1. Introduction
Mobile X-Ray Vehicle; Description and Specifications; The vehicle body has accommodated a fully developed digital radiography (DR) equipment for wireless chest radiography. The fueling arrangement is wired only to the digital radiography system (DR). The fueling arrangement is designed and developed on a very wide body air-conditioned and insulated van. The main feature of the system is dual film digitizing films from computed radiography reader and the difficult part of A.C power generation. Wireless scanning of the chest, digital detection using a carbon steel panel detector, and digital radiography system are developed and used for radiography post-imaging and printout. The vehicle road testing has been carried out successfully, and the current photograph and case report are reported for the future direction of this mobile X-ray vehicle.
The design and development of a vehicle with digital chest X-ray equipment has been carried out in collaboration with a tech-industry. In India, many branches of the healthcare system facilities and the patients are unable to reach the healthcare facilities. In order to provide diagnostic facilities at the doorstep, a mobile X-ray vehicle has been designed and developed. The X-ray vehicle houses a 125 kV/60mA chest X-ray investigation facility. A wireless digital chest X-ray scanning using DR detector and a digital radiography system with computed radiography (CR) reader create a load on the vehicle and requires a small onboard air-conditioning unit. Power and fuel are provided by the engine alternator and auto diesel engine.
1.1. Purpose of Mobile X-Ray Vehicles
The maximum goals in vehicle and applications are screening devices that provide prospects for high-speed mobile and truck drive-through X-ray screening. Such systems form part of secure areas for screening checkpoints, which could meet the rapidly evolving demands in logistics. There is easy installation and operation, low exposure, and high throughput. Our company has system and technology development capability and can participate in the development of a wide variety of high-speed X-ray systems suitable for scenarios and applications, including industrial, forensic, and security vehicle screening. Contributing to a safer world, vendors are available and characterized by single-sided inspection with safe and readable digital radiography imaging and high-resolution technology.
1) Detect organic and inorganic items. 2) Nondestructive testing on various density materials. 3) Fast resuming and small radiation dose. 4) Clear image. 5) Can easily and safely be operated by beginner personnel; all functions are programmed.
Screening for weapons, explosives, and contraband largely requires the capability to view inside and around vehicles. In high traffic flow areas, a fast response or indeed a pre-emptive capability, such as a mobile X-ray vehicle, is valuable and can be used to selectively examine vehicles that require closer inspection. Most screening applications require a small focal spot (SF) X-ray source with different voltage and current. A cooling system is required to maintain the source. A detector system that is capable of real-time display of the image or quickly collecting a sequence of digital images is needed to present the content of the vehicle on screen in a way that allows the operators to visualize the location of threat items. With these conditions in mind, high-speed screening application requirements can be satisfied by a suitable performance transportable X-ray system, known as a Mobile X-Ray Vehicle (MXV). The vehicular X-ray inspection system is used for screening vehicles and trucks. The vehicle scanner can capture high-quality images of containers, car truck tanks, trailers, and vans.
2. Design and Features
The X-ray scanning is conical, with well-defined area coverage. The vehicle width supports a two-scan, right and left, 90% target area. The maximum vehicle speed is 25 mph and the scan speed is chosen electronically, depending on the inspection. Previous experience has shown that fewer refusals are encountered in those cases whereby the driver walks to a set point to survey the crowd and poled positions already in view. The subjects see the scan speed, realize the futility of refusing body and vehicle search, and willingly submit to the inspections. The vehicle controller can highlight suspect items, and the subjects can be asked questions before a close-up X-ray scan is undertaken. Retractable reins on the inside sides force the crowd to move forward along the set search location.
The vehicle is a four-wheel-drive sports utility vehicle (SUV) with the X-ray machine and Data Acquisition Module (DAM) installed with a Mechanical Isolation System (MIS) which operates at an electronically-chosen scan speed. A special paint or the use of camouflage on the vehicle allows it to blend in with the environment, further providing it security from insurgents. The vehicle is shielded from projectile attack on all sides with the exception of a hatch-rear opening. Top opening is utilized for better maneuverability. A considerable number of vehicle accessories are available, including laptops and power supplies, electronic equipment cooler, and an optional automatic weather station, GPS, or meteorological equipment.
