RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS AND RADIATION IMAGING SYSTEM

• US 20190324156A1
• Filed: 06/28/2019
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Miura, Ryosuke, Watanabe, Minoru, Yokoyama, Keigo, Ofuji, Masato, Fujiyoshi, Kentaro, Kawanabe, Jun, Sato, Sho, Furumoto, Kazuya
• Granted Patent: US 10,921,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4233 using matrix detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5258 involving detection or reduction of artifacts or noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/542 involving control of exposure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/563 involving image data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/585 Calibration of detector units
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/04 and forming images of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20 with scintillation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 7/00 Details of radiation-measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/32 Transforming X-rays cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from X-rays H04N23/30; circuitry of SSIS for transforming X-rays into image signals H04N25/30

Abstract

A radiation imaging apparatus includes a first detection pixel including a first switch element, a second detection pixel including a second switch element and having sensitivity which is different from that of the first detection pixel, a first signal line, a second signal line, a reading circuit which performs a first operation of reading first and second signals which appear in the first and second signal lines in a state in which the first and second switch elements are in a non-conductive state while the radiation imaging apparatus is irradiated with a radial ray and a second operation of reading third and fourth signals which appear in the first and second signal lines when the first and second switch elements are brought into a conductive state, and an information processing circuit which performs a process of generating information based on the first to fourth signals.

Claims

1. A radiation imaging apparatus comprising:

a plurality of pixels which are arranged in an array in an imaging region and which are for obtaining a radiation image;

a first detection pixel including a first switch element and a second detection pixel including a second switch element and having sensitivity to detection of a radial ray which is different from sensitivity of the first detection pixel which are used to obtain information on irradiation with a radial ray on the imaging region including at least one of a start of irradiation with a radial ray, an end of irradiation with a radial ray, intensity of irradiation with a radial ray, and an amount of irradiation with a radial ray;

a first signal line which is disposed in the imaging region or adjacent to the imaging region and which receives a signal supplied from the first detection pixel through the first switch element in a conductive state;

a second signal line which receives a signal supplied from the second detection pixel through the second switch element in a conductive state;

a reading circuit configured to perform a first operation of reading first and second signals which appear in the first and second signal lines in a state in which the first and second switch elements are in a non-conductive state while the radiation imaging apparatus is irradiated with a radial ray and a second operation of reading third and fourth signals which appear in the first and second signal lines when the first and second switch elements are brought into a conductive state; and

an information processing circuit configured to perform a process of generating the information based on the first to fourth signals.

2. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing circuit corrects the third signal based on the first, second, and fourth signals and generates the information.

3. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information processing circuit calculates a rate of the first signal to the second signal, corrects the fourth signal based on the rate, corrects the third signal by performing a difference process on the third signal and the corrected fourth signal, and generates the information.

4. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information processing circuit calculates a difference between the first and second signals, corrects the fourth signal based on the difference, corrects the third signal by performing a difference process on the third signal and the corrected fourth signal, and generates the information.

5. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first and second detection pixels are disposed in the imaging region, and

wherein the second detection pixel has sensitivity to detection of a radial ray which is lower than sensitivity of the first detection pixel.

6. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein each of the first and second detection pixels includes a conversion element which converts a radial ray into an electric signal, and

wherein the radiation imaging apparatus further includes a scintillator which converts a radial ray into light, the conversion element includes a photoelectric conversion element which converts light into an electric signal, and the second detection pixel includes a shield member which is disposed between the scintillator and the conversion element and which shields the light.

7. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion element of the first detection pixel and the conversion element of the second detection pixel have the same structure.

8. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second switch elements have the same structure.

9. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of first detection pixels connected to the first signal line and the number of second detection pixels connected to the second signal line are the same.

10. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first signal line and the second signal line have respective regions which overlap with the plurality of pixels and the first and second detection pixels in a plan view relative to the imaging region, and

wherein a sum of the number of pixels which overlap with the first signal line, the number of first detection pixels, and the number of second detection pixels and a sum of the number of pixels which overlap with the second signal line, the number of first detection pixels, and the number of second detection pixels are the same.

11. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of image signal lines which receive signals supplied from the plurality of pixels,

wherein one of the plurality of image signal lines also serves as the first signal line or the second signal line.

12. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of image signal lines which receive signals supplied from the plurality of pixels.

13. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing circuit performs control of a radiation source using the information on irradiation with a radial ray.

14. A radiation imaging system comprising:

the radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1; and

a signal processing unit configured to process a signal supplied from the radiation imaging apparatus.

15. The radiation imaging system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a radiation source which generates a radial ray,

wherein the information processing circuit controls the radiation source based on the information.