# US 2018/0321397 A1 · Radiation imaging apparatus, radiation imaging system, method of controlling radiation imaging apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

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- Number: US 2018/0321397 A1
- Document ID: US20180321397A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/969,842
- Filed: 2018-05-03
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-08
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Jun Kawanabe; Minoru Watanabe; Keigo Yokoyama; Sho Sato; Kentaro Fujiyoshi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180321397A1

## CPC

- G01T 1/247: {Detector read-out circuitry (for processing gain or off-set correction H04N)}
- A61B 6/42: Arrangements for detecting radiation specially adapted for radiation diagnosis
- A61B 6/54: {Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis}
- G01T 1/023: {Scintillation dose-rate meters}
- G01T 1/026: {Semiconductor dose-rate meters}
- H04N 23/30: for generating image signals from X-rays
- H04N 25/703: SSIS architectures incorporating pixels for producing signals other than image signals
- H04N 25/706: Pixels for exposure or ambient light measuring
- H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
- A61B 6/4233: {using matrix detectors}
- A61B 6/542: {involving control of exposure}
- G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A radiation imaging apparatus including conversion elements acquiring a radiation image and detectors, a readout unit and a controller is provided. In a first operation, the controller causes the readout unit to output a composition signal obtained by composing signals from the detectors, detects irradiation with radiation based on the composition signal, and shifts to a second operation. In the second operation, the controller acquires first signals individually read out from the detectors, decides a signal component, of the composition signal, which is output from a selected detector of the detectors in accordance with a ratio of the first signal from the selected detector to a sum of the first signals, and acquires an integrated dose of radiation incident on the selected detector based on the signal component and the first signal of the selected detector.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A radiation imaging apparatus comprising an image sensing region including a plurality of conversion elements configured to acquire a radiation image, a plurality of detection units arranged in the image sensing region and configured to monitor incident radiation, a readout unit configured to read out signals from the plurality of detection units, and a control unit,
wherein the control unit executes a first operation and a second operation,
in the first operation, the control unit causes the readout unit to output a composition signal obtained by composing signals from the plurality of detection units, detects a start of irradiation with radiation based on the composition signal, and shifts to the second operation, and
in the second operation, the control unit acquires a plurality of first signals individually read out from the plurality of detection units to the readout unit,
decides a signal component, of the composition signal, which is output from a selected detection unit of the plurality of detection units in accordance with a ratio of the first signal from the selected detection unit to a sum of the plurality of first signals, and
acquires an integrated dose of radiation incident on the selected detection unit based on the signal component and a first signal, of the plurality of first signals, which is output from the selected detection unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit acquires the integrated dose based on a sum of the signal component and a first signal, of the plurality of first signals, which is output from the selected detection unit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the readout unit to read out the composition signal with a first gain in the first operation,
causes the readout unit to read out the plurality of first signals with a second gain different from the first gain in the second operation,
corrects the signal component in accordance with a ratio between the first gain and the second gain, and
acquires the integrated dose based on a sum of the corrected signal component and a first signal, of the plurality of first signals, which is output from the selected detection unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first gain is lower than the second gain.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a memory unit configured to store the composition signal acquired by the first operation,
wherein the control unit decides the signal component by distributing the composition signal stored in the memory unit in accordance with the ratio in the second operation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines, based on the integrated dose, whether to stop exposure to radiation, and outputs a signal for stopping irradiation with radiation in accordance with the determination result.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image sensing region includes a plurality of pixels,
each of the plurality of pixels includes any one of the plurality of conversion elements, and
each of some of the plurality of pixels further includes any one of the plurality of detection units.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein some of the plurality of conversion elements respectively serve as detection units of the plurality of detection units.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a bias power supply configured to supply a common bias voltage to the plurality of detection units and a bias wiring configured to connect the bias power supply to the plurality of detection units,
wherein the control unit acquires the composition signal based on a change in current in the bias wiring in the first operation.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of detection units output signals to the same signal line.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of detection unit groups each including the plurality of detection units.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A radiation imaging system comprising:
a radiation imaging apparatus defined in claim 1; and
a signal processing unit configured to process a signal from the radiation imaging apparatus.

### Claim 13

A control method for a radiation imaging apparatus comprising an image sensing region including a plurality of conversion elements configured to acquire a radiation image, a plurality of detection units arranged in the image sensing region and configured to monitor incident radiation, and a readout unit configured to read out signals from the plurality of detection units,
the control method including a first step and a second step,
the first step including causing the readout unit to output a composition signal obtained by composing signals from the plurality of detection units, detecting a start of irradiation with radiation based on the composition signal, and shifting to the second step, and
the second step including
acquiring a plurality of first signals individually read out from the plurality of detection units to the readout unit,
deciding a signal component, of the composition signal, which is output from a selected detection unit of the plurality of detection units in accordance with a ratio of the first signal from the selected detection unit to a sum of the plurality of first signals, and
acquiring an integrated dose of radiation incident on the selected detection unit based on the signal component and a first signal, of the plurality of first signals, which is output from the selected detection unit.

### Claim 14

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method for a radiation imaging apparatus comprising an image sensing region including a plurality of conversion elements configured to acquire a radiation image, a plurality of detection units arranged in the image sensing region and configured to monitor incident radiation, and a readout unit configured to read out signals from the plurality of detection units,
the control method including a first step and a second step,
the first step including causing the readout unit to output a composition signal obtained by composing signals from the plurality of detection units, detecting a start of irradiation with radiation based on the composition signal, and shifting to the second step, and
the second step including
acquiring a plurality of first signals individually read out from the plurality of detection units to the readout unit,
deciding a signal component, of the composition signal, which is output from a selected detection unit of the plurality of detection units in accordance with a ratio of the first signal from the selected detection unit to a sum of the plurality of first signals, and
acquiring an integrated dose of radiation incident on the selected detection unit based on the signal component and a first signal, of the plurality of first signals, which is output from the selected detection unit.
