Plural Or Composite Luminophor Patents (Class 250/367)
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Patent number: 7538330Abstract: A radiation detection apparatus includes an optical detector disposed on a substrate and having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements which convert light into an electrical signal, and a scintillator layer disposed on the optical detector and having a columnar crystal structure which converts radiation into light, wherein the concentration of an activator of the scintillator layer is higher at the radiation-incident side opposite the optical detector and is lower at the optical detector side. The scintillator panel includes the substrate and the scintillator layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the concentration of the activator of the scintillator layer is higher at the radiation-incident side and is lower at the light-emission side.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2007Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Keiichi Nomura, Kazumi Nagano, Yoshihiro Ogawa, Satoshi Okada
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Patent number: 7535009Abstract: The invention relates to a device for generating images and/or projections, which device includes a device for the detection of input radiation. The device for the detection of input radiation comprises a sensor with a Pr3+-activated scintillator for converting the input radiation into UV radiation. The Pr3+-activated scintillators have short excitation and decay times.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2003Date of Patent: May 19, 2009Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventors: Thomas Juestel, Walter Mayr, Herfried Karl Wieczorek
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Patent number: 7521685Abstract: A structured scintillator and a detection system employing structured scintillators. More specifically, a structured scintillator comprising a scintillator material having a plurality of isolated structures is disclosed. The structures may be conical in shape. The structures may be formed on a substantially transparent material layer which has been patterned to form a plurality of isolated regions. The structures may be formed on top of the isolated regions to provide isolated scintillator structures having space therebetween. The isolated regions and scintillator structures may be aligned with underlying detection devices.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2006Date of Patent: April 21, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: William Hennessy, Jeffrey Shaw, