Modular Computed and Direct Radiography Assembly And Method

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a modular scanning apparatus that can be advantageously used in both computed radiology devices and fixed scanning direct radiology devices. The scanning assembly advantageously utilizes a light collecting and measuring assembly having highly reflective surfaces in conjunction with a novel optical assembly within a light box type enclosure to enable a modular scanning and reading assembly that is compact, robust and also scaleable. The present invention further discloses novel computed radiography and direct radiography devices that utilize the modular scanning assembly to provide radiology devices that are highly robust and efficient and yet also simple to build, maintain, service and repair.

1 . A scanning assembly for use as part of a radiography device, said scanning assembly comprising:
 An exterior housing adapted to be removeably supported within the radiography device and to restrict the transfer of light through said housing;   An optics assembly secured within the exterior housing and adapted for generating and scanning a focused laser beam through a narrow elongated opening positioned along one side of the housing, said optics assembly comprising a laser and a rotating mirror assembly, a plurality of folding mirrors adapted for directing the scanning laser beam through the elongated opening in the housing; and a light collection assembly having a plurality of generally opposing curved reflective surfaces and a light measuring device;   An erasure assembly coupled to the optics assembly and secured within the housing and adapted to remove latent image information stored in a phosphor imaging plate used with said radiography device.   Wherein and the light collection assembly is adapted to receive and measure light received from the elongated opening in the housing and at least one of said folding mirrors is adjustably mounted within said housing.   
     
     
         2 . The scanning assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the reflective surface is an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         3 . The scanning assembly of  claim 1  wherein the laser and rotating mirror assembly further comprises an adjustable support base mounted within the housing and adapted to allow relative adjustments of the laser scanning. 
     
     
         4 . The scan scanning assembly of  claim 1  wherein the erasure assembly is directly coupled to a heat sink. 
     
     
         5 . The scanning assembly of  claim 4  wherein at least one of the reflective surfaces and the heat sink comprises a single component that is made from an extruded alloy material. 
     
     
         6 . The scanning assembly of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of folding mirrors comprises three front surface reflectivity mirrors. 
     
     
         7 . The scanning assembly of  claim 1  wherein the reflective surfaces comprises a pair of opposing concave reflective surfaces that are oriented such that light contacting the surface is reflected to the light measuring device. 
     
     
         8 . The scanning assembly of  claim 7  wherein the light measuring device comprises a plurality of photo multiplier tubes coupled to at least one of said reflective surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . The scanning assembly of  claim 1  wherein the opposing reflective surfaces comprises a plurality of opposing interior cylindrical surfaces that are spaced apart to provide a narrow elongated slit in-between, at least one of said cylindrical surfaces having an opening oriented perpendicular to its axes and adapted to receive the light measuring device, and wherein at least a portion of the opposing interior surface are lined with a synthetic fluoropolymer. 
     
     
         10 . The scanning assembly of  claim 1  wherein the housing is light tight and adapted to only allow light through the elongated narrow opening between the reflective surfaces. 
     
     
         11 . The scanning assembly of  claim 1  wherein the housing further comprises coupling means for positioning and mounting the scanning assembly within the radiology device. 
     
     
         12 . A radiography device for use with an imaging plate cassette comprising:
 A frame assembly having a plurality of elongated frame members spaced apart along a parallel axis;   A removable scanning assembly having a housing removeably coupled between the spaced apart elongated frame members, said scanning assembly further comprising an optical assembly and a light collecting assembly and adapted for scanning a focused laser beam across and measuring light energy received from the imaging plate cassette;   A cassette carriage assembly moveably coupled to at least one of the elongated frame members and adapted for supporting the imaging plate cassette;   A drive assembly coupled to the cassette carriage assembly and to at least one elongated frame member, said drive assembly adapted to move the cassette carriage relative to the scanning assembly so that an imaging plate within the cassette carriage may be scanned by the scanning assembly; and   A plurality of covers coupled to at least one of the elongated frame members so as to enclose a substantial portion of the radiography device;   Wherein the plurality of covers comprises a movable cover adapted to allow access to the scanning assembly such that said cover may be moved allowing the scanning assembly to be removed from the radiography device.   
     
     
         13 . The radiography device of  claim 12  further comprising an electronics module that is electronically connected to the scanning assembly and to the drive assembly, said electronics module adapted for controlling the operations of the scanning assembly and drive assembly so as to acquire imaging data from the scanning assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The radiography device of  claim 12  wherein the elongated frame members comprises an extrusion from an aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         15 . The radiography device of  claim 12  wherein each elongated frame member comprises a plurality of elongated frame members mechanically coupled together to form an integral frame member. 
     
     
         16 . The radiography device of  claim 12  wherein the optical assembly is adapted for generating and scanning a laser beam through a narrow elongated opening along one side of the housing and the light collection assembly further comprises a plurality of reflective surfaces that are adapted to reflect light received from a laser scanned imaging plate to a light measuring device;
 Wherein at least a portion of the reflective surfaces comprises a synthetic fluoropolymer to enhance reflectivity. 
 
     
     
         17 . The radiography device of  claim 12  wherein the synthetic fluoropolymer is an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         18 . The radiography device of  claim 12  wherein the removable scanning assembly further comprises an erasure assembly coupled to the light collection assembly and is adapted for altering the energy stored in the imaging plate after being scanning by the laser.