Spectral discrimination using wavelength-shifting fiber-coupled scintillation detectors
AssigneeAmerican Science and Engineering, Inc.
InventorsAaron J. Couture, Jeffrey M. Denker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present specification provides a detector for an X-ray imaging system. The detector includes at least one high resolution layer having high resolution wavelength-shifting optical fibers, each fiber occupying a distinct region of the detector, at least one low resolution layer with low resolution regions, and a single segmented multi-channel photo-multiplier tube for coupling signals obtained from the high resolution fibers and the low resolution regions.
Claims20
A detector for an X-ray imaging system, the detector comprising:
- at least one higher resolution layer comprising a plurality of higher resolution wavelength-shifting optical fibers placed parallel to each other, wherein each of the fibers extends through and out of a detection region and loops back into the detection region under a scintillation screen covering the higher resolution wavelength-shifting optical fibers, wherein each of the plurality of higher resolution wavelength-shifting optical fibers occupies a distinct region of the detector;
- at least one lower resolution layer comprising a plurality of lower resolution regions having a plurality of lower resolution optical fibers laid out in a parallel configuration, wherein each of the plurality of lower resolution optical fibers is configured to shift received wavelengths;
- and
- a segmented multi-channel photomultiplier tube (PMT) for coupling signals obtained from the higher resolution fibers and the lower resolution optical fibers.
A detector for an X-ray imaging system, the detector comprising:
- a plurality of wavelength shifting fibers, wherein each of the plurality of wavelength shifting fibers has a first edge and a second edge;
- a first rigid strip connected to the first edges of each of the plurality of wavelength shifting fibers and configured to provide mechanical support to each of the plurality of wavelength shifting fibers;
- and
- a second rigid strip connected to the second edges of each of the plurality of wavelength shifting fibers and configured to provide mechanical support to each of the plurality of wavelength shifting fibers, wherein the plurality of wavelength shifting fibers are physically bound together by the first and second rigid strips to form a sheet and wherein the second edges of the plurality of wavelength shifting fibers are optically coupled with a photomultiplier tube.
A detector comprising a plurality of wavelength shifting fibers physically bound together by molded sheets and scintillator powder embedded between each of the plurality of wavelength shifting fibers to thereby form a detector sheet.
A method of forming a detector having a predefined signal response, comprising:
- positioning a plurality of wavelength shifting fibers to define a detector sheet;
- establishing a variability of the predefined signal response by changing a space between each of the plurality of wavelength shifting fibers in the detector sheet;
- binding together the plurality of wavelength shifting fibers using molded sheets of a transparent, flexible plastic binder;
- and
- embedding scintillator powder between each of the plurality of wavelength shifting fibers to thereby form the detector sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.