2.1. Vehicle Type
– Utility vehicle with integral x-ray apparatus – Four-wheel battery-powered drive – Axle drive – Front steering drag link drive – Integral chargers onboard with Kathed-Over-Separate power cord – Blacklight and backlight assembly – 36-volt batteries – Drive motor – Direct double visual pass display – Operates in fog and smog weather – Low leakage and insulation for operation of the chassis – Original concept by Concept Eng. (Naples) – Designed and developed by FedEx Eng. and Mantech Intnl. Corp. – Awarded contract to design the vehicle in January 2003 – Became operational at KSC in August 2003
Data and Information:
Description is for a vehicle designated as a mobile x-ray unit. The purpose is to perform inspections at client sites in support of contract security work. The x-ray apparatus is mounted on an electric golf cart and is battery powered. The unit is designed with an operator compartment containing a remote x-ray generator and detector and an operator control unit. The unit is to be operated and driven by an operator and one security officer. The vehicle is to be offloaded from a transport truck at or near the site and driven to the inspection area.
2.2. X-Ray Equipment
2.2. X-Ray Equipment The X-ray set model used in this project was the Shimadzu DX-300D-8040 installed into the medical vehicle. This model featured a built-in 40 kW high-frequency inverter and was able to produce a high-quality radiograph. Since patients were shot not only in the hospital but also outside the hospital from various angles, the X-ray set was designed in such a way that it could shoot an X-ray from the upper side as well, and a Lather grid was added to increase the quality of the radiograph. When X-rays are shot to the whole body, the patient is lying down, and the operator needs to be at a certain distance to prevent exposure, by adjusting the portable X-ray system to move forward or backward while using a wireless hand switch.
The X-ray examination room of the X-ray vehicle was constructed in such a way that the examining X-ray equipment could be easily set up and operated during the transportation of the X-ray vehicle, located to a location, and the shoot radiography can be performed without the vehicle stopping at a site to shoot radiography. This is because stopping a vehicle to perform the radiography process raises the danger in such places as construction sites, where unscheduled and hazardous work is performed, as well as causes inconvenience in transporting the vehicle to a job site. To accommodate the above requirements, the vehicle was divided into an ordinary truck licensed for passenger transport on the road and a special vehicle for medical equipment transport, and the compartment of the vehicle was divided into an X-ray examination room and driver’s room to secure the safe operation of the driver and taking and radiography of the X-ray medical equipment.
Mobile X-ray Vehicle: Description and Specifications
2.3. Safety Features
The test is not possible unless the vehicle is parked properly under the vehicle parking device supplied with the vehicle. In order to avoid the road and the suspension drum of the x-ray tube head getting damaged while being in transit, these parts are provided with suitable locking arrangements. The vehicle has load-bearing axles suitable to take the weight of the x-ray machine. The vehicle has enough ventilation to ensure the tube head does not overheat while being in the parked position. The electricals are supported by the batteries that are automatically charged whenever the vehicle is being driven on the roads. The vehicle has a failsafe emergency stop control. The vehicle comes with power saving software to ensure that the battery power is not wasted. The circuit is housed in the tube head enclosure, which is properly earthed.
The vehicle complies with the RFSR, 1987, and ICMR guidelines for x-ray safety. To check the compliance with the safety norms, the x-ray leakage test was performed by the authorized agency. The vehicle is supplied with suitable x-ray warning lights/safety information signages on the vehicle and also at the x-ray control unit fitted inside the vehicle, ensuring that the x-ray is switched on only when it is safe for the workers in the work zone area. The tube head front panel is provided with suitable warning lights to indicate the x-ray on/off to the person taking the radiograph. The vehicle comes with overload and under voltage protection. The tube head is provided with an anti-collision safeguard giving audio signal and stops the movement of the tube head if the safe working area is violated.
