Structured detectors and detector systems for radiation imaging
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A detector module comprising:
- at least top and bottom layers of crossed scintillator rods comprising;
a first top layer of scintillator rods, each scintillator rod in the first layer extending in a first direction; and
a second bottom layer of scintillator rods stacked adjacent the first layer, each scintillator rod in the second layer extending in a second direction;
wherein the top and bottom layers of scintillator rods are defined in a unitary scintillator element having a light sharing region defined therein, wherein optical signals are transmitted between the respective crossed scintillator rods of the top and bottom layers;
wherein the first and second directions are transversely oriented, such that the first and second layers of scintillator rods are crossed to define the region of light sharing between the scintillator rods of the first layer and the scintillator rods of the second layer;
wherein the scintillator rods in the first layer have at least one different dimension with respect to the scintillator rods in the second layer, such that the first and second layers have one or more of different spatial, timing and energy resolution; and
wherein the scintillator rods are configured to generate the optical signals in response to one or more of x-ray radiation, gamma radiation, or particle radiation; and
a plurality of photodetector elements configured to convert the optical signals into output characterizing the radiation.
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Abstract
Detector module designs for radiographic imaging include first and second layers of scintillator rods or pixel arrays oriented in first and second directions. The first and second directions are transversely oriented to define a light sharing region between the first and second layers. Encoding features may be disposed in, on or between the first and second layers, and configured to modulate propagation of optical signals therealong or therebetween.
52 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A detector module comprising:
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at least top and bottom layers of crossed scintillator rods comprising; a first top layer of scintillator rods, each scintillator rod in the first layer extending in a first direction; and a second bottom layer of scintillator rods stacked adjacent the first layer, each scintillator rod in the second layer extending in a second direction; wherein the top and bottom layers of scintillator rods are defined in a unitary scintillator element having a light sharing region defined therein, wherein optical signals are transmitted between the respective crossed scintillator rods of the top and bottom layers; wherein the first and second directions are transversely oriented, such that the first and second layers of scintillator rods are crossed to define the region of light sharing between the scintillator rods of the first layer and the scintillator rods of the second layer; wherein the scintillator rods in the first layer have at least one different dimension with respect to the scintillator rods in the second layer, such that the first and second layers have one or more of different spatial, timing and energy resolution; and wherein the scintillator rods are configured to generate the optical signals in response to one or more of x-ray radiation, gamma radiation, or particle radiation; and a plurality of photodetector elements configured to convert the optical signals into output characterizing the radiation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A detector module comprising:
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at least three layers of scintillators, wherein at least top and bottom layers of crossed scintillator rods comprise transversely oriented scintillator rods configured to generate optical signals in response to ionizing radiation, the transversely oriented scintillator rods extending in first and second transverse directions in the top and bottom layers, respectively; wherein the top and bottom layers of scintillator rods are defined in a unitary scintillator element having a light sharing region defined therein, between the top and bottom layers and at least one adjacent intermediate layer between the top and bottom layers, wherein the optical signals are transmitted between the respective crossed scintillator rods of the top and bottom layers; a plurality of photodetector elements configured to convert the optical signals into output characterizing the radiation; and an encoding pattern configured to modulate transmission of the optical signals along one or both of the top and bottom layers of scintillator rods or between the top and bottom layers of scintillator rods; wherein the scintillator rods in the top layer have the same dimensions or at least one different dimension with respect to the scintillator rods in the bottom layer such that the top and bottom layers have one or more of different spatial, timing and energy resolution. - View Dependent Claims (19, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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20. A detector module comprising:
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at least top and bottom layers of crossed or parallel scintillator rods, wherein the top and bottom layers of scintillator rods are defined in a unitary scintillator element having a light sharing region defined therein, wherein optical signals are transmitted between the respective crossed or parallel scintillator rods of the top and bottom layers; wherein the scintillator rods in the top layer have the same dimensions or at least one different dimension with respect to the scintillator rods in the bottom layer such that the top and bottom layers have one or more of different spatial, timing and energy resolution; and wherein the scintillator rods are configured to generate the optical signals in response to one or more of x-ray radiation, gamma radiation, or particle radiation; and a plurality of photodetector elements configured to convert the optical signals into output characterizing the radiation. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 34)
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35. An imaging system comprising:
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one or more detector modules configured to interrogate a material sample by detecting ionizing radiation, wherein the one or more detector modules include at least one of an edge-on detector module, a face-on detector module and a multilayer detector module comprising at least top and bottom layers of crossed or parallel scintillator rods, wherein the top and bottom layers of scintillator rods are defined in a unitary scintillator element having a light sharing region defined therein, wherein optical signals are transmitted between the respective crossed or parallel scintillator rods of the top and bottom layers; wherein the scintillator rods in the top layer have the same dimensions or at least one different dimension with respect to the scintillator rods in the bottom layer such that the top and bottom layers have one or more of different spatial, timing and energy resolution; and wherein the scintillator rods are configured to generate the optical signals in response to one or more of x-ray radiation, gamma radiation, or particle radiation; and a plurality of photodetector elements configured to convert the optical signals into output characterizing the radiation; and at least one of an active or passive encoding technique implemented with at least one of the detector modules or the material sample. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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Specification