RADIATION IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM

• US 20160035451A1
• Filed: 07/14/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: TSUJI, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 9,697,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4266 characterised by using a plurality of detector units A61B6/4014 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4283 characterised by a detector unit being housed in a cassette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4291 the detector being combined with a grid or grating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4452 the source unit and the detector unit being able to move relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5241 combining overlapping images of the same imaging modality, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 2004/02 characterised by the external panel structure
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 4/00 Conversion screens for the conversion of the spatial distribution of X-rays or particle radiation into visible images, e.g. fluoroscopic screens photographic processes using X-ray intensifiers G03C5/17; discharge tubes comprising luminescent screens H01J1/62; cathode ray tubes for X-ray conversion with optical output H01J31/50

Abstract

A radiation image capturing system capable of improving image quality of a radiation image is provided. A position of a joint of a grid is determined in consideration of displacement of an angle of incidence of radiation on a grid unit and a radiation detector group, and a joint image caused by the joint of the grid is prevented from being included in a search range of a position of a boundary in the radiation image captured by the radiation detector. The joint of the grid is provided in a position away ±(y1+2×y2)×tanβ or more from a position of a step of the radiation detector.

Claims

1. A radiation image capturing system, comprising:

an irradiation unit that irradiates a photography target with radiation;

a grid unit that removes scattered rays included in the radiation transmitted through the photography target, the grid unit including a plurality of jointed grids; and

a radiation detector group that has a plurality of radiation detectors arranged side by side in a direction intersecting an incidence direction of the radiation in a state in which end portions of the radiation detectors overlap in the incidence direction, and captures a radiation image according to the radiation, the radiation image including a step image caused by a step with respect to the incidence direction in the end portion, and a joint image caused by a joint of the grid,

wherein a position in which the joint of the grid is provided is a position in which a first region including the step image of the radiation image and a second region including the joint image are spaced.

2. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 1,

wherein the positions of the first region, and the second region included in the radiation image are determined based on an angle of incidence of the radiation on the radiation detector.

3. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 1,

wherein the first region is a search range in which a correction unit searches for the radiation image, the correction unit searching a search range of the radiation image to detect a position of the step image and correcting the detected step image.

4. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 3,

wherein the correction unit detects the position of the step image based on a position of a boundary between the step image included in the radiation image and an image different from the step image.

5. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 3, further comprising the correction unit.

6. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 4, further comprising the correction unit.

7. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 3,

wherein the search range is determined in advance based on a thickness in the incidence direction of the radiation detector provided on the side close to the irradiation unit in the incidence direction, a distance between the corresponding radiation detector and the radiation detector overlapping the corresponding radiation detector, a position of the step, and the angle of incidence of the radiation on the radiation detector.

8. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 4,

wherein the search range is determined in advance based on a thickness in the incidence direction of the radiation detector provided on the side close to the irradiation unit in the incidence direction, a distance between the corresponding radiation detector and the radiation detector overlapping the corresponding radiation detector, a position of the step, and the angle of incidence of the radiation on the radiation detector.

9. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 5,

wherein the search range is determined in advance based on a thickness in the incidence direction of the radiation detector provided on the side close to the irradiation unit in the incidence direction, a distance between the corresponding radiation detector and the radiation detector overlapping the corresponding radiation detector, a position of the step, and the angle of incidence of the radiation on the radiation detector.

10. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 1,

wherein a position of the joint of the grid unit is a position based on a thickness of the grid in the incidence direction, a distance from the grid unit to the radiation detector arranged on the side close to the irradiation unit in the incidence direction, a thickness of the radiation detector in the incidence direction, a distance from the corresponding radiation detector to the radiation detector overlapping the corresponding radiation detector, a position of the step, and an angle of incidence of the radiation on the radiation detector.

11. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 2,

wherein a position of the joint of the grid unit is a position based on a thickness of the grid in the incidence direction, a distance from the grid unit to the radiation detector arranged on the side close to the irradiation unit in the incidence direction, a thickness of the radiation detector in the incidence direction, a distance from the corresponding radiation detector to the radiation detector overlapping the corresponding radiation detector, a position of the step, and an angle of incidence of the radiation on the radiation detector.

12. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 3,

wherein a position of the joint of the grid unit is a position based on a thickness of the grid in the incidence direction, a distance from the grid unit to the radiation detector arranged on the side close to the irradiation unit in the incidence direction, a thickness of the radiation detector in the incidence direction, a distance from the corresponding radiation detector to the radiation detector overlapping the corresponding radiation detector, a position of the step, and an angle of incidence of the radiation on the radiation detector.

13. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 4,

wherein a position of the joint of the grid unit is a position based on a thickness of the grid in the incidence direction, a distance from the grid unit to the radiation detector arranged on the side close to the irradiation unit in the incidence direction, a thickness of the radiation detector in the incidence direction, a distance from the corresponding radiation detector to the radiation detector overlapping the corresponding radiation detector, a position of the step, and an angle of incidence of the radiation on the radiation detector.

14. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 5,

wherein a position of the joint of the grid unit is a position based on a thickness of the grid in the incidence direction, a distance from the grid unit to the radiation detector arranged on the side close to the irradiation unit in the incidence direction, a thickness of the radiation detector in the incidence direction, a distance from the corresponding radiation detector to the radiation detector overlapping the corresponding radiation detector, a position of the step, and an angle of incidence of the radiation on the radiation detector.

15. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 7,

wherein a position of the joint of the grid unit is a position based on a thickness of the grid in the incidence direction, a distance from the grid unit to the radiation detector arranged on the side close to the irradiation unit in the incidence direction, a thickness of the radiation detector in the incidence direction, a distance from the corresponding radiation detector to the radiation detector overlapping the corresponding radiation detector, a position of the step, and an angle of incidence of the radiation on the radiation detector.

16. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 1,

wherein the joint extends in a direction along the step.

17. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 1,

wherein the radiation detector group includes

a first radiation detector that captures a radiation image in which the step image is not included;

and

a second radiation detector that is arranged in a position farther from the irradiation unit than the first radiation detector, and captures a radiation image including the step image and the joint image.

18. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 1,

wherein the radiation detector includes

a scintillator that converts radiation radiated from the irradiation unit into light;

a sensor unit that generates charge according to an amount of light converted by the scintillator; and

a substrate in which a plurality of pixels are formed, the pixel including a switch element for reading the charge from the sensor unit.

19. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 18,

wherein the scintillator is formed with a smaller area than the substrate on all of the plurality of pixels, and

the end portion is an end portion of the scintillator.

20. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing unit that fixes the position of the grid unit to the radiation detector group.