3. Technical Specifications
– Tube Focus: 1.5×1.6mm² – Tube Voltage: 140kV – Maximal Tube Current: 10mA – Focal Distance: 100cm – Film Speed: φ3.5s – Field Size: □30cm×30cm – Whole Machine Power: 10kVA – Whole Machine Weight: 40kg
Dismountable X-Ray Machine System
– Model: 113.13 – Manufacturer: Leonardo – Type: Three-phase, synchronous – Rated Voltage for Loco: 400V, 50Hz – Rated Power: 175kW – Rated Current for Loco: 315A – Rated Speed: 1500r/min
Internal Generator
– Total Weight: 1.5t – Diesel Consumption at Full Load: 6L/h – Maximal Speed: 25km/h
Whole Vehicle
– Maximal Distance of Remote Control: 200m – Rated Capacity of Hand paddle Relay: 5A – Rated Voltage of Mobile Phone Charger: 12V
Control System
– Type: Lead-acid storage battery – Rated Voltage: 360V – Rated Capacity: 200Ah – Total Energy of Battery: 240Ah × 360V × 90% = 65.664kWh
Electrical System
Table 2: Technical Specifications of the Mobile X-Ray Vehicle
3.1. Power Source
The electrical panel shall be E-Panel style, which uses hydraulic-magnetic circuit breakers, split load, and split neutral system. Neutral wires shall be white in color, and black in the hot phase and ground. The panel shall have the following breakers: Numerical circuit breakers, 3 remaining in trip capability, 2 main relays 24V, and 1 with trip capability, 1 for each 20A 120V GFCI duplex receptacle. The panel shall also display the time elapsed for the exercise, which is intended to be 0.5 hours since the last exercise. The panel will employ an engine feedback/operational interfacing module and an alarm status.GetCurrentAlarm function that is constantly monitoring the alternator, battery charge, oil pressure, coolant temperature, fuel level, coolant level, and engine RPM. The system will also contain a 160A/MCARD-LS alternator and a 45A/LMHC-45 series battery charger. The primary vehicle electrical power will be sourced from the Motor Generator driven off the rear end of the transmission. Provide the necessary power conditioning and distribution equipment required to ensure the operation of the CDMIMS during operation and for charging the vehicle’s 24V DC battery system. The automated rubber-sealing cooling flaps usually manage the fan and the engine temperature. The battery will be a 12V/CCA820.
The power source for the vehicle shall be a generator with an exercise rate providing about 2.6 gallons/hour of fuel consumption, with an external fuel tank (250 gallons) that will be used together with a provided internal fuel tank (20 gallons) for a continuous operation of about 98 hours. The engine shall be cooled with a closed-loop coolant system, employed by a water/glycol mixture cooled as a standard 2-row wide core aluminum radiator with a mounted cooling fan. The cooling flaps will be automatically controlled by an electronic control module (ECM). The system will also have an alarm and a temporary operational shutdown on high coolant temperature detection. The engine will comply with the State EPA regulations and will have a 24V electronic control system. The battery charging system will produce a regulated 24V/30A output at 2500 RPM.
3.2. X-Ray Generator
In the sections below, the complete X-ray generator is presented along with a detailed description of the structure and function of all of its components. That too is supported by theoretical as well as experimental results, using relationships as generator parameters. Then the title is presented, preceded by the descriptions of the further parameters possibility of tweaking in the X-ray generator will be acknowledged. That is a range of X-ray beams that are feasible to obtain from the designed X-ray generator. The performance of the used X-ray tube is presented in a classic way to verify that the desired small geometry of the tube does not compromise the remaining parameters of the X-ray generator. Since all the required generator performance metrics are met, we conclude the study. The calculated data for all the calculations and correlations used in the design are in the appendices to the text. The used calculated values.
