X-ray Device

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention presents an improved X-ray device specifically designed for phase-contrast imaging, which is especially useful in medical diagnostics. The device integrates an X-ray source, a coherence grid, phase grid, and a matrix-based X-ray detector that is equipped with a special lens grid (or lens array). The key innovation is replacing or supplementing the traditional absorption grid with a lens grid made up of micro-lenses or prisms, allowing for better focusing and manipulation of X-ray beams to enhance phase-contrast and dark-field imaging abilities. This allows for superior imaging quality while potentially reducing the required radiation dose to the patient.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Medical imaging for enhanced contrast when examining soft tissues such as in mammography or cancer detection.
• Preclinical research for imaging of biological samples with high soft-tissue contrast.
• Non-destructive testing in materials science to visualize inner structures of low-density materials or composites.
• Industrial inspection using phase-contrast X-ray imaging to detect structural variations in materials.
• Veterinary medicine for detailed imaging of animals without increasing radiation exposure.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Provides higher-contrast images for soft tissues, leading to earlier and more accurate diagnosis.
• Reduces patient exposure to X-ray radiation compared to conventional devices, improving safety.
• Enables both phase-contrast and dark-field imaging from the same set of raw data, increasing information content from a single scan.
• Allows simpler device alignment and potentially more robust manufacturing due to the micro-structured lens/prism arrays.
• Can be manufactured using established microfabrication techniques (like LIGA), making the technology scalable and practical for various applications.
• Improves image quality and visibility (contrast-to-noise ratio), which is critical for diagnostic accuracy.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to an X-ray device (2), more particularly for phase-contrast imaging in the medical sector, comprising an X-ray radiation source (4), a coherence grid (Go), a phase grid (G1) and an X-ray detector (6) from a number of pixels (P) arranged in a matrix, said pixels having a lens grid (GL)