STRUCTURED DETECTORS AND DETECTOR SYSTEMS FOR RADIATION IMAGING

• US 20190317227A1
• Filed: 06/19/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minnesota Imaging and Engineering LLC
• Original Assignee: Minnesota Imaging and Engineering LLC
• Inventors: Nelson, Robert Sigurd, Nelson, William Bert
• Granted Patent: US 10,712,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/025 Tomosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/035 Mechanical aspects of CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0492 using markers or indicia for aiding patient positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4085 Cone-beams
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4208 characterised by using a particular type of detector
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4435 the source unit and the detector unit being coupled by a rigid structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/108 positrons; electron-positron annihilation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/419 computed tomograph
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/505 scintillation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/046 using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/2255 using incident ion beams, e.g. proton beams
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20181 Stacked detectors, e.g. for measuring energy and positional information using a combination of different types of scintillation detectors, e.g. phoswich detectors, G01T1/2008
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20182 Modular detectors, e.g. tiled scintillators or tiled photodiodes stacked detectors G01T1/20181
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20183 Arrangements for preventing or correcting crosstalk, e.g. optical or electrical arrangements for correcting crosstalk
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20184 Detector read-out circuitry, e.g. for clearing of traps, compensating for traps or compensating for direct hits
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20185 Coupling means between the photodiode and the scintillator, e.g. optical couplings using adhesives with wavelength-shifting fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2019 : Shielding against direct hits
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/22 : with Cerenkov detectors

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.

Claims

1-68. -68. (canceled)

69. A radiation detector module comprising:

a scintillator element configured to generate optical signals in response to incident radiation;

a photodetector coupled to at least a first surface of the scintillator element, the photodetector configured to convert the optical signals into output characterizing the radiation; and

an acoustic array coupled to at least a second surface of the scintillator element, the acoustic array configured to convert acoustic signals generated in the scintillator element into output characterizing acoustic energy deposited therein.

70. The detector module of claim 69, wherein the radiation is incident face on-to the scintillator element, along a major surface thereof.

71. The detector module of claim 69, wherein the radiation is incident edge-on to the scintillator element, along an edge defined transverse to first and second major opposing surfaces thereof.

72. The detector module of claim 69, wherein the photodetector and the acoustic array are disposed on opposing surfaces of the scintillator element.

73. The detector module of claim 69, wherein the photodetector and the acoustic array are disposed on a same surface of the scintillator element.

74. The detector module of claim 69, wherein the photodetector and the acoustic array are disposed on non-parallel surfaces of the scintillator element.

75. The detector module of claim 69, wherein at least one of the photodetector or the acoustic array is coupled to more than one surface of the scintillator element.

76. The detector module of claim 69, further comprising readout electronics coupled to the photodetector, the readout electronics configured to characterize the incident radiation based on one or more of energy resolution, spatial resolution or temporal resolution of the optical signals and readout electronics coupled to the acoustic array, wherein the readout electronics are configured to characterize the incident radiation based on one or more of spatial resolution, temporal resolution or energy resolution of the acoustic signals.

77. The detector module of claim 69, wherein the acoustic array comprises an acoustic transceiver array configured for generating audio or ultrasound signals.

78. An imaging system comprising a radiation detector module adapted to image at least one of an external or internal radiation field according to claim 69, and further comprising:

a sample acoustically coupled to the detector module;

an acoustic transceiver configured to generate density variations in the sample; and

a processor in data communication with the radiation detector module, the processor configured to evaluate the sample based on the first and second outputs.

79. The imaging system of claim 78, wherein the radiation detector module is configured for the imaging system to acquire conventional radiological images of the sample based on the first output characterizing the radiation and phase images of the sample based further on the second output characterizing the acoustic energy.

80. A radiation detector module comprising:

a detector element configured to generate electronic and acoustic signals in response to incident radiation passing through a sample; and

an acoustic array or transceiver coupled to the detector element and acoustically coupled to the sample, wherein the acoustic array or transceiver is configured to convert the acoustic signals into output characterizing the incident radiation.

81. The radiation detector module of claim 80, wherein the detector element comprises at least one of a solid state detector medium or a direct detector medium.

82. The radiation detector module of claim 80, wherein the detector element comprises a scintillator.

124. A method of operating an imaging system comprising a plurality of detector modules according to claim 80, the method comprising:

interrogating a material sample with ionizing radiation;

detecting the ionizing radiation with the plurality of detector modules; and

generating images of the material sample with an image processor in communication with the detector modules, based on the ionizing radiation and the encoding technique;

wherein an active or passive encoding technique is implemented with at least one of the detector modules or the material sample.

125. The method of claim 124, wherein:

the material sample includes biological tissue and the image processor is configured for medical imaging thereof;

or

the material sample includes a non-tissue material and the image processor is configured for imaging thereof.

126. The method of claim 124, wherein the encoding technique comprises:

utilizing non-optical information carriers with or without passive optical encoding;

modifying at least one of electric, magnetic, electromagnetic, acoustic or thermal ionizing radiation properties of the at least one of the detector modules;

or

implementing ionizing radiation structured detector elements of the detector modules.

83-119. -119. (canceled)

120. An imaging system comprising:

one or more detector modules configured to interrogate a material sample by detecting ionizing radiation, each detector module including;

a scintillator element configured to generate optical signals in response to incident radiation,

a photodetector coupled to at least a first surface of the scintillator element, the photodetector configured to convert the optical signals into output characterizing the radiation, and

an acoustic array coupled to at least a second surface of the scintillator element, the acoustic array configured to convert acoustic signals generated in the scintillator element into output characterizing acoustic energy deposited therein;

and further comprising active or passive encoding implemented with at least one of the detector modules or the material sample.

121. The imaging system of claim 120, further comprising:

an image processor in communication with the detector modules, the image processor configured to generate images of the material sample based on the ionizing radiation and the encoding;

wherein the material sample includes biological tissue and the image processor is configured for medical imaging thereof, or wherein the material sample includes a non-tissue material and the image processor is configured for non-medical science, industry or inspection imaging thereof.

122. The imaging system of claim 120, wherein the encoding utilizes non-optical information carriers or includes modifying at least one electric, magnetic, electromagnetic, acoustic or thermal ionizing radiation properties of the detector modules.

123. The imaging system of claim 122, wherein:

the radiation detector modules include one or more of slab, block, pixelated, array, layered, 3D structured and structured ionizing radiation detector elements; and

the encoding comprises ionizing radiation structured detector elements of the detector modules.