Solid-state image pickup apparatus and X-ray inspection system

A solid-state image pickup apparatus comprising:

• where M and N are each an integer not less than 2, M1 is an integer less than M, N1 is an integer less than N, m is an integer not less than 1 and not more than M, and n is an integer not less than 1 and not more than N,
• a photodetecting section having M×N pixel units P1,1 to PM,N two-dimensionally arranged in M rows and N columns, each of the pixel units including a photodiode and a readout switch connected with the photodiode, the photodiode generating charges corresponding to an intensity of an incident light,
• a readout wiring LO,n connected with a readout switch of each of the M pixel units P1,n to PM,n of an n-th column in the photodetecting section, for reading out charges generated in the photodiode of any pixel unit of the M pixel units P1,n to PM,n via the readout switch of the pixel unit;
• a signal readout section connected with each of the readout wirings LO,1 to LO,N, for holding a voltage value according to an amount of charges input through the readout wiring LO,n, and sequentially outputting the held voltage values;
• and
• a controlling section that controls an opening and closing operation of the readout switch of each of the M×N pixel units P1,1 to PM,N in the photodetecting section and controls an outputting operation of a voltage value in the signal readout section to make a voltage value according to an amount of charges generated in the photodiode of each of the M×N pixel units P1,1 to PM,N in the photodetecting section be output from the signal readout section, wherein
• the controlling section
• when in a first imaging mode, makes a voltage value according to an amount of charges generated in the photodiode of each of the M×N pixel units P1,1 to PM,N in the photodetecting section be output from the signal readout section,
• when in a second imaging mode, makes a voltage value according to an amount of charges generated in the photodiode of each pixel unit Pm,n included in a specific range of consecutive M1 rows or N1 columns in the photodetecting section be output from the signal readout section, and
• when in the second imaging mode as compared to when in the first imaging mode, makes a readout pixel pitch in frame data based on a voltage value to be output from the signal readout section smaller, makes a frame rate being a number of frames of data to be output per unit time higher, and makes a gain being a ratio of an output voltage value to an input charge amount in the signal readout section greater.