# US 10,441,234 B2 · Radiation-phase-contrast imaging device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,234 B2 - Document ID: US10441234B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/623,813 - Filed: 2017-06-15 - Published: 2018-12-20 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-15 - Assignees: Shimadzu Corporation - Applicants: Shimadzu Corporation - Inventors: Koichi Tanabe; Shingo Furui; Hiroyuki Kishihara; Kenji Kimura; Taro Shirai; Takahiro Doki; Satoshi Sano; Akira Horiba - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441234B2 ## CPC - A61B 6/482: {involving multiple energy imaging} - A61B 6/4291: {the detector being combined with a grid or grating} - A61B 6/481: {involving the use of contrast agents} - A61B 6/484: {involving phase contrast X-ray imaging} - G01N 23/041: Phase-contrast imaging, e.g. using grating interferometers - G01N 23/087: using polyenergetic X-rays - G21K 1/06: using diffraction, refraction or reflection, e.g. monochromators (G21K1/10, G21K7/00 take precedence) - G01N 2223/206: sources operating at different energy levels - G01N 2223/3308: object translates - G21K 2201/067: Construction details - G21K 2207/005: Methods and devices obtaining contrast from non-absorbing interaction of the radiation with matter, e.g. phase contrast - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G21K: HANDLING OF PARTICLES OR IONISING RADIATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; IRRADIATION DEVICES; GAMMA RAY OR X-RAY MICROSCOPES ## Abstract An X-ray phase-contrast imaging device capable of easily performing imaging of an object using X-rays of plural energies is provided. The disclosed exemplary configuration includes an X-ray source of a dual energy output type, and an FPD having a high energy X-ray detection surface and a low energy X-ray detection surface so that two types of imaging, imaging by high energy X-ray and imaging by low energy X-ray, can be performed. By imaging so as to scan the object while changing the relative position of the imaging system and the object, two types of imaging can be completed at once. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A radiation phase-contrast imaging device comprising: a radiation source configured to irradiate high energy radiation and low energy radiation; a grating in which an absorber absorbing radiation and extending in one direction is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the one direction, the absorber generating Talbot interference when the radiation transmits therethrough; a detection unit including a high energy radiation detection surface configured to detect a self-image of the grating related to the high energy radiation and a low energy radiation detection surface configured to detect a self-image of the grating related to the low energy radiation; and a position changing unit configured to change a relative position of an imaging system and an object so that a projection of the object moves on the detection surface while keeping a positional relationship of the radiation source, the grating, and the detection unit, the imaging system being configured by the radiation source, the grating, and the detection unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 1, wherein a distance from the high energy radiation detection surface of the detection unit to the grating and a distance from the low energy radiation detection surface to the grating are different from each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 1, wherein the position changing unit moves the detection unit in a state in which a positional relationship between the high energy radiation detection surface and the low energy radiation detection surface is maintained. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a self-image generation unit configured to image a self-image from a detection result that the detection unit detects the radiation at the high energy radiation detection surface and a self-image from a detection result that the detection unit detects the radiation at the low energy radiation detection surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 4, further comprising a transparent image generation unit configured to generate a transparent image of the object from the self-image related to the high energy radiation and imaged by the self-image generation unit and a transparent image of the object from the self-image related to the low energy radiation and imaged by the self-image generation unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 1, wherein the radiation source is configured to simultaneously irradiate the high energy radiation and the low energy radiation onto the grating. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 1, wherein a first portion of the grating is positioned to receive the low energy radiation and a second portion of the grating is positioned to receive the high energy radiation, and the absorption lines of the first portion of the grating and the absorption lines of the second portion of the grating have the same pitch. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 1, wherein the detection unit is configured to have the low energy radiation detection surface spaced apart from a platform interposed between the radiation source and the detection unit by a first distance and the high energy radiation detection surface spaced apart from the platform by a second distance different from the first distance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 8, wherein the low energy radiation detection surface and the high energy radiation detection surface each comprise a plurality of detection elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 8, wherein a first distance between the grating and the high energy radiation detection surface is different than a second distance between the grating and the low energy radiation detection surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 1, wherein the low energy radiation detection surface includes a plurality of detection elements, each detection element being formed in a rectangular shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 11, wherein the high energy radiation detection surface has a similar configuration as the low energy X-ray detection surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 1, wherein the position changing unit is further configured to change the relative position of the imaging system and a platform by linearly relatively moving the imaging system in a direction parallel to the platform. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a self-image generation unit that is configured to generate a first self-image from a first plurality of narrow strip-like images obtained from the high energy radiation detection surface and a second self-image related to the low energy radiation from a second plurality of narrow strip-like images obtained from the low energy radiation detection surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 14, further comprising a transparent image generation unit that is configured to generate a first transparent image on the basis of the first self-image and a second transparent image on the basis of the second self-image. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 15, further comprising a display configured to simultaneously display the first transparent image and the second transparent image side by side. ### Claim 17 A radiation phase-contrast imaging device comprising: a radiation source configured to irradiate high energy radiation and low energy radiation; at least one phase grating comprising a plurality of absorption lines extending in a first direction and configured to absorb the high energy radiation and the low energy radiation at a first plane and generate Talbot interference in response to the high energy radiation and the low energy radiation transmitting therethrough; a detection unit including a first radiation detection surface configured to detect a first self-image of the phase grating related to the high energy radiation and a second radiation detection surface configured to detect a second self-image of the phase grating related to the low energy radiation; and a position changing unit configured to change a relative position of a platform with respect to the radiation source, the phase grating, and the detection unit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 17, wherein the position changing unit is further configured to change the relative position by linearly moving the platform or linearly moving the radiation source, the phase grating, and the detection together. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 18, wherein the at least one phase grating comprises a first phase grating positioned to receive the low energy radiation and a second phase grating positioned to receive the high energy radiation, and wherein the first phase grating comprises first absorption lines spaced apart at a first pitch and the second phase grating comprises second absorption lines spaced apart at a second pitch different from the first pitch. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The radiation phase-contrast imaging device as recited in claim 17, wherein the first radiation detection surface has a similar configuration as the second radiation detection surface.