therebetween. Hanging X
It consists of a wire device. Then, both devices are driven simultaneously or alternately, so that, for example, the U-shaped X-ray device performs imaging from the vertical direction, and the other ceiling-suspended X-ray device performs imaging from the horizontal direction.

By the way, the part to be imaged of the subject (e.g. heart, etc.)
In such cases, it may not be possible to obtain the desired information by simply taking images in two directions, horizontal and vertical. A device that can take pictures is required. However, in many of the above-mentioned apparatuses, the X-ray tubes 5, 10 and I/Is 6, 11 are fixed and cannot be tilted, and therefore have the disadvantage that they cannot meet the above requirements.
Furthermore, even if each of the X-ray tubes has a structure that allows it to be tilted, each of the X-ray tubes 5, 10 and I/I 6, 11 must be moved individually.
It is difficult to position the central axes so that they face each other, and there are problems in that it takes time and the subject is forced to be exposed to unnecessary X-rays.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a multidirectional imaging X-ray apparatus that facilitates imaging not only in the vertical and horizontal directions but also in oblique directions.

The present invention will be specifically explained below using Examples.

FIGS. 2a and 2b are partially cutaway schematic views showing an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. Incidentally, the same members as those shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b are given the same reference numerals. In the same figure, an X-ray tube 5 and I/I 6 are attached to tips 3a and 3b of a U-shaped arm 3, respectively, and this U-shaped arm 3 is connected to an inverted L-shaped support member 40 hanging from the ceiling. Bearing 40 at the lower end of
It is held by a rotating shaft 4 which is rotatably supported via a, and is adapted to be rotated manually or by a drive mechanism (not shown). Further, a potentiometer 12 is connected to this rotating shaft 4 via a gear 40b.
The rotation angle of the U-shaped arm 3 can be detected by the output signal 2.

Furthermore, an X-ray tube 10 and an I.
I11 is attached, and these supports 8, 9,
is equipped with motors 13, 14, hoisting drums 15, 16, and wires 17, 18 at the upper end mounting part, and is designed to move the X-ray tube 10 and I/I 11 up and down by these members. .
Furthermore, potentiometers 19 and 20 are connected to the rotating shafts of the winding drums 15 and 16 via gears, and the output signals of the potentiometers 19 and 20 control the X-ray tube 10 and the I/I 11. The distance from the ceiling can be detected.

By the way, both the X-ray tube 10 and the I/I 11 have bearings 8 at the tips of the supports 8 and 9.
A rotary shaft 2 rotatably supported via a and 9a
1, 22, and the rotating shaft 21,
It is designed to be rotationally driven by motors 23 and 24 connected to 22. That is, the X-ray tube 10
Both I and I11 perform neck vibration motion. Furthermore, potentiometers 25 and 26 are connected to the rotating shafts 21 and 22 via gears, and the output signals of the potentiometers 25 and 26 control the X-ray tube 10.
The rotation angle of I and I11 can be detected.

Further, one end of a wire 27 is fixed to the side surface of the upper end of one supporter 9, and this wire 27 is wound around a winding drum 29 via a potentiometer 28 inside the upper end of the other supporter 8. It is starting to be taken away. The winding drum 29 is biased in the winding direction by, for example, a winding spring, so as to always apply tension to the wire 27. The distance between the two supports 8 and 9 can be detected by the output signal of the potentiometer 28.

Next, an embodiment of the configuration of a control device for driving the device will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the operation mode of each member, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control device. The output signal V ₁ of the potentiometer 12 for detecting the rotation angle θ of the U-shaped arm 3 is applied to the controller 30 . The controller 30 controls the rotational drive motor 2 of the X-ray tube ₁₀ in response to the signal V1.
It outputs drive signals V ₂ and V ₃ for driving the rotational drive motors 24 of I and I11, respectively.
The rotation angle θ of the motors 23 and 24 driven by the drive signals V ₂ and V ₃ (that is, the swing angle of the X-ray tube 10 and I/I 11) is determined by the potentiometers 25 and 24 connected to each other. 26, and the output signal of this potentiometer 25, 26
V ₄ and V ₅ are each fed back to the controller 30.
Therefore, the controller 30 controls the X-ray tube 10 and I/I1.
a potentiometer 25 for detecting the swing angle of 1;
The outputs V ₄ and V ₅ of 26 are the outputs V ₁ of the potentiometer 12 that detect the rotation angle θ of the U-shaped arm 3.
The drive signals V ₂ and V ₃ are outputted so as to stop the motors 23 and 24 when the motors 23 and 24 become equal to each other. This control device also includes an output signal _V1 of the potentiometer 12 for detecting the rotation angle of the U-shaped arm 3, and a potentiometer for detecting the distance L between the two supports 8 and 9. An arithmetic unit 31 is provided to which the output signal V ₆ of the meter 28 is input, and an output signal V ₇ (=Lxtanθ) is output from its output terminal. Furthermore, the output signal V ₇ of this arithmetic unit 31
There is a controller 32 to which is input, and this controller 32
The vertical movement drive motors 13 and 14 of the X-ray tube 10 and I/I 11 are respectively driven by the output signals V ₈ and V ₉ from the X-ray tube 10 and the I/I 11. The rotation speeds of the motors 13 and 14 (i.e., the distance l ₁ from the ceiling of the X-ray tube 10 and the distance l ₂ from the ceiling of the I/I 11) are detected by potentiometers 19 and 20. The output signals V ₁₀ and V ₁₁ of the meters 19 and 20 are both fed back to the controller 32. Therefore, the controller 32 controls the difference between the output signal V ₇ of the arithmetic unit 31 and both output signals of the potentiometers 19 and 20.
When V ₁₁ - V ₁₀ match, motors 13 and 14
Outputs signals V ₈ and V ₉ that stop the rotation of. That is, the controller 32 always performs an operation that satisfies the following equation (1).

