Method and apparatus to reduce charge sharing in pixellated energy discriminating detectors
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJohn Eric Tkaczyk, Yanfeng Du, Wen Li
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Abstract
A CT detector includes a plurality of metallized anodes with each metallized anode separated from another metallized anode by a gap. A direct conversion material is electrically coupled to the plurality of metallized anodes and has a charge sharing region in which an electrical charge generated by an x-ray impinging the direct conversion material is shared between at least two of the plurality of metallized anodes. An x-ray attenuating material is positioned to attenuate x-rays directed toward the charge sharing region.
Claims25
A CT detector comprising:
- a plurality of metallized anodes, each metallized anode separated from another metallized anode by a gap;
- a direct conversion material electrically coupled to the plurality of metallized anodes and having a charge sharing region in which an electrical charge generated by an x-ray impinging the direct conversion material is shared between at least two of the plurality of metallized anodes;
- and
- an x-ray attenuating material positioned to attenuate x-rays directed toward the charge sharing region.
A method of fabricating a CT detector, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of metallized anodes;
- separating the plurality of metallized anodes one from another by a gap;
- attaching a direct conversion material to the plurality of metallized anodes;
- and
- positioning an x-ray absorbing material such that x-rays directed toward a charge sharing region of the direct conversion material are absorbed.
A CT system comprising:
- a rotatable gantry having an opening to receive an object to be scanned;
- a high frequency electromagnetic energy projection source configured to project a high frequency electromagnetic energy beam toward the object;
- and
- a detector positioned to receive x-rays that pass through the object, the detector comprising:
- a pair of electrical charge detectors having a gap therebetween;
- a direct conversion material electrically coupled to the pair of electrical charge detectors;
- and
- an x-ray blocker positioned between the high frequency electromagnetic energy beam and the direct conversion material and configured to block x-rays directed toward a region of the direct conversion material capable of generating a charge detectable by each of the pair of electrical charge detectors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.