Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Christian Baeumer

Christoph Herrmann

Roger Steadman Booker

Guenter Zeitler

Klaus Juergen Engel

Roger Steadman

Gereon Vogtmeier

Walter Ruetten

Oliver Muelhens

Roland Proksa

Joerg Bredno

Johannes Wilhelmus Weekamp

Thomas Frach

Torsten Solf

Christoph Loef

Jens Wiegert

Rainer Kiewitt

Norbert Conrads

Nicolaas Johannes Anthonius Van Veen

Thomas Scheel

Helko Lehmann

Gordian Prescher

Matthias Bertram

Ewald Rössl

Olivier Ecabert

Klaus Jürgen Engel

Klaus Jurgen Engel

Cornelis Slob

Rob Van Asselt

Steffen Gunther Hohmann

Hans Krüger

An apparatus includes an integrator () that produces a pulse having a peak amplitude indicative of the energy of a detected photon. First discharging circuitry () discharges the integrator () at a first discharging speed, and second discharging circuitry () discharges the integrator () at a second discharging speed. The first discharging speed is less than the second discharging speed.

Spectral photon counting detector

The invention relates to a radiation detector () comprising a converter element () with an array () of first electrodes () for sampling electrical signals generated by incident radiation (X). With a connection circuit (), at least two first electrodes () can selectively be coupled to a common readout unit () according to a given connection pattern (CP). The effective pixel size along the path of incident radiation (X) can thus be adapted to the distribution of electrical signals, which is usually determined by the spectral composition of the incident radiation.

Radiation detector with an array of electrodes

The invention relates to a radiation detector that is particularly suited for energy resolved single X-ray photon detection in a CT scanner. In a preferred embodiment, the detector has an array of scintillator elements in which incident X-ray photons are converted into bursts of optical photons. Pixels associated to the scintillator elements determine the numbers of optical photons they receive within predetermined acquisition intervals. These numbers can then be digitally processed to detect single X-ray photons and to determine their energy. The pixels may particularly be realized by avalanche photodiodes with associated digital electronic circuits for data processing.

Single photon radiation detector

The present invention relates to an examination apparatus and a corresponding method to realize a Spectral x-ray imaging device through inverse-geometry CT. The proposed examination apparatus comprises: an X-ray source unit () comprising a plurality of X-ray sources () for emitting X-rays () at a plurality of locations, an X-ray detection unit () for detecting X-rays emitted from one or more of said X-ray sources () after penetration of an examination area () between said X-ray source unit () said X-ray detection unit () and for generating detection signals, a processing unit () for processing the generated detection signals, and&#x2014;a control unit () for controlling said X-ray sources () to subsequently, alone or in groups emit X-rays at least two different energy spectra such that in the time interval, during which a particular X-ray source () or said group of X-ray sources (), is switched over to emit X-rays at a different energy spectrum, said particular X-ray source () or said group of X-ray sources () is switched off and one or more other X-ray sources () or groups of X-ray sources () are subsequently switched on to emit X-rays.

X-ray examination apparatus and method

The invention is directed at an apparatus (), an imaging device and a method for detecting X-ray photons, in particular photons () in a computer tomograph. Photons () are converted into an electrical pulse and compared against a threshold using a discriminator (). The electrical network () performing these functions comprises a switching element (), that can modify the electrical path () along which the process signals travel. The trigger signal (V) for actuating the switching element () is derived from an electrical state of the electrical path (). If a pulse associated to a photon () is detected, the switching element () is actuated in order to avoid that the processing of the charge pulse stemming from a first photon () is affected by a subsequent second photon ().

Apparatus, imaging device and method for detecting X-ray radiation

The present invention relates to processing electronics () for a detector () of an X-ray imaging device (), the processing electronics () with a pulse counter section () having at least one count output () and with an integrator section () having an intensity output (), wherein the processing electronics () is adapted to be connected to a sensor () in such a manner that X-ray photons () arriving at the sensor () can be processed by the pulse counter section (), by the integrator section (), or both, and wherein the processing electronics () comprises a processor () adapted to be connected to the count output () and to the intensity output () and adapted to output a count result (K) that takes into account both count information (N) obtained at the count output () and intensity information (I) obtained at the intensity output (), so that the count result (K) contains information (N) obtained from the pulse counter section () and information (M) obtained from the integrator section (). The present invention further relates to a corresponding detector element () for a detector (), an X-ray imaging device (), a method for determining a count result (K) from a detector element (), a computer program, a data carrier and a detector () for an X-ray imaging device ().

Processing electronics and method for determining a count result, and detector for an X-ray imaging device

The invention relates to a radiation detector (), particularly an X-ray detector, which comprises at least one sensitive layer () for the conversion of incident photons (X) into electrical signals. A two-dimensional array of electrodes () is located on the front side of the sensitive layer (), while its back side carries a counter-electrode (). The size of the electrodes () may vary in radiation direction (y) for adapting the counting workload of the electrodes. Moreover, the position of the electrodes () with respect to the radiation direction (y) provides information about the energy of the detected photons (X).