Lxtanθ=l ₂ −l ₁ ...(1) The motors 23 and 24 for driving the X-ray tube 10 and I/I 11 rotate in opposite directions, so that the X-ray tube 10 and I/I 11 are always The central axes DD' are made to coincide with each other. In addition, the X-ray tube 5 and I/I6 attached to the U-shaped arm 3 have a central axis C-
Needless to say, they face each other so as to match on C′. Furthermore, when either the distance l ₁ or l 2 from the ceiling of the X-ray tube 10 or the I/I 11 is changed, the controller 32 changes l ₁ or _{l 2 accordingly} , and always maintains the (1 ) has an operating function that satisfies the equation. Further, in this embodiment, the apparatus is controlled so that one central axis C--C' and the other central axis D--D' are always perpendicular to each other.

With such a device, by rotating the U-shaped arm 3 by a predetermined angle θ, the X-ray tube 10 and I.
I11 is driven to move up and down and swing, and is tilted by the same angle θ while aligning its central axes.
At this time, it goes without saying that the X-ray tube 5 and I/I 6 attached to the U-shaped arm 3 can be moved with their central axes aligned. That is, since the central axes C--C' and D--D' always rotate while perpendicular to each other, there is no need to move the region to be examined. In this way, it is possible to provide an apparatus that can easily perform photographing from an inclined direction in addition to horizontal and vertical directions.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the gist thereof.

For example, in the embodiment described above, potentiometers were used to measure and detect the distance L between the supports 8 and 9, the distances l ₁ and l ₂ from the ceiling of the X-ray tube 10 and I/I 11, etc. The distance may also be detected using various other encoders, ultrasonic devices, or the like.

Further, although the supports 8 and 9 in the above embodiment are moved up and down by motor drive, they may be moved up and down using a spring balance mechanism or the like. However, in this case, it is preferable that, for example, the controller 32 has a function of forcibly locking the vertical movement at a predetermined position by adding an electromagnetic locking mechanism or the like.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the angle formed by the central axis C-C' of the X-ray tube 5 and I/I 6 and the central axis D-D' of the other X-ray tube 10 and I/I 11 is always constant (orthogonal). However, if an arbitrary value is set in advance using the controller 32 or the like, it is also possible to perform imaging from two arbitrary directions within a certain plane.

In addition, in the mechanism that moves the X-ray tube 5 and I/I6 held by the supports 8, 9 simultaneously with the rotation of the U-shaped arm 3 as in the above embodiment, for example, the I/I
Although there is a risk that the I11 may come into contact with the subject 1, if the rotation of the U-shaped arm 3 and the operation of the X-ray tube 10 and the I/I11 are performed in a time-sharing manner, this risk can be eliminated. There is no sex at all. Alternatively, although the above embodiment describes a U-shaped arm, it may be a commonly used C-shaped arm, and the present invention is applicable to any bifurcated arm.

Incidentally, in the above embodiment, two-directional photographing has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a case where a plurality of these devices are installed to perform multi-directional photographing such as three directions or four directions.

According to the present invention described in detail above, it is possible to provide an X-ray apparatus that can easily perform multidirectional imaging by making slight improvements to the bifurcated arms and supports that are currently commonly used. Further, by using the control device as in the embodiment described above, it is possible to shorten the positioning time and reduce the X-ray exposure dose to the subject.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1a and b are front and side views of a conventional two-directional imaging X-ray device; Figures 2a and b are partially cutaway front and side views showing an embodiment of the device of the present invention; Figure 3 is a side view showing the operating mode of the device of the present invention;
The figure is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control device. 1... Subject, 2... Top plate, 3... U-shaped arm, 4
...Rotating shaft, 5,10...X-ray tube, 6,11...I・
I, 7...Movement rail, 8, 9...Supporter, 12,
19, 20, 25, 26, 28... Potentiometer, 13, 14, 23, 24... Motor, 15, 1
6, 29... Winding drum, 17, 18, 27... Wire, 21, 22... Rotating shaft, 30, 32... Controller,
31...Arithmetic unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A bifurcated tube rotatably supported by an appropriate support member, with a first X-ray tube and an X-ray image detection device attached to the distal end of the tube so as to face each other so as to sandwich the subject placed on the top plate. an arm, at least two supports that are installed so as to be close to or separate from each other along a moving rail and that are each extendable and retractable; A second X-ray tube and an X-ray image detection device, which are arranged to face each other so as to sandwich the subject from a direction different from the facing direction of the X-ray tube and the X-ray image detection device, and the forked arm are rotated by a predetermined angle. At the same time, the second X-ray tube and the X-ray image detection device at the tip of the support are rotated at the same angle as the forked arm, and the central axes of the X-ray tube and the X-ray image detection device are always aligned. 1. An X-ray apparatus for multidirectional imaging, comprising: a control device for relatively extending and contracting two supports so as to extend and retract the two supports.