Radiation measuring apparatus

• US 5,905,262 A
• Filed: 02/26/1997
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keith Albert Spanswick
• Original Assignee: Keith Albert Spanswick
• Inventors: Spanswick, Keith Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US08/806,822
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 250/361 R, 250/367, 250/368, 250/369, 250/483.1
• US Class Current: 250/368
• 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 1/20 with scintillation detectors

Abstract

Radiation measuring apparatus includes a sensor assembly (10) including a sensor (16) which includes a scintillating body (30, 30'"'"') that absorbs radiation to be sensed and converts it to light. A measuring device (38) measures the intensity of the light emitted by the scintillating body and thereby indicates the amount of radiation to which the body (30) has been exposed. The sensor assembly may also include an optical fiber (12) by which the light emitted by the scintillating body is conducted to the measuring device (38). A plug (14) located on an end of the optical fiber remote from the sensor (16) is adapted to be detachably inserted in a connecting socket (40) of the measuring device (38). In this way the sensor assembly (10) is readily exchangeable for a new assembly.

Claims

1. Radiation measuring apparatus comprising a sensor assembly including a sensor shrouded within a pad assembly that is transparent to the radiation to be measured and which facilitates mounting of the pad assembly on a surface, the pad assembly being disc-shaped and having a diameter less than about 50 mm, the sensor having a scintillating body which absorbs the radiation and converts it to light and means for measuring the intensity of the light emitted by the body and thereby indicating the amount of radiation to which the body had been exposed.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sensor assembly is detachably connected to the measuring means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the sensor assembly includes a flexible optical fiber by which light emitted by the scintillating body is conducted to the measuring means.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein one end of the flexible optical fiber has connector means attached thereto by which the flexible optical fiber is detachably connected to the measuring means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the scintillating body is shrouded by a reflective material which reflects light and tends to direct light emitted by the scintillating body impinging on the reflective material towards the optical fiber for transmission to the measuring means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the scintillating body and adjacent portions of the sensor assembly are shrouded by an opaque cover to prevent light other than that emitted by the scintillating body from reaching the optical fiber.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pad assembly is adapted to be secured to a surface by adhesive.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pad assembly comprises a flexible resilient material.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the measuring means includes resettable means for measuring and displaying total amount of radiation to which the scintillating body of the sensor assembly has been exposed.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the measuring means includes rate means for measuring and displaying the rate of radiation exposure to which the scintillating body of the sensor assembly has been exposed.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the scintillating body comprises a thallium doped caesium iodide crystalline material.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the scintillating body comprises zinc cadmium sulphate-Ag.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the scintillating body is made from powdered particles reconstituted into a thin flat scintillating disc.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the scintillating body is less than 0.3 mm thick.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the scintillating body comprises a disc that is no greater than about 1 mm in diameter and no thicker than about 0.25 mm.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the scintillating body has a volume that is less than 0.3 cubic mm.

17. Radiation measuring apparatus comprising:

a sensor assembly including a sensor having a scintillating body made from Zinc Cadmium Sulphate-Ag powdered particles reconstituted into a thin flat scintillating disc which absorbs radiation and converts it to light, the thin flat scintillating disc being mounted on a base disc;

a flexible optical fiber overlaying a portion of the base disc so that a first end of the flexible optical fiber is positioned adjacent the thin flat scintillating disc, and wherein a mirrored surface, positioned at an angle relative to the base disc, overlays the thin flat scintillating disc so as to direct light emitted by the thin flat scintillating disc into the flexible optical fiber, and further wherein an opaque molding layer shrouds the thin flat scintillating disc, angled mirrored surface, and the first end of the flexible optical fiber; and

means for measuring the intensity of the light emitted by the thin flat scintillating disc and thereby indicating the amount of radiation to which the thin flat scintillating disc has been exposed.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the mirrored surface is positioned at an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the base disc.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the base disc includes a fold wherein a portion of the base disc is folded up, said folded up portion of the base disc having a hole therein through which the flexible optical fiber passes, said folded up portion thereby providing a strain relief for the optical fiber.

20. A sensor assembly suitable for sensing radiation comprising:

a flexible optical fiber having proximal and distal ends,

a plug connector at the proximal end;

a sensor at the distal end, the sensor comprising;

a scintillating body made from powdered particles reconstituted into a thin flat scintillating disc positioned adjacent the distal end formed of a material which emits light when the scintillating disc is exposed to radiation;

a base disc on which the thin flat scintillating disc is mounted, the base disc facilitating attachment of the thin flat scintillating disc to a surface, and wherein the flexible optical fiber overlays a portion of the base disc so that the distal end of the flexible optical fiber is positioned adjacent the thin flat scintillating disc;

a mirrored surface positioned at an angle relative to the base disc so as to direct light emitted by the thin flat scintillating disc into the flexible optical fiber, and

a molding layer that shrouds the thin flat scintillating disc, angled mirrored surface, and the distal end of the flexible optical fiber, the molding layer being transparent to X-ray radiation, but being opaque to light emitted from the thin flat scintillating disc.

21. The sensor assembly of claim 20 wherein the mirrored surface is positioned at an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the base disc.