Method and arrangement for detecting X-rays

• US 6,195,413 B1
• Filed: 06/14/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Heimann Systems GmbH
• Original Assignee: Heimann Systems GmbH
• Inventors: Hartick, Martin, Geus, George, Schall, Patricia
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A.
• Application Number:
  US09/332,123
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 378/57, 378/98.9, 378/98.11, 378/98.12, 378/156
• US Class Current: 378/98.9
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/083 the radiation being X-rays

Abstract

A method for detecting X-rays which are separated into individual energy ranges after penetrating an object, as well as to an arrangement for implementing this method. It is known to detect X-rays (FX) by using detection devices (3), consisting of several identically configured detector pairs. The detector pairs in that case consist of a low-energy detector (4) and a high-energy detector (7). As a result, the weakened X-ray beam (FX′) is separated into individual energy ranges following the X-raying of an object (2). This separation is necessary to determine the types of material in the X-rayed object (2). The disadvantage of known detection devices (3) is that an overlapping of the individual energy ranges occurs in the low-energy detector (4), thereby making it impossible to detect the material type with certainty. This problem is avoided by providing for computing out the high-energy shares absorbed in the low-energy detector (4) with the aid of an additional signal. For this purpose, a second low-energy detector (5) is arranged between the first low-energy detector (4) and the high-energy detector (7). An energy spectrum (FX₂) that is absorbed in the second low-energy detector (5) is used to obtain the signal to be subtracted.

Claims

1. In a method for detecting X-rays where individual energy ranges are simultaneously radiated onto an object to be X-rayed and are thereby weakened and the weakened X-ray beams are separated into a low-energy range and a high-energy range by passing the weakened X-rays through sequentially arranged first low-energy range and high-energy range detectors to provide respective low-energy and high-energy signals, the improvement comprising:

providing a further low-energy signal (FX₂) that also represents the low-energy range of the weakened X-ray beam (FX′

) from a second low energy detector; and

using the further low-energy signal to compute the high-energy shares absorbed in the low energy range out of the low-energy signal (FX₁) provided by the first low-energy range detector to provide an improved low-energy range signal.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising adding the generated low energy signal (FX₂) from the second low energy detector, which generated signal represents the high-energy share in the low-energy signal, to a high signal (FX₃) that represents the high-energy range provided by the high-energy detector, in order to have an improved, clear separation between the low-energy range and the high-energy range of the weakened X-ray beam (FX′

).

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the separation of the weakened X-ray beam (FX′

) into a low energy signal (FX_L) that is freed of high-energy shares and an improved high energy signal (FX_H) occurs for each pixel.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the material type of the object is identified by a comparison of the low energy signal (FX_L) and the high energy signal (FX_H), with stored signals that represent material data.

5. An arrangement for implementing the method according to claim 1, with said arrangement comprising:

an X-ray beam generator for directing an X-ray beam onto an object to be X-rayed;

a detection device including several pairs of detectors, with each pair including at least a first low energy range detector and one high energy detector arranged sequentially to detect the weakened X-ray beam to provide respective high-energy and low-energy signals;

a subsequently installed computation unit for receiving the signals from the respective detectors and for providing improved low-energy and high-energy signals; and

an image evaluation unit connected to outputs of the computation unit for receiving and evaluating output signals from the computation unit; and

wherein each detector pair is provided with an second low detector that is spatially integrated between the first low energy detector and the high energy detector so that these detectors form a detector group.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein a filter is installed between the second low energy detector and the high energy detector.

7. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the first low energy detector is connected to a first input (E1) of the computation unit, the second low energy detector is connected to a second input (E2) of the computation unit, and the high energy detector is connected to another input (E3) of the computation unit.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the computation unit subtracts the signals at said first and second inputs to provide a low energy signal (FX_L) that is freed of high-energy shares at a first output (A1) of the computation unit, and adds the signal at the second input of the computation unit to the signal at the third input of the computation unit to provide an improved high energy signal (FX_H) at a second output (A2) of the computation unit.

9. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the first low energy detector and the second low energy detector have the same absorption behavior.

10. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the first low energy detector and the second low energy detector are made from the same material and have the same dimensions.