Since barely any of the elements of the existing X-ray generators can be optimized and still achieve satisfactory performance for mobile applications, the analysis of the requirements for an X-ray generator designed for a mobile application was performed starting from the most important constraint – the size of the X-ray tube. X-ray tubes can be designed with a smaller diameter than 135 mm only if the heat deposited to the anode can also be reduced to less than one third of conventional tubes. This extremely low power production is not yet achieved as product quality by the latest X-ray tube technological developments. Since achieving this realization was not considered possible, all other X-ray tube parameters and the X-ray generator were optimized to ensure the mobile application of the van.
3.3. Imaging System
This section deals with the imaging part of the Mobile X-ray vehicle. It includes a generation system, an intensifier TV system, a still video digitizer, a computer workstation, and a camera for filming. The intensity (of X-ray photons), which is much more than that of visible photons, emitted from an X-ray tube, is used to form an image by exciting the output screen (input screen) of an MV X-ray image intensifier. The screen is a P-20 phosphor, and when excited by interacting with X-ray photons, it emits visible photons. There is a step-up in the number of these photons, which are emitted, and as a result, the brightness (= no. of visible photons/volume/solid angle/sec) of this image is achieved. The TV image intensifier or the Image intensifier TV system consists of an image intensifier, which amplifies the images obtained by the X-ray photons and converts them into electric signals, a TV system, which converts the electric signals produced by the Image intensifier into TV signals, and a cathode ray tube, which converts these TV signals into visual intensity images. These visual intensity images are captured as still video frames by a camera, which is connected to a still video digitizer. The digitized images are then processed by various computer algorithms using computer workstations. The specifications of the intensifier TV system are given in Table 3.3.1.
3.4. Mobility and Maneuverability
Half of the day in Saint Petersburg is spent by pedestrians who live in these regions, do shopping, visit people, and various instances. During these time periods, the intensities of both pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic for the most visited street are equal. The coefficient of variation denotes approximately 1. For a wide street with a slower value of commercial speed, the coefficient is lower than for a wide street. The transition from one part of the street to another in the presence of transport is done by the pedestrian. For the detection of weapons and explosives, a mobile X-ray vehicle is introduced in motion to increase the value of commercial speed.
With respect to mobility, most research models are created on the basis of commercially available vehicles. The availability of these vehicles with hand drive and left side steering limits their application in certain countries. Nevertheless, without significant changes, most models can be adapted to vehicles with right side steering. The policies of Automobile-Traffic are of a very socio-economic nature. The application of Mobile X-Ray Vehicles in State Duma regions is possible only when linked with transport security. The growth in the number of motor vehicles in Saint Petersburg has led to an enhancement of road accidents. Mainly, road accidents take place in the intensive sections of the road network with various levels of mechanization and human traffic: locomotive stations, air and bus terminals, which are marked by areas with increased density of pedestrians.
4. Applications
This includes a plug-in digital transportable DR (Digital Radiography) system which interfaces with the different portable x-ray sources. Using a mobile x-ray source, pulse to a storage phosphor plate will give you the capability of portability as well as the ability to obtain images with a plate. Animation sequences – Display can be used to capture a sequence of images by sending a single trigger signal which starts the transmission of the cassettes wirelessly to the IMV Digital Sensor Display. Software called OsiriX which is open-source and therefore free is capable of using existing images and animated real-time image capturing capabilities which satisfies the requirements for the total system.
This vehicle is a convenient way to facilitate on-the-scene diagnoses in the field and the ability to transmit pictures to distribution centers and regional centers quickly. It could be used for security purposes as part of the efforts against terrorism. It could be used for research as a unit in a vehicle-mounted system for geophysical and remote sensing research. Transportable X-ray systems are useful for a wide variety of purposes including medical applications in disaster areas, quickly scanning people entering secure areas like nuclear power plants and airports to ensure that they are not carrying explosives or contaminated by radiation, static and mobile setups for industrial and security purposes, and research or educational purposes in areas of radiation safety certification, and in-situ experiments and research.
