Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080273666 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DENSITY AND EFFECTIVE ATOMIC NUMBER IMAGING - A system and method of density and effective atomic number imaging include a computer programmed to acquire projection data from the detector of an unknown material at the time of projection data acquisition. The computer is also programmed to generate a density image for the unknown material based on a calibration of two or more known basis materials and to generate an effective atomic number (Z) for the unknown material based on the calibration of two or more known basis materials and based on a function arctan of a ratio of atomic numbers of the two or more known basis materials. The density and effective atomic number images are stored to a computer readable storage medium. | 11-06-2008 |
20090039273 | HIGH DQE PHOTON COUNTING DETECTOR USING STATISTICAL RECOVERY OF PILE-UP EVENTS - A photon-counting detector includes a direct conversion material constructed to directly convert an energy of at least one incident photon to an electrical signal indicative of the energy level of the at least one individual photon and a data acquisition system (DAS). The DAS includes a first comparator having a first signal level threshold that is less than an electrical signal level that is indicative of a maximum energy of a spectrum of photons, the first comparator configured to output a count when the electrical signal level exceeds the first signal level threshold, and a second comparator having a second signal level threshold that is greater than or equal to the electrical signal level indicative of the maximum energy of the spectrum of photons, the second comparator configured to output a count when the electrical signal exceeds the second signal level threshold. The DAS further includes a device configured to determine a photon count based on the counts from the first and second comparators and to output the photon count for image reconstruction. | 02-12-2009 |
20090052612 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPTIMIZING A MONOCHROMATIC REPRESENTATION OF BASIS MATERIAL DECOMPOSED CT IMAGES - A system and method of a diagnostic imaging system includes a high frequency electromagnetic energy source that emits a beam of high frequency electromagnetic energy toward an object to be imaged, a detector that receives high frequency electromagnetic energy emitted by the high frequency electromagnetic energy source and attenuated by the object, a data acquisition system (DAS) operably connected to the detector, and a computer operably connected to the DAS. The computer is programmed to obtain CT scan data with two or more incident energy spectra, decompose the obtained CT scan data into projection CT data of two or more basis materials, reconstruct linearly weighted projections of the two or more basis materials, determine an optimized energy for the two or more basis materials within a region-of-interest (ROI), and form a monochromatic image of the projection CT data at the optimized energy using the two or more basis material projections. | 02-26-2009 |
20090052621 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BASIS MATERIAL DECOMPOSITION WITH K-EDGE MATERIALS - A diagnostic imaging system includes a high frequency electromagnetic energy source that emits a beam of high frequency electromagnetic energy toward an object to be imaged, a detector that receives high frequency electromagnetic energy emitted by the high frequency electromagnetic energy source, and a data acquisition system (DAS) operably connected to the detector. A computer is operably connected to the DAS and is programmed to generate corresponding sets of projection values for three or more energy spectra through employment of attenuation coefficients of three or more basis materials to simulate responses of the diagnostic imaging system to a plurality of lengths of the three or more basis materials wherein the three or more basis materials comprise two or more non K-edge basis materials and one or more K-edge basis materials. | 02-26-2009 |
20090080601 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLEXIBLY BINNING ENERGY DISCRIMINATING DATA - A CT detector includes a direct conversion material configured to generate electrical charge upon reception of x-rays, a plurality of metallized anodes configured to collect electrical charges generated in the direct conversion material, at least one readout device, and a redistribution layer having a plurality of electrical pathways configured to route the electrical charges from the plurality of metallized anodes to the at least one readout device. A plurality of switches is coupled to the plurality of electrical pathways between the plurality of metallized anodes and the at least one readout device, wherein each of the plurality of switches includes an input line electrically coupled to one of the plurality of metallized anodes, a first output node electrically coupled to the at least one readout device, and a second output node electrically coupled to at least one other switch of the plurality of switches. | 03-26-2009 |
20090129538 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF ENERGY INTEGRATING AND PHOTON COUNTING USING LAYERED PHOTON COUNTING DETECTOR - A diagnostic imaging system includes an x-ray source that emits a beam of x-ray energy toward an object to be imaged and an energy discriminating (ED) detector that receives the x-ray energy emitted by the x-ray energy source. The ED detector includes a first layer having a first thickness, wherein the first layer comprises a semiconductor configurable to operate in at least an integrating mode and a second layer having a second thickness greater than the first thickness, and configured to receive x-rays that pass through the first layer. The system further includes a data acquisition system (DAS) operably connected to the ED detector and a computer that is operably connected to the DAS. The computer is programmed to identify saturated data in the second layer and substitute the saturated data with non-saturated data from a corresponding pixel in the first layer. | 05-21-2009 |
