Abstract:
A rotating union for an X-ray target is provided. The rotating union for the X-ray target comprises a housing, a coolant-slinging device comprising a rotating shaft having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, a proximal end and a distal end, and a bore therein, one or more slingers coupled to a proximal end of the rotating shaft; a drain annulus coupled to the one or more slingers, wherein the one or more slingers are configured to direct a coolant to the drain annulus and the drain annulus is configured to direct the coolant through a primary coolant outlet; and a stationary tube having a first end and a second end, wherein at least a portion of the stationary tube is disposed within the bore of the rotating shaft.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a miniature X-ray source device connected to a distal end of a guiding wire for insertion towards a desired location within an animal body for effecting radiation therapy, said X-ray source device at least comprising a vacuum tube accommodated in said housing containing a cathode and an anode spaced apart at some distance from each other; electron freeing means for freeing electrons from the cathode; electric field means for applying during use a high-voltage electric field between said cathode and said anode for accelerating said free electrons; said vacuum tube being at least partly transparent to X-ray radiation emitted by said anode, as well as cooling means for cooling at least said anode.It is an object to provide a miniature X-ray source device having further limited constructional dimensions and an improved control of the working temperature of at least the anode and hence the working conditions of the miniature X-ray source device.According to the invention the miniature X-ray source device is hereto characterised in that said cooling means are cryogenic cooling means. More in particular in a specific embodiment of said miniature X-ray source device said cooling means comprise at least one supply passageway for supplying pressurized gas towards said anode and at least one exhaust passageway for exhausting said pressurized gas from said anode, said supply passageway and said exhaust passageway being interconnected by means of an expansion chamber surrounding at least partly said anode.
Abstract:
A miniature X-ray source device (10) is connected to a distal end of a guiding wire for insertion towards a desired location within an animal body for effecting radiation therapy. The X-ray source device comprises a vacuum tube (12) containing a cathode (13) and an anode (14) spaced apart at some distance from each other; electron freeing means (17) for freeing electrons from the cathode; electric field means (15) for applying during use a high-voltage electric field between the cathode and the anode for accelerating the free electrons; the vacuum tube being at least partly transparent to X-ray radiation emitted by the anode, as well as cryogenic cooling means (22) for cooling at least the anode. The cooling means comprise at least one supply passageway (23a) for supplying pressurized gas towards the anode and at least one exhaust passageway (23b) for exhausting the pressurized gas from the anode, the supply passageway and the exhaust passageway being interconnected by means of an expansion chamber (24) surrounding at least partly the anode.
Abstract:
A rotating anode (10) has an improved separator (52) arranged within a coolant passage (50) which is formed inside the rotating anode. A cylindrical target has an outer periphery whose axial length (L3) is in a range between 20 and 100 millimeters. The separator (52) has a proximal surface (82), a distance (G) between the proximal surface (82) and a must-cooled surface (92) being in a range between 0.1 and 3.0 millimeters. The axial length (L2) of the proximal surface (82) is not greater than five millimeters. Thus, since the axial length (L2) of the proximal surface (82) is set to be small, the load of a rotary driving source would be not so large even with a high-speed rotation of the rotating anode (10). When using an electric motor as the rotary driving source, it is not necessary to exchange the capacity of a motor diver for a larger one.
Abstract:
Provided are an X-ray tube device and an X-ray CT apparatus, which are capable of improving cooling efficiency of a stator coil together with cooling efficiency of an X-ray window. An X-ray tube device includes an X-ray tube including an envelope that holds, in a vacuum, a cathode generating an electron beam and an anode emitting an X-ray by collision of the electron beam, and an X-ray window through which the X-ray is transmitted; a stator coil configured to generate a driving force for rotating the anode; a tube container configured to accommodate the X-ray tube and the stator coil together with insulating oil; and a cooler configured to cool the insulating oil, in which the X-ray tube device further includes a first inflow port connected to a pipe linking the tube container and the cooler and disposed near the X-ray window, a second inflow port connected to the pipe and disposed near the stator coil, and a controller configured to cause the insulating oil to flow into the tube container through the first inflow port in a case where the X-ray is emitted and to cause the insulating oil to flow into the tube container through the second inflow port in a case where the X-ray is not emitted.
Abstract:
Presented systems and methods facilitate efficient and effective generation and delivery of radiation. A radiation generation system can comprise: a particle beam gun, a high energy dissipation anode target (HEDAT); and a liquid anode control component. In some embodiments, the particle beam gun generates an electron beam. The HEDAT includes a solid anode portion (HEDAT-SAP) and a liquid anode portion (HEDAT-LAP) that are configured to receive the electron beam, absorb energy from the electron beam, generate a radiation beam, and dissipate heat. The radiation beam can include photons that can have radiation characteristics (e.g., X-ray wavelength, ionizing capability, etc.). The liquid anode control component can control a liquid anode flow to the HEDAT. The HEDAT-SAP and HEDAT-LAP can cooperatively operate in radiation generation and their configuration can be selected based upon contribution of respective HEDAT-SAP and the HEDAT-LAP characteristics to radiation generation.
Abstract:
An imaging module includes a plurality of cathodes and respective gates, each cathode configured to generate a separate beam of electrons directed across a vacuum chamber and each gate matched to at least one respective cathode to enable and disable each separate beam of electrons from being directed across the vacuum chamber. A target anode is fixed within the vacuum chamber and arranged to receive the separate beam of electrons from each of the plurality of cathodes and, therefrom, generate a beam of x-rays. A deflection system is arranged between the plurality of cathodes and the target anode to generate a variable magnetic field to control a path followed by each of the separate beams of electrons to the target anode.