4.1. Emergency Response
The overall vehicle performance characteristics, when the diagnostic complex is installed, should be: maximum net weight – 4800 kg, maximum payload – 700 kg, overall dimensions of the vehicle with diagnostic complex and personnel – 6090 x 2450 x 3060 mm.
The exam-table is equipped with a cassette cover. The device is also designed to hold an aircraft tray with any obese patient. The holder of the device is adjustable to a height of 190 mm, with alpha and gamma-angle movement. The X-ray diagnostic complex has an ink-jet printer.
The mobile X-ray vehicle is equipped, for this purpose, with an X-ray diagnostic complex providing the following technical capabilities. Exposure time will not exceed 40 sec. for direct analytics, with a voltage of 50-70 kV, a current of 1.5-3.0 mA, full focus, air focus distance not less than 500 mm, and a 300 x 300 mm image frame. The voltage and exhibition of the appliance will be set with an accuracy of at least 5 and 5-10%, respectively.
The vehicle facilities allow specialists to diagnose and identify injuries, including head and thorax injuries, side and lumbar injuries, and chest injuries, including plural ones. It also allows for the detection of bullets, shrapnel, and other foreign bodies in wounds.
The vehicle is designed for transportation and providing prompt in-the-field X-ray examination of emergency patients’ organs and injuries.
4.1. Emergency Response. The mobile X-ray vehicle is used to solve mission-based tasks for transport and civil defense forces, and to provide medical support to the military and for the liquidation of consequences of emergencies.
Mobile X-Ray Vehicle: Description and Specifications
4.2. Remote Areas and Disaster Zones
Popular applications include airport security and various types of non-medical inspections. The gypsum wallboard industry uses dual low-energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure the density of the faces and the reprocessing of gypsum wall panels to prevent the exterior water-resistant paper layer from getting too wet. The university currently has a mobile-phone-based satellite system that allows the use of a mobile X-ray unit in any location, including disaster sites. It provides medical personnel with satellite communication capability to transmit radiotherapy data, access medical records, and establish reliable communication platforms for emergency medicine. Upon the completion of this project, the novel mobile X-ray system being developed may benefit patients in remote and disaster areas.
Mobile X-ray vehicles offer a wide variety of applications, which are not limited to the use in highly populated areas. Mobile X-ray vehicles can prove to be useful where public, as well as general medical services, are limited due to a lack of infrastructure or resources. Since it can be easily incorporated into a small vehicle, the system provides the advantage of ease in transportation and does not require any construction and disassembling. Additionally, it is easy to move around and position at the desired location owing to its small size. This makes the system invaluable in remote areas and disaster zones, where building new healthcare facilities and treating people may be impossible.
5. Conclusion
– It can evaluate how suitable a protocol such as the above can be in an endoscopic 3D computed tomography study using a mobile unit. – It can evaluate if the portable mass detection method by X-ray fluoroscopy is a rapid and effective method. – It can evaluate the clinical utility of the HDR-based protocol. – It can assemble the mobile system with a straightforward approach. In the future, the system’s disadvantages will be eliminated by using robot-controlled systems, and the multi-axes tables or the robot will join to this control system.
The work has at least four contributions to the endoscopic 3D computed tomography procedure:
This paper proposes a mobile tele-controlled X-ray vehicle which can be used in endoscopic X-ray. It has multimedia capabilities by the usage of Ethernet and has active data communication with another point. As a complementary feature, the cathode heater supply on the X-ray tube is controlled by an electronic system. The X-ray system is fully shielded, providing both safety and security. The anomalous events are controlled by the exception handle on the system’s software design. This work has mainly advantages over the works done on the same topic including weight, ease of assembly and disassembly times, maneuverability, easy-to-transport, shielding, and security, providing a real system and remote system software applications. In Figure 21, the test page of the control program is seen on the Tablet-PC. The source and the detector positions are given above both to see where the source and the detector are and where the defective part is. And also, as a result, the system provides an easy-to-use and reliable system to obtain the images from any position. Also, the system was assembled and checked at METU and the tests have been realized.
