Radiation conversion panel and method of capturing radiation image therewith

• US 7,953,207 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Akahori, Sadato, Fukuda, Atsushi, Ohta, Yasunori, Ueta, Kazuharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Song; Hoon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanei; Mona M
• Application Number:
  US12/239,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20090086913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 378/98.9, 378/98.11
• US Class Current: 378/98.9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4233 using matrix detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4291 the detector being combined with a grid or grating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4488 Means for cooling A61B6/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/482 involving multiple energy imaging

Abstract

A radiation conversion panel includes a first pixel group from which electric charges are read after a first energy-level image capturing cycle and after a second energy-level image capturing cycle, and a second pixel group from which electric charges are read after the second energy-level image capturing cycle, wherein pixels of the first pixel group and pixels of the second pixel group are arranged alternately.

Claims

1. A method of capturing a radiation image according to dual-energy radiography, using a radiation conversion panel having a matrix of pixels for generating electric charges depending on a radiation that has passed through a subject, said radiation conversion panel comprising a first pixel group and a second pixel group, wherein pixels of said first pixel group and pixels of said second pixel group are arranged alternately,

said method comprising:

a step A of performing a high energy-level image capturing cycle and thereafter reading electric charges from the pixels of said first pixel group to generate high energy-level first-pixel-group data;

a step B of performing a low energy-level image capturing cycle and reading electric charges from the pixels of said second pixel group to generate high energy-level second-pixel-group data, said electric charges from the pixels of said second pixel group comprising combined electric charges of the electric charges stored due to the low energy-level image capturing cycle and the electric charges remaining after the high energy-level image capturing cycle in said step A, in the pixels of said second pixel group;

a step C of reading electric charges from the pixels of said first pixel group, to generate low energy-level first-pixel-group data;

a step D of copying said low energy-level first-pixel-group data generated in said step C, as low energy-level second-pixel-group data of said second pixel group; and

a step E of generating subtractive image data based on high energy-level all-pixel data and low energy-level all-pixel data, said high energy-level all-pixel data comprising said high energy-level first- and second-pixel-group data, and said low energy-level all-pixel data comprising said low energy-level first- and second-pixel-group data.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the pixels of said first pixel group and the pixels of said second pixel group are arranged in a checkered pattern.

3. A method of capturing a radiation image according to dual-energy radiography, using a radiation conversion panel having a matrix of pixels for generating electric charges depending on a radiation that has passed through a subject, said radiation conversion panel comprising a first pixel group and a second pixel group, wherein pixels of said first pixel group and pixels of said second pixel group are arranged alternately,

said method comprising:

a step a of performing a low energy-level image capturing cycle and thereafter reading electric charges from the pixels of said first pixel group to generate low energy-level first-pixel-group data;

a step b of performing a high energy-level image capturing cycle and reading electric charges from the pixels of said first and second pixel groups to generate high energy-level all-pixel data;

a step c of copying said low energy-level first-pixel-group data generated in said step a, as low energy-level second-pixel-group data of said second pixel group; and

a step d of generating subtractive image data based on said high energy-level all-pixel data and low energy-level all-pixel data, said low energy-level all-pixel data comprising said low energy-level first- and second-pixel-group data.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the pixels of said first pixel group and the pixels of said second pixel group are arranged in a checkered pattern.