X-ray CT Apparatus and Method Patent Granted

ChangeBridge: Patent Grants - Diagnosis & Surgery (A61B)

Published March 24th, 2026

Detected March 26th, 2026

Summary

The USPTO has granted a patent (US12586275B2) to Canon Medical Systems Corporation for an X-ray CT apparatus and method. The patent, effective March 24, 2026, relates to a photon counting detector and processing circuitry for determining scan transitions based on contrast agent presence.

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What changed

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted patent US12586275B2 to Canon Medical Systems Corporation for an X-ray CT apparatus and method. The patent, effective March 24, 2026, describes an apparatus featuring a photon counting detector and processing circuitry designed to estimate the amount of contrast agent in a monitored region to determine the optimal time for transitioning from a prescan to a main scan.

This patent grant is primarily an intellectual property notification. While it does not impose new regulatory obligations on manufacturers, it signifies a novel technological advancement in medical imaging. Companies operating in the medical device sector, particularly those involved in CT scanner development and manufacturing, should be aware of this patent for competitive and potential licensing considerations.

Source document (simplified)

← USPTO Patent Grants

X-ray CT apparatus and method

Grant US12586275B2 Kind: B2 Mar 24, 2026

Assignee

CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventors

Hiroaki Miyazaki

Abstract

An X-ray CT apparatus according to an embodiment includes a photon counting detector that outputs a signal that enables measurement of an energy value of an X-ray photon incident thereon, and processing circuitry configured to determine a time to make a transition from a prescan to a main scan by estimating, from projection data, an amount of a contrast agent present on an X-ray path including a monitored region set for a subject in the prescan, the projection data having been generated by detection of X-rays by the photon counting detector, the X-rays having been transmitted through the monitored region.