Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Oliver Muelhens

Christoph Herrmann

Roger Steadman Booker

Guenter Zeitler

Christian Baeumer

Torsten Solf

Rainer Pietig

Christoph Loef

Walter Ruetten

Kai Eck

Rainer Kiewitt

Matthias Simon

Carolina Ribbing

Roger Steadman

Georg Rose

Olaf Wischhusen

Astrid Lewalter

Christoph Hermann

Hans Krüger

A scalable medical imaging detector arrangement is provided having interchangeable sensor tiles with fixed outer dimensions for a fixed or universal mechanical, electrical, and cooling interface. Different sensor tile types with different performance grades and production costs care configured with a common interface for coupling to the medical imaging device, while the rest of the imaging system can remain unchanged.

Versatile PET detector

An imaging system () includes a radiation source () that emits radiation that traverses an examination region and a detector array () with a plurality of photon counting detector pixels () that detect radiation traversing the examination region and respectfully generate a signal indicative of the detected radiation. The photon counting detector pixel includes a direct conversion layer () having a first radiation receiving side () and second opposing side (), a cathode () affixed to and covering all of or a substantial portion of the first side, an anode () affixed to a centrally located region () of the second side, wherein the anode includes at least two sub-anodes (N), and a metallization () affixed to the second side, surrounding the anode and the anode region, with a gap between the anode and the metallization. The system further includes a reconstructor () that reconstructs the signal to generate volumetric image data indicative of the examination region.

Photon counting detector pixel having an anode including two or more alternatively selectable and separate sub-anodes

The invention relates to a detection device () for detecting photons emitted by a radiation source (). A signal generation unit () generates a detection signal indicative of the energy of a detected photon while photons strike the detection device (), and a baseline signal, which is affected by photons that previously struck the detection device (), while photons are prevented from striking the detection device (). A baseline shift determination unit () determines a baseline shift of the detection signal depending on the baseline signal. An energy determination unit () determines the energy of a detected photon depending on the detection signal and the determined baseline shift. Since the baseline shift of the detection signal is determined from a baseline signal that is generated while photons are prevented from striking the detection device (), the baseline shift can be determined with higher accuracy, resulting in an improved energy determination.

Detection device for detecting photons emitted by a radiation source

A radiation detector assembly () includes a detector array module () configured to convert radiation particles to electrical detection pulses, and an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) () operatively connected with the detector array. The ASIC includes signal processing circuitry () configured to digitize an electrical detection pulse received from the detector array, and test circuitry () configured to inject a test electrical pulse into the signal processing circuitry. The test circuitry includes a current meter () configured to measure the test electrical pulse injected into the signal processing circuitry, and a charge pulse generator () configured to generate a test electrical pulse that is injected into the signal processing circuitry. The radiation detector assembly () is assembled by operatively connecting the ASIC () with the detector array module (), and the signal processing circuitry () of the ASIC of the assembled radiation detector assembly is tested without the use of radiation.

Radiation detector assembly with test circuitry

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.

Apparatus and method for generating countable pulses from impinging X-ray photons; and corresponding imaging device

Systems and methods for data acquisition in computed tomography (CT) applications are provided. The systems and methods are particularly adapted for scanning and acquiring/processing data in connection with high-power cone-beam CT applications. The electron beam is moved/scanned along the anode surface to multiple focal positions. Data acquisition for a full projection at one focus position and one view angle is achieved by activating each focus position multiple times during the data acquisition for one angle of the gantry. The detector array and associated data processing system are adapted to rapidly switch between the different focus positions during the acquisitions for one view angle and to collect all data belonging to the same projection into the same data set. Adaptive electron optics are utilized to move/scan the electron beam along the anode surface to the various focus positions. Alternatively, a plurality of cathodes may be provided for respective focus positions and the system may support fast switching therebetween to achieve desirably short spot times. The disclosed CT system permits greater power densities without risk of heat damage to the anode and effectively increases the track velocity of the electron beam on the anode surface. The CT system and associated data acquisition methods have particular utility in CT applications requiring increased time resolution and/or spatial resolution, e.g., cardiac CT applications.

Growing community of inventors

Aachen, Germany

Oliver Muelhens