X-ray detector methods and apparatus

• US 20080069297A1
• Filed: 09/18/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hoffman, David Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,545,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/508 for non-human patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5235 combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/04 and forming images of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2985 In depth localisation, e.g. using positron emitters; Tomographic imaging (longitudinal and transverse section imaging; apparatus for radiation diagnosis sequentially in different planes, steroscopic radiation diagnosis); using external radiation sources A61B6/02

Abstract

A method includes simultaneously collecting both x-ray count data and energy charge data from a single cell.

Claims

1. A method comprising simultaneously collecting both x-ray count data and energy charge data from a single cell.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising retrospectively deciding which collected data to use in an image reconstruction process.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising using both collected data in an image reconstruction process.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising using the x-ray count data retrospectively when it is determined that the data came from a low count rate regime.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising using the x-ray count data retrospectively when it is determined that the data came from a low count rate regime to perform tissue differentiation or material decomposition.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising using the energy charge data retrospectively when it is determined that the data came from a high count rate regime.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the count data is collected from approximately 80% of the cell and the energy charge data is collected from approximately 20% of the cell.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the count data is collected from a silicon photomultiplier area of the cell and the energy charge data is collected from a photodiode area of the cell.

9. Apparatus comprising:

a detector array comprising a plurality of x-ray detector cells wherein a portion of each x-ray detector cell is usable to collect x-ray count data and a portion is usable to collect energy charge data.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said x-ray count data portion is about 80% of the cell and said energy charge data portion is about 20% of the cell.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a computer operationally connected to said detector array, said computer configured to retrospectively determine if x-ray count data, and/or energy data should be used in an image reconstruction process.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said computer further configured to perform a tissue differentiation or a material decomposition on the data when the data for came from a low count rate regime.

13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein said computer configured to use the energy charge data retrospectively when it is determined that the data came from a high count rate regime.

14. Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said x-ray count data portion comprises a silicon photomultiplier area of the cell and said energy charge portion comprises a photodiode area of the cell.

15. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said x-ray count data portion comprises a silicon photomultiplier area of the cell and said energy charge portion comprises a photodiode area of the cell

16. A system comprising:

an x-ray source;

an x-ray detector positioned to receive x-rays emitted from said source; and

a computer operationally coupled to said source and said detector, said computer configured to collect both x-ray count data and energy charge data from a single cell of said detector.

17. A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said computer further configured to retrospectively decide which collected data to use in an image reconstruction process.

18. A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said computer further configured to use both collected data in an image reconstruction process.

19. A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said computer further configured to use the x-ray count data retrospectively when it is determined that the data came from a low count rate regime.

20. A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said computer further configured to use the x-ray count data retrospectively when it is determined that the data came from a low count rate regime to perform tissue differentiation or material decomposition.