20090147910 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENERGY SENSITIVE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY - An energy-sensitive computed tomography system is provided. The energy-sensitive computed tomography system includes an X-ray source configured to emit an X-ray beam resulting from electrons impinging upon a target material. The energy-sensitive computed tomography system also includes an object positioned within the X-ray beam. The energy-sensitive computed tomography system further includes a detector configured to receive a transmitted beam of the X-rays through the object. The energy-sensitive computed tomography system also includes a filter having an alternating pattern disposed between the X-ray source and the detector, the filter configured to facilitate measuring projection data that can be used to generate low-energy and high-energy spectral information. | 06-11-2009 |
20100252742 | MULTI-LAYERED DETECTOR SYSTEM FOR HIGH RESOLUTION COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY - X-ray detector system with improved spatial resolution for a computed tomography systems is provided. The detector system may include pairs of first and second detector arrays, with each array containing detector elements of a different design. In one embodiment, the first array may comprise a first, relatively thin and continuous (i.e., monolithic) scintillation layer with an array of individual diodes positioned to receive light generated within the scintillation layer. The second array may comprise a second, relatively thick scintillation layer formed of separate scintillator elements. An array of diodes may be positioned to receive radiation from the scintillation layer such that each diode element is aligned to primarily receive radiation from one scintillator element in the layer. The structural arrangements of the detector system may also be adapted for applications involving direct conversion of x-ray energy. | 10-07-2010 |
20100277312 | IN-LINE HIGH-THROUGHPUT CONTRABAND DETECTION SYSTEM - A contraband detection system includes a first contraband detection apparatus designed to perform a first scan on an object and a second contraband detection apparatus positioned in-line with the first contraband detection apparatus to perform a second scan on the object. A computer is included in the contraband detection system and is programmed to cause the first contraband detection apparatus to perform the first scan and acquire object data therefrom. The computer is further programmed to identify one or more regions of interest (ROI) in the object based on the object data, cause the second contraband detection apparatus to perform the second scan on the one or more identified ROIs, and acquire object data from the second scan. | 11-04-2010 |
20100327173 | Integrated Direct Conversion Detector Module - A detector module comprises: a direct conversion crystal for converting incident photons into electrical signals, the direct conversion crystal having an anode layer deposited on a first surface and a cathode layer deposited on a second surface; a redistribution layer deposited on the anode layer, the redistribution layer configured to adapt a pad array layout of the direct conversion crystal to a predetermined lead pattern; an integrated circuit in electrical communication with the direct conversion crystal; and a plurality of input/output electrical paths connected to the redistribution layer to provide connectivity between the imaging module and another level of interconnect. | 12-30-2010 |
20100329425 | READOUT ELECTRONICS FOR PHOTON COUNTING AND ENERGY DISCRIMINATING DETECTORS - A data acquisition system includes a charge-sensitive amplifier (CSA) configured to receive a charge from an x-ray detector, the CSA includes a high-gain electronic voltage amplifier, an electrical energy storage device coupled with the amplifier, and an electrical resistor coupled with the amplifier. The data acquisition system includes a baseline sampling circuit configured to receive an output from the CSA and to sample a baseline signal from the CSA, at least one discriminator coupled to an output of the CSA and to an output of the baseline sampling circuit, the at least one discriminator configured to output a voltage if the output of the CSA exceeds a threshold, and a counter coupled to an output of the discriminator and configured to output a digital signal indicative of a photon count received at the x-ray detector and based on the output from the CSA and on the signal from the CSA. | 12-30-2010 |
20110243413 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMAGE DATA ACQUISITION - A technique for acquiring desired image data in an imaging system comprising at least one radiation source and a detector is described. Initially, preliminary image data corresponding to an object may be acquired. Further, at least one parameter associated with the radiation source and corresponding to a particular view angle of the radiation source may be determined based on the preliminary image data and a priori information. Similarly, at least one parameter associated with the detector and corresponding to the particular view angle may be determined based on a priori information and the preliminary image data. Efficient operating modes of the radiation source and the detector corresponding to the particular view angle may be selected based on the determined parameters to achieve a desired system performance. Subsequently, the final image data may be acquired using the selected operating modes of the radiation source and the detector. | 10-06-2011 |
