U.S. Philips Corporation

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Norbert Conrads

Ulrich Schiebel

Herfried Karl Wieczorek

Cornelis Reinder Ronda

Herbert J Schreinemacher

Guenter Zeitler

Walter Hillen

Simha Levene

Christoph Herrmann

Joerg Bredno

Hanns-Ingo Maack

Detlef Uwe Wiechert

Klaus Juergen Engel

Rainer Kiewitt

Christian Baeumer

Helko Lehmann

Martin Weibrecht

Stephan G Rupp

Walter Rütten

Peter J Quadflieg

Olivier Ecabert

Falko Busse

Ingo Schafer

Henning Ohland

Steffen Gunther Hohmann

Guenter Zeltier

Rolf Kirchhoff

A host lattice modified GOS scintillating material and a method for using a host lattice modified GOS scintillating material is provided. The host lattice modified GOS scintillating material has a shorter afterglow than conventional GOS scintillating material. In addition, a radiation detector and an imaging device incorporating a host lattice modified GOS scintillating material are provided. A spectral filter may be used in conjunction with the GOS scintillating material.

Scintillating material and related spectral filter

An imaging system () includes a radiation source () and a radiation sensitive detector array (), which includes a scintillator array () and a photosensor array () optically coupled to the scintillator array, wherein the scintillator array includes GdOS:Pr,Tb,Ce. A method includes detecting radiation with a radiation sensitive detector array () of an imaging system (), wherein the radiation sensitive detector array includes a GdOS:Pr,Tb,Ce based scintillator array (). A radiation sensitive detector array () includes a scintillator array () and a photosensor array () optically coupled to the scintillator array, wherein the scintillator array includes GdOS:Pr,Tb,Ce, and an amount of Tbin the GdOS:Pr,Tb,Ce is equal to or less than two hundred mole parts per million.

Terbium based detector scintillator

The invention relates to a GdOS:Nd fluorescent material and the use of Ndas emitter in suitable materials.

Fluorescent material for use in CT applications

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

A host lattice modified GOS scintillating material and a method for using a host lattice modified GOS scintillating material is provided. The host lattice modified GOS scintillating material has a shorter afterglow than conventional GOS scintillating material. In addition, a radiation detector and an imaging device incorporating a host lattice modified GOS scintillating material are provided.

A scintillation element comprises a scintillation material, and a reflective layer, wherein the reflective layer is formed as an intrinsic part of the scintillation material. Preferably, a plurality of scintillation elements may be arranged to form a scintillation array. A method for producing a scintillation element comprises providing a scintillation material, and producing a reflective layer at the scintillation material by exposing the scintillation material to physical and/or chemical conditions in such a way that the reflective layer is formed out of a part of the scintillation material.

Scintillation element, scintillation array and method for producing the same

The invention relates to a method of reading out the sensor elements of a sensor () with a matrix of light-sensitive or X-ray-sensitive sensor elements (S; S. . . ) which are arranged in rows and columns and generate charges in dependence on the incident quantity of radiation, the switches () of the relevant sensor elements being activated via address lines (, . . . ) and the charges of the respective activated sensor elements being drained via read-out lines (, . . . ) so as to be processed further by way of amplifiers (, . . . ) and transfer means (). The invention also relates to a corresponding sensor as well as to an X-ray examination apparatus which includes an X-ray source for emitting an X-ray beam for irradiating an object in order to form an X-ray image, as well as a detector for generating an electrical image signal from said X-ray image. Despite the small incident X-ray doses, adequate amounts of charge, and hence electrical signals, are provided so as to form the image in that ingoing address lines (, . . . ) are selectably connected, by way of individually controllable switch elements (, . . . ) and by means of a switching operation, to each time the respective next address line and the sensor elements of at least two neighboring lines are activated by means of one ingoing signal, and corresponding outgoing read-out lines (, . . . ) are selectably connected, by way of individually controllable switch elements (, . . . ) and by means of a switching operation, to the respective next read-out line in such a manner that the charge signals read out from the activated sensor elements of at least two neighboring columns are combined so as to form one output signal.

Imaging method and apparatus for imaging with low incident radiation

An image detector includes a sensor matrix with a plurality of sensor elements for converting radiation into electrical charges and with several line conductors. The sensor elements are arranged in columns and rows. Separate sensor elements are coupled to at least one of the line conductors. Separate groups of sensor elements in one column and/or in one row of the matrix are coupled to different line conductors and at least one line conductor is coupled to sensor elements of at least two columns or of at least two rows.

