Layered radiation detector
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorDavid Michael Hoffman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A radiation detector having an energy-integrating detection layer and at least one direct-conversion detection layer is described. In certain embodiments, the direct-conversion layer is impacted first by an incident X-ray beam, such that X-ray photons stopped at the direct-conversion layer are generally lower in energy than those which reach the energy-integrating detection layer. The data acquired using the direct-conversion layers and energy-integrating layers may be combined to provide additional spectral discrimination, such as in material decomposition or contrast-enhancement applications.
Claims9
A radiation detector, comprising:
- an energy-integrating detection layer comprising:
- a scintillator layer that generates optical photons when exposed to a beam of X-rays;
- and
- an imager layer positioned to generate a first set of measurements when exposed to optical photons generated by the scintillator layer;
- a direct-conversion detection layer configured to generate a second set of measurements when exposed to the beam of X-rays, wherein the direct conversion detection layer is positioned relative to the energy-integrating detection layer so as to be impacted by the beam of X-rays before the energy-integrating detection layer;
- an anti-scatter grid positioned between the direct-conversion detection layer and the energy-integrating detection layer so as to absorb scattered X-rays prior to reaching the energy-integrating detection layer;
- and
- an additional direct-conversion detection layer configured to respectively generate additional sets of measurements when exposed to the beam of X-rays, wherein the additional direct-conversion detection layer directly contacts the direct-conversion detection layer.
An imaging system, comprising:
- one or more X-ray sources configured to emit X-rays across an imaging volume;
- an X-ray detector comprising at least:
- an energy-integrating detection layer configured to generate a first set of measurements in response to emitted X-rays;
- a direct-conversion detection layer configured to generate a second set of measurements in response to emitted X-rays, wherein a resolution of the direct-conversion detection layer is equal to or better than a resolution of the energy-integrating detection layer;
- and
- an anti-scatter grid positioned between the direct-conversion detection layer and the energy-integrating detection layer so as to absorb scattered X-rays prior to reaching the energy-integrating detection layer;
- a system controller configured to control operation of the one or more X-ray sources and the X-ray detector;
- and
- one or more processor-based components configured to generate images using both the first set of measurements and the second set of measurements;
- wherein the direct-conversion detection layer is configured to be movable out of a path of a beam of X-rays so that the beam of X-rays only impacts the energy-integrating detection layer when the direct-conversion detection layer is so moved,
- wherein the imaging system further comprises a track and a mechanical mechanism configured to move the direction-conversion detection layer along the track into and out of the path of the beam of X-rays.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.