20110253430 | MICRO PIN HYBRID INTERCONNECT ARRAY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME - A micro pin hybrid interconnect array includes a crystal anode array and a ceramic substrate. The array and substrate are joined together using an interconnect geometry having a large aspect ratio of height to width. The joint affixing the interconnect to the crystal anode array is devoid of solder. | 10-20-2011 |
20120133001 | TILEABLE SENSOR ARRAY - A method for forming a tileable detector array is presented. The method includes forming a detector module, where forming the detector module includes providing a sensor array having a first side and a second side, where the sensor array includes a first plurality of contact pads disposed on the second side of the sensor array, disposing the sensor array on an interconnect layer, where the interconnect layer includes a redistribution layer having a first side and a second side, where the redistribution layer includes a second plurality of contact pads disposed on the first side, an integrated circuit having a plurality of through vias disposed therethrough, where a first side of the integrated circuit is operationally coupled to the second side of the redistribution layer, where the sensor array is disposed on the interconnect layer such that the first plurality of contact pads on the second side of the sensor array are aligned with the second plurality of contact pads on the first side of the redistribution layer, operationally coupling the first plurality of contact pads on the second side of the sensor array to the second plurality of contact pads on the redistribution layer to form a sensor stack, coupling the sensor stack to a substrate to form the detector module, and tiling a plurality of detector modules on a second substrate to form the tileable detector array. | 05-31-2012 |
20120133054 | DETECTOR ARRAY WITH A THROUGH-VIA INTERPOSER - A method for forming a sensor stack is presented. The method includes providing a substrate having a first side and a second side. Furthermore, the method includes disposing an integrated circuit having a first side and a second side on the first side of the substrate, where the integrated circuit comprises a first plurality of contact pads disposed on the first side of the integrated circuit. The method also includes providing a sensor array having a plurality of sensor elements, wherein each of the sensor elements has a first side and a second side, and wherein the sensor array comprises a second plurality of contact pads disposed on the second side of the sensor array. Furthermore, the method includes disposing an interposer having one or more interposer elements and one or more through vias disposed therethrough between the one or more sensor elements of the sensor array and the integrated circuit to raise the sensor array away from the first side of the integrated circuit such that a plane of the one or more sensor elements is locally normal to a sensor stack normal, wherein the interposer is configured to operationally couple the second side of the sensor elements in the sensor array to the first side of the integrated circuit. In addition, the method includes operationally coupling the first plurality of contact pads on the first side of the integrated circuit to a second plurality of contact pads on the second side of the sensor array to form a tileable sensor stack. | 05-31-2012 |
20120193545 | DETECTOR SYSTEMS WITH ANODE INCIDENCE FACE AND METHODS OF FABRICATING THE SAME - A detector module for an imaging system, such as a CT system, and a method for fabricating the same are presented. The detector module includes an array of direct conversion sensors, the direct conversion sensors having a first side and a second side. The first side of the direct conversion sensors includes a segmented electrode side forming an array of pixels that receive radiation and convert the received radiation into corresponding charge signals, whereas the second side includes a common electrode side. The detector module also includes a readout electronic circuitry coupled to one or more of the direct conversion sensors where the readout electronic circuitry is configured to be shielded from the radiation. In addition, the detector module includes a bias voltage circuitry coupled to the one or more direct conversion sensors on the second side. | 08-02-2012 |
20130000963 | MICRO PIN HYBRID INTERCONNECT ARRAY - A micro pin hybrid interconnect array includes a crystal anode array and a ceramic substrate. The array and substrate are joined together using an interconnect geometry having a large aspect ratio of height to width. The joint affixing the interconnect to the crystal anode array is devoid of solder. | 01-03-2013 |
20130026380 | RADIATION DETECTOR WITH ANGLED SURFACES AND METHOD OF FABRICATION - Radiations detectors with angled walls and methods of fabrication are provided. One radiation detector module includes a plurality of sensor tiles configured to detect radiation. The plurality of sensor tiles have (i) top and bottom edges defining top and bottom surfaces of the plurality of sensor tiles, (ii) sidewall edges defining sides of the plurality of sensor tiles, and (iii) corners defined by the top and bottom edges and the sidewall edges. The radiation detector module also has at least one beveled surface having an oblique angle, wherein the beveled surface includes beveling of at least one of top or bottom edges, the side wall edges, or the corners. | 01-31-2013 |
20130108019 | DETECTOR MODULES FOR IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING | 05-02-2013 |
20130161523 | RADIATION DETECTOR WITH VOLTAGE-BIASED FOCUS GRID - A radiation detector is provided employing a focus grid electrode. The focus grid electrode is biased relative to one or more anode electrodes. In this manner, movement of electrons to the anode electrodes may be enhanced, such as due to a higher electrical field strength in a conversion material and/or due to focusing of the resulting electrical field on the anode electrodes. | 06-27-2013 |