CATHETER-TYPE SEMI-CONDUCTOR RADIATION DETECTOR FOR INSERTION INTO A HUMAN BODY

• US 3,669,095 A
• Filed: 08/22/1967
• Issued: 06/13/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1966
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiichi Takayanagi, Tetsuji Kobayashi, Tohru Sugita
• Original Assignee: Seiichi Takayanagi, Tetsuji Kobayashi, Tohru Sugita
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Tetsuji, Takayanagi, Seiichi, Sugita, Tohru
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siskind, Marvin
• Application Number:
  US04/662,463
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2,2.1,2.05,2.5D,2.5F,404,418,419P 174/106.2,107,110.6,102.2
• US Class Current: 600/436
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4057 by using radiation sources located in the interior of the body A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/425 using detectors specially adapted to be used in the interior of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/161 Applications in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting apparatus for radiation diagnosis A61B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/244 Auxiliary details, e.g. casings, cooling, damping or insulation against damage by, e.g. heat, pressure or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/00 Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof H10K30/00 takes precedence; devices consisting of a plurality of solid state components formed in, or on, a common substrate, other than combinations of radiation-sensitive components with one or more electric light sources, H01L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/14 Polytetrafluoroethylene, i.e. PTFE
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/18 Heat shrinkable film

Abstract

A catheter type semiconductor radiation detector is comprised by a semiconductor detector adapted to be inserted in a human body to detect radiations to convert them into electric signals, and a coaxial cable adapted to transmit said converted electric signals to an external measuring device for detected outputs. The coaxial cable includes a layer of carbon powders interposed between an insulating layer adjacent a core conductor and a shield conductor.

Claims

1. A catheter type semiconductor radiation detector comprising:

a radiation detecting member adapted to be inserted in a human body including a semiconductor radiation detecting element;

a housing member holding said detecting eLement; and

means to apply a voltage to said detecting element and to derive out electrical signals detected by said detecting element; and

a coaxial cable connected to said radiation detector, said coaxial cable including a core conductor connected to said detecting element;

an insulator layer made of polyfluoroethylene surrounding said core conductor;

a shield conductor surrounding said insulator layer; and

a high conductivity layer consisting of carbon powder interposed between said insulator layer and said shield conductor.

2. The catheter type semiconductor radiation detector according to claim 1 wherein said semiconductor radiation detecting member comprises a first semiconductor substrate of one conductivity type, a lead wire connected to said substrate through an ohmic contact, a second semiconductor layer of the other conductivity type, said second semiconductor layer covering substantially the whole surface of said semiconductor substrate except said ohmic contact, thus forming a P-N junction in cooperation with said substrate, and an electrode connected electrically to said second semiconductor layer.

3. The catheter type semiconductor radiation detector according to claim 2 wherein said electrode connected to the second semiconductor layer is formed with a metal sleeve, said second layer being connected to the sleeve at one end thereof.

4. The catheter type semiconductor radiation detector according to claim 2 wherein said semiconductor layer having said other conductivity type is a high resistance layer.

5. The catheter type semiconductor radiation detector according to claim 2 wherein the exposed portion of said P-N junction is coated by a protective coating.

6. The catheter type semiconductor radiation detector according to claim 1 wherein portions of the periphery of said radiation detector and said coaxial cable are covered by a heat shrinkable resinous layer to provide a water tight construction.

7. The catheter type semiconductor radiation detector according to claim 1 wherein said semiconductor radiation detecting member comprises a first semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type;

a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type covering at least a portion of said first semiconductor substrate;

a lead wire connected to an uncovered portion of said first semiconductor substrate by means of an ohmic contact; and

an electrode connected to said second semiconductor layer, a P-N junction being formed between said substrate and said second layer.

8. The catheter type semiconductor radiation detector according to claim 7 wherein said lead wire is electrically connected to said core conductor of said coaxial cable.

9. The catheter type semiconductor radiation detector according to claim 7 further comprising a metallic housing accomodating said semiconductor detecting member, said housing being electrically connected to said second semiconductor layer to comprise said electrode, said housing having an opening therein for exposing at least a portion of said second semiconductor layer to said radiation.

10. The catheter type semiconductor radiation detector according to claim 8 wherein said housing is electrically connected to said shield conductor of said coaxial conductor.