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EP-4740866-A1 - X-RAY IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF PRESENTING FLUOROSCOPY-ENABLED STATE OF X-RAY IMAGING APPARATUS TO USER

EP4740866A1EP 4740866 A1EP4740866 A1EP 4740866A1EP-4740866-A1

Abstract

Provided is an X-ray imaging apparatus having a relatively simple structure, in which a state in which an X-ray tube and an FPD face each other can be reliably ensured. An X-ray imaging apparatus (1) includes an X-ray tube (12) that emits X-rays, a drive mechanism (11) that moves the X-ray tube (12) in each of three axial directions, an imaging stand that stores an X-ray detector (40) and on which a subject is placed, and a processor (70) that controls imaging in accordance with an instruction from an operator via an operation panel. The processor (70) acquires position information of the X-ray tube (12) from sensors that detect movement of the X-ray tube (12) in the three axial directions, and displays, on the operation panel or a display device, a relative position of the X-ray tube (12) with respect to the X-ray detector (40) in the form of an indicator.

Inventors

  • SAKAI, YUJI
  • NISHIMURA, Shogo
  • UI, KENTO
  • KITAMURA, Masataka
  • TAKEUCHI, YUMIKO
  • KITSUMOTO, Chikara
  • WATANABE, TAKASHI
  • ABE, KOHEI

Assignees

  • FUJIFILM Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251110

Claims (12)

