RADIATION IMAGE AMPLIFIER AND DISPLAY COMPRISING A FIBER OPTIC MATRIX FOR DETECTING AND CODING THE RADIATION IMAGE PATTERN

• US 3,652,855 A
• Filed: 05/26/1969
• Issued: 03/28/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dwight Proffer Saylor, John Armin Mcintyre
• Original Assignee: Dwight Proffer Saylor, John Armin Mcintyre
• Inventors: McIntyre, John Armin, Saylor, Dwight Proffer
• Primary Examiner(s): Borchelt, Archie R.
• Application Number:
  US04/827,759
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 250/71.5S,227,83.3R 340/172.5 350/96
• US Class Current: 250/366
• 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 image amplifier is disclosed comprising a fiber optic matrix for detecting and coding the radiation image pattern and photosensitive amplifying means for converting the coded image into electrical signals which are amplified and then utilized by decoding to produce an enlarged and intensified image display. The fiber matrix is coded in such manner as to minimize the size of the photosensitive amplifying means.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for analyzing a radiation image of the type comprising:

a. input means for acqUiring radiation in the pattern of the image to be reproduced and for separating said pattern into a plurality of discrete elements;

b. coding means for conducting said elements from said input means and coding them in combinations indicative of their relative positions in said pattern;

c. output means for receiving said coded elements from said coding means and converting said elements into electrical signals; and

d. means for utilizing the electrical signals from said output means to obtain an indication of the relative positions of the discrete elements in said pattern;

the improvement wherein said coding means comprises a plurality of optical fibers, each having an end disposed in a matrix forming said input means and its opposite end connected to one of a plurality of photosensitive devices comprising said output means, said matrix being divided into columns and rows of discrete sites, with a portion having N sites on a side and each site containing the ends of n optical fibers, wherein n is an even integer greater than 2 and n/2 fibers are used to identify the column and n/2 fibers are used to identify the row in which a respective site is located, said fibers being connected in different combinations to said output means, such that nN photosensitive devices will produce appropriate electrical signals, indicating the column and row of any site acquiring a pattern element in a surface of Nn sites.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said energy conductors comprise a plurality of optical fibers and said input surface comprises a matrix of the optical fiber ends.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said energy sensors comprise a plurality of photosensitive devices.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said utilizing means comprises a cathode ray oscilloscope, and a discriminator circuit producing output voltages in response to said electrical signals to control the display on said cathode ray oscilloscope.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said discriminator circuit comprises a voltage divider network comprising:

e. a chain of resistors connected in series across a voltage source;

f. a plurality of parallel circuit legs connected at equal intervals along said chain such that each circuit leg taps off a voltage whose magnitude is proportional to the position of the circuit leg in the chain and all said circuit legs connected in common to the circuit output; and

g. a normally open switch in each circuit leg, each of said switches being actuated by said electrical signals in such manner that the voltage appearing at said output is indicative of the positions of the elements corresponding to said actuating signals in said pattern.

6. A coding apparatus comprising:

a. an energy input surface divided into columns and rows of discrete sites and having a portion with N sites on a side;

b. a plurality of energy conductors n in each site, n/2 of which are used to identify the row and n/2 of which are used to identify the column in which a respective site lies, n being an even integer greater than 2; and

c. energy sensors connected in different combinations to said energy conductors such that nN sensors will produce an output indicating the row and column of any site receiving energy in a surface of Nn sites.

7. A diagnostic radiation detecting system comprising:

a. a scintillation screen for converting a radiation pattern into a light pattern;

b. an optical fiber matrix with its input ends adjacent said scintillation screen for receiving and separating the light pattern into discrete elements and transmitting the elements in accordance with their relative positions in said pattern, said matrix comprising;

i. a plurality of unit areas arranged in columns and rows to form an input surface with a portion having N unit areas on a side;

ii. an even number n of fiber ends in each unit area, n/2 of which are used to identify the column and n/2 of which are used to identify the row in which a respective unit area is located, n being greater than two;

c. nN photomultiplier tubes connected at the output ends of said optical fiber matrix in coded combinations for receiving the light elements and converting them into electrical signals;

d. a decoding circuit actuated in response to said electrical signals for producing output voltages indicative of the relative position in said pattern of the light signals corresponding to said electrical signals; and

e. a cathode ray oscilloscope controlled by said output voltages for producing a visual display corresponding to said pattern. 8 The method of coding a radiant energy pattern comprising the steps of;

a. dividing the pattern into columns and rows of discrete sites and having at least N sites on a side;

b. drawing off any energy present at each site in n portions, n/2 of which are used to identify the row and n/2 of which are used to identify the column in which a respective site is located, n being an even integer greater than 2; and

c. conducting said portions in different combinations to a plurality of signal stations such that nN signal stations may be used to indicate the row and column of any site from which energy has been drawn in a surface of Nn sites.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising the steps of:

d. converting said energy portions at said signal stations into electrical signals; and

e. analyzing the electrical signals to obtain an indication of the relative positions of the discrete sites in said pattern from which energy has been drawn.

10. The method of claim 9, including the step of amplifying said electrical signals.

11. The method of claim 9, including the step of storing said electrical signals.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the energy is produced by radiation selected from the group consisting of X-rays, gamma rays, light, charged particles and neutral particles.

13. Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the optical fibers in said matrix are circular in cross-section and each fiber is in contact with all its adjacent fibers.

14. Apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said scintillation screen comprises a plate of NaI(Tl).