A Stationary-Sources and Rotating-Detectors Computed Tomography Architecture for Higher Temporal Resolution and Lower Radiation Dose

In current computed tomography (CT) architecture, both X-ray tubes and X-ray detectors are rotated mechanically around an object to collect a sufficient number of projections. This architecture has been shown to not be fast enough for patients with high or irregular heart rates. Furthermore, both X-ray beams and detectors of the current architecture are made wide enough, so that the entire object is covered in the lateral direction without data truncation. Although novel acquisition protocols have recently been developed to reduce a radiation exposure, the high radiation dose from CT imaging remains a heightened public concern (especially for cardiac CT). The current CT architecture is a major bottleneck to further increase the temporal resolution and reduce the radiation dose. To overcome these problems, we present an innovative stationary-sources rotating-detectors CT (SSRD-CT) architecture based on the three stationary distributed X-ray sources and three smaller rotating X-ray detectors. Each distributed X-ray source has ~ 100 distinctive X-ray focal spots, and each detector has a narrower width compared with the conventional CT detectors. The SSRD-CT will have a field-of-view of 200 mm in diameter at isocenter, which is large enough to image many internal organs, including hearts. X-rays from the distributed sources are activated electronically to simulate the mechanical spinning of conventional single-beam X-ray sources with a high speed. The activation of individual X-ray beam will be synchronized to the corresponding rotating detector at the opposite end. Three source-detector chains can work in parallel to acquire three projections simultaneously and improve temporal resolution. Lower full-body radiation dose is expected for the proposed SSRD-CT because X-rays are restricted to irradiate a local smaller region. Taken together, the proposed SSRD-CT architecture will enable ≤50-ms temporal resolution and reduce radiation dose significantly.