  1. An X-ray imaging apparatus (1) comprising: an X-ray tube (12) that emits X-rays; a drive mechanism (11) that supports the X-ray tube (12) to be movable in each of three axial directions; an imaging stand (30) that stores an X-ray detector (40) and on which a subject is placed; and a processor (70) that acquires a position of the X-ray tube (12) from the drive mechanism (11) and that displays, on a display panel (82), an indicator (630) showing a positional relationship between the X-ray tube (12) and the X-ray detector (40).
  2. The X-ray imaging apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the indicator (630) displayed on the display panel (82) includes three indicator axes (631) corresponding to the three axial directions in which the X-ray tube (12) is movable, and a pointer (633) indicating a position of the X-ray tube (12) on the three indicator axes (631), and the processor (70) changes a position of the pointer (633) in accordance with movement of the X-ray tube (12).
  3. The X-ray imaging apparatus (1) according to claim 2, wherein the processor (70) displays the three indicator axes (631) in different colors.
  4. The X-ray imaging apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the drive mechanism (11) includes a rotation mechanism that changes a direction of the X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube (12) between a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, and the display of the indicator (630) displayed on the display panel (82) is changed according to an angle of the X-ray tube (12).
  5. The X-ray imaging apparatus (1) according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the imaging stand (30) includes a bed on which the subject is imaged in a decubitus position and the imaging stand (30) on which the subject is imaged in an upright position, and the processor (70) makes arrangement of the indicator axes (631) displayed on the display panel (82) different between the imaging in the decubitus position and the imaging in the upright position.
  6. The X-ray imaging apparatus (1) according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the drive mechanism (11) includes a marker for identifying each of three axial directions corresponding to the indicator axes (631) displayed on the display panel (82).
  7. The X-ray imaging apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the display of the display panel (82) includes identifiably displaying whether the X-ray tube (12) and the X-ray detector (40) are in a positional relationship in which imaging is possible in a fluoroscopy mode and/or in a positional relationship in which imaging is not possible, and in a case where the position of the X-ray tube (12) is set to a preset position in all of the three axial directions, the processor (70) identifiably displays that the X-ray tube (12) and the X-ray detector (40) are in the positional relationship in which imaging is possible in the fluoroscopy mode.
  8. The X-ray imaging apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the display of the display panel (82) includes display indicating whether the X-ray detector (40) is stored in a predetermined position of the imaging stand or not stored in the predetermined position.
  9. The X-ray imaging apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the processor (70) performs control of switching between an imaging mode in which imaging is performed with one-time X-ray irradiation from the X-ray tube (12) and a fluoroscopy mode in which fluoroscopy is performed with time-series X-ray irradiation, and displays the indicator (630) on the display panel (82) in the fluoroscopy mode.
  10. The X-ray imaging apparatus (1) according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the drive mechanism (11) includes a locking mechanism that restricts movement of the X-ray tube (12) in one to three axial directions, the display panel (82) includes a release button, GUI, (640) that receives an instruction to release the locking mechanism, and the processor (70) releases the locking mechanism for an axis for which the release button (640) is pressed among the three axial directions, and adds display indicating the release of the locking mechanism to the display of the display panel (82).
  11. A method of presenting, to a user, a fluoroscopy-enabled state of an X-ray imaging apparatus (1) including an X-ray tube (12) that emits X-rays, a drive mechanism (11) that supports the X-ray tube (12) to be movable in each of three axial directions, and an imaging stand that stores an X-ray detector (40) and on which a subject is placed, the method comprising: displaying an indicator showing a positional relationship between the X-ray tube (12) and the X-ray detector (40); updating the display of the indicator in a case where the positional relationship is changed in accordance with relative movement of the X-ray tube (12) with respect to the X-ray detector (40); and displaying that fluoroscopy is possible, in a case where the positional relationship reaches a positional relationship in which fluoroscopy is possible.
  12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the movement of the X-ray tube (12) includes rotation of the X-ray tube (12) accompanied by a change in an X-ray irradiation direction, and an orientation of the display of the indicator (630) is changed in accordance with the change in the X-ray irradiation direction.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-196145, filed November 8, 2024. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an X-ray imaging apparatus (X-ray fluoroscopy apparatus) capable of performing fluoroscopy, and particularly relates to a technology of improving usability of the X-ray imaging apparatus during fluoroscopy. 2. Description of the Related Art The X-ray imaging apparatus irradiates a subject with X-rays using an X-ray tube, detects the X-rays transmitted through the subject using a flat panel detector (FPD), and acquires an X-ray image. There are two types of radiography: imaging for obtaining a still image with one-time X-ray irradiation, and fluoroscopy for obtaining a video (fluoroscopic image) with continuous X-ray irradiation (hereafter, simply referred to as fluoroscopy). An apparatus that performs both types of radiography is called an X-ray fluoroscopy apparatus. In the X-ray fluoroscopy apparatus, under applicable standards, it is necessary that the X-ray tube and the FPD always face each other in a case of performing fluoroscopy, and that the X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube do not extend beyond a frame of the FPD, and the X-ray tube and the FPD are configured to always face each other even in a case where a position of the X-ray tube is changed. For this reason, the X-ray fluoroscopy apparatus in the related art comprises a mechanism for always keeping the X-ray tube and the FPD facing each other (for example, JP2021-97809A). However, while the X-ray fluoroscopy apparatus in the related art comprises such a mechanism and is capable of safely acquiring a fluoroscopic image, the structure of the apparatus itself is complicated. Some X-ray imaging apparatuses have a relatively simple structure that does not comprise a mechanism for always keeping the X-ray tube and the FPD facing each other (for example, JP2008-110154A). However, in order to perform fluoroscopy with such an X-ray imaging apparatus, a medical technician, a doctor, or the like (hereinafter collectively referred to as an operator) needs to visually check whether the X-ray tube and the FPD are in a facing state in a case of fluoroscopy, which causes a problem of increasing the time and effort required for an examination. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the technology disclosed in JP2008-110154A, in a case where the operator determines an irradiation field, a configuration is adopted in which a direction of the displayed fluoroscopic image is automatically aligned with an orientation of the subject as seen by the operator, thereby improving the usability in fluoroscopy. In addition, JP2008-110154A discloses that a position (SID) of the X-ray tube may be displayed on an operation panel. However, with this technology, the irradiation field of the X-ray tube is determined while checking the fluoroscopic image, so that the X-ray tube and the FPD cannot face each other before the fluoroscopy has started. In addition, in a case where the check is insufficient, it may not be possible to ensure the condition that the X-ray tube and the FPD always face each other. An object of the present invention is to provide an X-ray imaging apparatus having a relatively simple structure, in which a state in which an X-ray tube and an FPD face each other can be reliably ensured. In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides an X-ray imaging apparatus that presents a positional relationship between an X-ray tube and an FPD in a form that is easy for an operator to understand, and that comprises a unit that enables the operator to easily perform an operation based on the presentation. That is, an X-ray imaging apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention comprises: an X-ray tube that emits X-rays; a drive mechanism that supports the X-ray tube to be movable in each of three axial directions; an imaging stand that stores an X-ray detector and on which a subject is placed; and a processor that acquires a position of the X-ray tube from the drive mechanism and that displays, on a display panel, an indicator showing a positional relationship between the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector. In addition, the present invention provides a method of presenting a fluoroscopy-enabled state of an X-ray imaging apparatus to a user. The method is a method of presenting, to a user, a fluoroscopy-enabled state of an X-ray imaging apparatus including an X-ray tube that emits X-rays, a drive mechanism that supports the X-ray tube to be movable in each of three axial directions, and an imaging stand that stores an X-ray detector and on which a subject is placed, the method comprising: displaying an indicator showing a positional relationship between the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector; updating the display of the indicator in a case where the positional relationship is changed in acc