Radiation detector with multiple electrodes on a sensitive layer

The invention relates to an X-ray detector () that comprises an array of sensitive elements (P, P, P, P, P) and at least two analyzer gratings (G, G) disposed with different phase and/or periodicity in front of two different sensitive elements. Preferably, the sensitive elements are organized in macro-pixels (II) of e.g. four adjacent sensitive elements, where analyzer gratings with mutually different phases are disposed in front said sensitive elements. The detector () can particularly be applied in an X-ray device () for generating phase contrast images because it allows to sample an intensity pattern (I) generated by such a device simultaneously at different positions.

X-ray detector for phase contrast imaging

Scattered radiation has non-intuitive properties. A signalling system () is presented which provides a perceptible signal () being indicative of a predicted or measured spatial distribution of scattered radiation. An embodiment provides for easy assessment of the individual risk of scattered radiation exposure for personnel working in an environment exposed to scattered radiation. A method for predicting a distribution of scattered radiation takes into account at least one object related parameter () and at least one radiation related parameter () and, in response hereto, predicts a distribution of scattered radiation.

Simulation and visualization of scattered radiation

The invention relates to a radiation detector (), particularly for X-rays (X) and for &#x3b3;-rays, which comprises a combination of (a) at least one primary conversion layer (-) with a low attenuation coefficient for the photons and (b) at least one secondary conversion layer () with a high attenuation coefficient for the photons. In preferred embodiments, the primary conversion layer (-) may be realized by a silicon layer coupled to associated energy-resolving counting electronics (-). The secondary conversion layer () may be realized for example by CZT or GOS coupled to energy-resolving counting electronics or integrating electronics. Using primary conversion layers with low stopping power allows to build a stacked radiation detector () for spectral CT in which the counting rates of the layers are limited to feasible values without requiring unrealistic thin layers.

Radiation detector with several conversion layers

The invention relates to an X-ray imaging device, particularly a Spectral-CT scanner, that comprises an X-ray source for generating X-radiation with an energy spectrum which varies continuously during an observation period. In a preferred embodiment, the radiation is attenuated in an object according to an energy-dependent attenuation coefficient &#x3bc;, the transmitted radiation is measured by sensor units of a detector, and the resulting measurement signal is sampled and A/D converted. This is preferably done by an oversampling A/D converter, for example a &#x3a3;&#x394;-ADC. The tube voltage that drives the X-ray source is sampled with high frequency. In an evaluation system, these sampled measurement values can be associated with corresponding effective energy spectra to determine the energy dependent attenuation coefficient &#x3bc;.

Spectrally resolving X-ray imaging device

The invention relates to a radiation detector and a method for its production, wherein a series of converter plates () and interconnect layers (), which extend into a border volume (BV) lateral of the converter plates (), are stacked. By filling voids in the border volume (BV) with an underfill material and cutting through the border volume, a contact surface (CS) is generated in which electrical leads () of the interconnect layers () lie free. To allow a good contacting, said leads () are preferably provided with enlargements in the contact surface, for example by bonding wires () to them.

Radiation detector with a stack of converter plates and interconnect layers

An imaging system includes a scintillator array () and a digital photomultiplier array (). A photon counting channel (), an integrating channel (), and a moment generating channel () process the output signal of the digital photomultiplier array (). A reconstructor () spectrally resolves the first, the second and the third output signals. In one embodiment, a controller () activates the photon counting channel () to process the digital signal only if a radiation flux is below a predetermined threshold. An imaging system includes at least one direct conversion layer () and at least two scintillator layers () and corresponding photosensors (). A photon counting channel () processes an output of the at least one direct conversion layer (), and an integrating channel () and a moment generating channel () process respective outputs of the photosensors (). A reconstructor () spectrally resolves the first, the second and the third output signals.

Spectral imaging

The invention relates to a radiation detector and a method for producing such a detector, wherein the detector comprises a stack of the scintillator elements and photodiode arrays. The PDAs extend with electrical leads into a rigid body filling a border volume lateral of the scintillator elements, wherein said leads end in a contact surface of the border volume. Moreover, a redistribution layer is disposed on the contact surface, wherein electrical lines of the redistribution layer contact the leads of the PDAs.

Radiation detector with a stack of scintillator elements and photodiode arrays

The present invention relates to an apparatus () for generating countable pulses () from impinging X-ray () in an imaging device (), in particular in a computer tomograph, the apparatus () comprising a pre-amplifying element () adapted to convert a charge pulse () generated by an impinging photon () into an electrical signal () and a shaping element () having a feedback loop () and adapted to convert the electrical signal () into an electrical pulse (), wherein a delay circuit () is connected to the feedback loop () such that a time during which the feedback loop () collects charges of the electrical signal () is extended in order to improve an amplitude of the electrical pulse () at an output () of the shaping element (). The invention also relates to a corresponding imaging device () and a corresponding method.

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Hergenrath, Belgium

Christian Baeumer