Detector assembly for use in CT imaging systems
Inventors
Bures, Brian Lee • Basu, Samit Kumar
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10302774-B2
Publication Date
2019-05-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
A detector assembly for a CT imaging system is provided. The detector assembly including a scintillator block including a plurality of pixels, each pixel configured to receive x-ray beams travelling in a transmission direction, a plurality of photodiodes, and a light guide coupled between the scintillator block and the plurality of photodiodes, the light guide including a plurality of light pipes, each light pipe configured to guide light emitted from a pixel of the plurality of pixels into an associated photodiode of the plurality of photodiodes, wherein each pixel has a first cross-sectional area that is substantially perpendicular to the transmission direction, wherein each photodiode has a second cross-sectional area that is substantially perpendicular to the transmission direction, and wherein the first cross-sectional area is different from the second cross-sectional area.
Core Innovation
A detector assembly for a CT imaging system includes a scintillator block with a plurality of pixels that receive x-ray beams travelling in a transmission direction, a plurality of photodiodes, and a light guide coupled between the scintillator block and the photodiodes. The light guide comprises a plurality of light pipes that guide light emitted from a single pixel into an associated photodiode.
For each pixel, a first cross-sectional area is defined substantially perpendicular to the transmission direction, and for each photodiode, a second cross-sectional area is defined substantially perpendicular to the transmission direction, where the first cross-sectional area is different from the second cross-sectional area. Each light pipe extends from a first end to a second end of the light guide such that, at the first end, the light pipe has a first end cross-sectional area substantially equal to the first cross-sectional area of the corresponding pixel, and at the second end, the light pipe has a second end cross-sectional area substantially equal to the second cross-sectional area of the photodiode.
A CT detector assembly light guide embodiment maintains alignment of pixel-sized and photodiode-sized cross-sections while allowing different cross-sectional area values at the scintillator-facing end and the photodiode-facing end. The described configurations include light guides having smooth/gradual area transitions and allow optional diffusive or reflective coatings on surfaces of the light pipes.
Claims Coverage
The provided claim set contains three independent claims. Across the independent claims, the same geometric core is repeated: a light guide of multiple light pipes maps light from single scintillator pixels to associated photodiodes while defining different first and second cross-sectional areas perpendicular to the transmission direction, with matched end cross-sectional areas centered along the transmission direction.
Pixel-to-photodiode light-pipe mapping with different end cross-sectional areas
A detector assembly for a CT imaging system comprising a scintillator block with pixels configured to receive x-ray beams travelling in a transmission direction, a plurality of photodiodes, and a light guide coupled between the scintillator block and the plurality of photodiodes. The light guide comprises a plurality of light pipes each configured to guide light emitted from a single pixel into an associated photodiode, with the first cross-sectional area different from the second cross-sectional area and the end cross-sectional areas substantially equal to the corresponding pixel and photodiode areas.
Light guide for CT with aligned pixel and photodiode cross-sections centered along the transmission direction
A light guide for use in a CT imaging system coupled between a scintillator block and a plurality of photodiodes, the light guide comprising a plurality of light pipes extending from a first end to a second end. At the first end, each light pipe has a first cross-sectional area substantially equal to and aligned with a cross-sectional area of a corresponding single pixel; at the second end, each light pipe has a second cross-sectional area substantially equal to and aligned with a cross-sectional area of a corresponding photodiode; the first cross-sectional area is different from the second cross-sectional area; and the first cross-sectional area is substantially centered with the second cross-sectional area along a light transmission direction.
Assembly method for CT detector using light pipes mapping pixels to photodiodes with different cross-sectional areas
A method of assembling a detector assembly for use in a CT imaging system comprising coupling a light guide to a scintillator block with a plurality of pixels configured to receive x-ray beams travelling in a transmission direction, and coupling a plurality of photodiodes to the light guide. The light guide includes a plurality of light pipes each configured to guide light emitted from one single pixel into one associated photodiode, with the first cross-sectional area larger than the second cross-sectional area and the end cross-sectional areas substantially equal to the corresponding pixel and photodiode areas.
Across the independent claims, the claim coverage centers on a CT detector assembly architecture where scintillator pixel light is routed through a light guide made of multiple light pipes into associated photodiodes, while defining different first and second cross-sectional areas perpendicular to the transmission direction and requiring end cross-sectional areas that match pixel and photodiode areas with the ends substantially centered along the transmission direction.
Stated Advantages
Cost reduction by using smaller photodiodes than pixel footprints.
Documented Applications
Contraband detection (application context) in connection with a CT imaging system.
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