Abstract
Using an anamorphic imaging technique, the solid state image sensor can replace the vacuum pick-up tube in medical X-ray diagnostics, at least for the standard quality fluoroscopic application. A video camera is described in which, by optical compression, the circular output window of an image intensifier is imaged as an ellipse on the 3:4 image rectangle of a CCD sensor. The original shape is restored by electronics later. Information transfer is maximized this way: the total entrance field of the image intensifier is available, at the same time the maximum number of pixels of a high resolution CCD image sensor is used, there is also an increase of the sensor illuminance by 4/3 and the aliasing effects are minimized. Imaging descriptors such as Modulation transfer, noise generation and transfer are given in comparison with a Plumbicon-based camera, as well as shape transfer, luminance transfer and aliasing. A method is given to isolate the basic noise components of the sensor. A short description of the camera optics and electronics is given.
