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US 12,467,882 B2Granted
Systems and methods for monitoring output energy of a high-energy x-ray source
AssigneeRapiscan Holdings, Inc.
InventorJames Ollier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods to monitor output energy of an X-ray source being used to emit a fan beam for scanning an object in a scanning system include a segmented detector positioned between a target of the X-ray source and the object. The segmented detector has at least two segments that are placed to cover at least two angular ranges of the fan beam and generate corresponding two sets of energy distribution data. A ratio is determined based on the two sets of energy distribution data in order to determine an initial electron energy and an end-point energy of the X-ray source based on the ratio.
Claims34
A method of monitoring output energy of an X-ray source while scanning an object in an X-ray scanning system, comprising:
- positioning a collimation system in front of the X-ray source;
- positioning or translating the object between the collimation system and a first detector;
- positioning a second detector between a target of the X-ray source and the object, wherein the second detector has at least first and second detector segments, wherein the first detector segment is positioned to cover only a first angular range of a fan beam of X-rays and the second detector segment is positioned to cover only a second angular range of the fan beam of X-rays, wherein the first angular range and the second angular range do not overlap;
- operating the X-ray source to cause an electron beam to strike the target of the X-ray source and generate a plurality of X-rays, wherein the collimation system is configured to shape the plurality of X-rays in order to generate the fan beam of X-rays, and wherein the fan beam of X-rays illuminates the object;
- generating, by the first detector, X-ray scan data corresponding to the fan beam of X-rays transmitted through the object;
- generating, by the first detector segment, first energy distribution data;
- generating, by the second detector segment, second energy distribution data;
- determining an initial data indicative of a material composition of the object based on the X-ray scan data;
- determining a value based on a function of the first energy distribution data and the second energy distribution data;
- and
- generating a correction factor for the initial data indicative of the material composition of the object based on said value.
8 more elements
An X-ray scanning system configured to monitor output energy of an X-ray source, comprising:
- a collimation system positioned in front of the X-ray source;
- a first detector;
- an object positioned or translated between the X-ray source and the first detector;
- a second detector positioned between a target of the X-ray source and the object, wherein the second detector has at least first and second detector segments, wherein the first detector segment is positioned to cover a first angular range of a fan beam of X-rays and the second detector segment is positioned to cover a second angular range of the fan beam of X-rays, wherein the first angular range and the second angular range do not overlap;
- and
- a computing device configured to:
- operate the X-ray source to cause an electron beam to strike the target of the X-ray source and generate a plurality of X-rays, wherein the collimation system is configured to shape the plurality of X-rays in order to generate the fan beam of X-rays, and wherein the fan beam of X-rays illuminates the object;
- acquire, using the first detector, X-ray scan data corresponding to the fan beam of X-rays transmitted through the object;
- acquire, using the first detector segment, first energy distribution data;
- acquire, using the second detector segment, second energy distribution data;
- determine an initial data indicative of a material composition of the object based on the X-ray scan data;
- determine a value based on a function of the first energy distribution data and the second energy distribution data;
- and
- generate a correction factor for the initial data indicative of the material composition of the object based on said value.
11 more elements
An X-ray scanning system configured to improve quality of an X-ray scan image, comprising:
- a high-energy X-ray source;
- a collimation system positioned in front of the X-ray source;
- a first detector;
- an object positioned or translated between the X-ray source and the first detector;
- a second detector positioned between a target of the X-ray source and the object, wherein the second detector has at least first and second detector segments, wherein the first detector segment is positioned to cover a first angular range of a fan beam of X-rays and the second detector segment is positioned to cover a second angular range of the fan beam of X-rays, wherein the first angular range and the second angular range do not overlap;
- and
- a computing device configured to:
- operate the X-ray source to cause an electron beam to strike the target of the X-ray source and generate a plurality of X-rays, wherein the collimation system is configured to shape the plurality of X-rays in order to generate the fan beam of X-rays, and wherein the fan beam of X-rays illuminates the object;
- acquire, using the first detector, X-ray scan data corresponding to the fan beam of X-rays transmitted through the object, wherein the X-ray scan data is rendered as the X-ray scan image on a display;
- acquire, using the first detector segment, first energy distribution data;
- acquire, using the second detector segment, second energy distribution data;
- and
- apply one or more corrections for material discrimination of the object to the X-ray scan image based on a function of the first energy distribution data and the second energy distribution data.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.