US 6,380,674 B1Granted

X-ray image detector

AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

InventorsHiroshi Aida, Takashi Noji

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Abstract

The present invention provides an X-ray image detector (1) which can reduce the size of a whole apparatus associated with an X-ray imaging tube, reduce noise components of an output X-ray image even if an incident X-ray is very weak, and provide a distortion-free visible image or electric image. The X-ray image detector (1) comprises a vacuum container having an input fluorescent screen outputting fluorescent light, a photoelectric screen converting the fluorescent light which is output from the input fluorescent screen to a photoelectron, and an output fluorescent screen outputting a visible light image with the obtained electron, a plurality of image pick-up elements (3) arranged such that partially overlapped areas are outside an image taking area and taking the visible light image in a divided way, image processing circuits (4) so arranged as to correspond to the image pick-up elements and trimming a taken video signal, an output image processing circuit (6) obtaining a composed image and a display device (5) displaying it as one signal.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An X-ray image detector comprising

a vacuum container holding a vacuum therein;
an input fluorescent screen arranged in the vacuum container and converting an X-ray which is incident from an outside to fluorescent light;
an output fluorescent screen arranged in the vacuum container and generating a visible light image by an electron accelerated under an electric field;
a metal layer stacked on the output fluorescent screen;
an output window holding the output fluorescent screen and allowing the visible light image to pass therethrough;
and wherein the input fluorescent screen and output fluorescent screen are arranged parallel to each other while maintaining a predetermined spacing;
an electron multiplier is arranged between the input fluorescent screen and the output fluorescent screen, the electron multiplier has a plurality of metal plates of a predetermined thickness having a plurality of through holes opened and a plurality of insulating materials having gaps to allow a photo-electron from the through hole to pass therethrough are alternately stacked;
and
image pick-up element is arranged in a position allowing a visible light image from the output fluorescent screen to be received past the output window and takes, as a video image, image information which is output to the output window.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.