Image detector

An x-ray examination apparatus comprises an x-ray image sensor matrix (,) for deriving an initial image signal from the x-ray image. The sensor elements of the x-ray sensor matrix convert incident x-rays into electric charges. These electric charges are read-out and converted into the initial image signal. Further a correction unit (,) is provided for correcting the initial image signal, notably for disturbances due to delayed transferred charges, that have been retained in the sensor elements for some time. The correction unit (,) is provided with a memory which stores correction values. Further the correction provided with a selection unit (,) for selecting appropriate correction values from the memory (,).

X-ray examination apparatus with X-ray image sensor matrix and correction unit

A medical X-ray apparatus is provided with image detector elements 30 which are arranged in a matrix of rows and columns. In order to improve the noise behaviour of the read amplifiers 46 during the reading per row, a plurality of column conductors 36 is provided per column so that the read time is prolonged in proportion to the number of column conductors and the stray capacitance is reduced proportionally. Both steps reduce the noise in known manner. In the case of an integrated implementation, the conductors for driving the reading per row cannot be arranged arbitrarily close to one another because of their mutual capacitance, so that these conductors require a comparatively large surface area. In order to make a smaller surface area suffice for these conductors, according to the invention each read driver 42 is connected to at least two rows of image detector elements 30 which are not associated with the same column conductor, the number of rows thus connected to one read driver being at the most equal to the number of groups of image detector elements in one column.

Device for reading an imaging sensor matrix

An x-ray examination apparatus includes an x-ray source for emitting x-rays and an x-ray detector for deriving an image signal from an x-ray image. The x-ray detector has a semiconductor element including one or several sensor elements. Further the x-ray examination apparatus is provided with a bias radiation source for irradiating the x-ray detector with electromagnetic radiation. In particular, the x-ray detector is an x-ray sensor matrix having a multitude of semiconductor sensor elements. Preferably the bias radiation source is arranged to emit infrared radiation.

X-ray examination apparatus with a semiconductor x-ray detector

In an arrangement of light-sensitive or X-ray sensitive sensors (S.sub.1,1, . . . , S.sub.2048,2048) arranged in a matrix in rows and columns, which sensors produce charge states in dependence upon the amount of incident radiation and each have an electrical switch, for each sensor row a switching line (33.sub.1, . . . , 33.sub.2048) via which the switches (3) can be activated so that the charge states of the sensors of the activated sensor row are read or reset simultaneously via associated read lines (8, 9, 10), there is provided a reset device (30a, 30b) for resetting the charge states of previously read sensor rows, which device activates at least one of the previously read sensor rows, which activates another of the previously read sensor rows after a predetermined number of clock pulses of a reset clock signal (T.sub.32), and which deactivates each activated sensor row a predetermined number of clock pulses after its activation.

Arrangement comprising a sensor matrix

The invention relates to a method of generating X-ray images by means of a photoconductor which is provided on a conductive substrate and whose surface potential can be read by means of probes, and also relates to a device suitable for carrying out the method. In order to avoid image artefacts which could be caused by deviating sensitivities of the probes or by frequency-dependent distortions, after the charging of the photoconductor the substrate potential is varied during a test phase. Test data is generated which correspond to the spatial or temporal variation of the potential on the surface of the photoconductor; from this test data there is formed correction data which is stored in order to correct the image data of a subsequent X-ray exposure.

Method of generating X-ray images and device suitable for carrying out

A matrix of light-sensitive or x-ray sensitive sensors (S.sub.1,1, . . . S.sub.2000,200) are arranged in rows and columns and generate charges in dependence on the amount of incident radiation. The sensors comprise a respective electric switch (3) and are constructed, like the electric switches (3), of thin-film technology. Each sensor row has a switching line (5, 6, . . . , 7) via which the switches can be activated so that the charges of the relevant activated sensor row are simultaneously output via read lines (8, 9, . . . , 10, . . . ). Transfer means convert the signals read in parallel into a serial output signal; in order to achieve an as favorable as possible noise behavior. An amplifier (11, 12, . . . , 13) is in each read line and is constructed as a silicon crystal and precedes the transfer means. During the read operations, the amplifiers simplify the signals read from the sensors (S.sub.1.1, . . . S.sub.2000,2000) connected to the relevant read line (8, 9, . . . , 10, . . . ).

Sensor matrix

A photodiode radiation sensor sensitive to luminous or x-ray radiation, has an inherent capacitance which is charged by the radiation. The charge is read out by a switching diode. The diode is placed in its conductive state by an auxiliary voltage and is switched off after the read-out process. The quantity of charge flowing during the read-out process is measured and used to determine the quantity of incident radiation. To measure relatively small quantities of charge, a voltage is coupled in when the auxiliary voltage is switched on to place the switching diode in a more strongly conducting state so that during the read-out process a larger quantity of charge flows away.

Growing community of inventors

Raeren, Belgium

Norbert Conrads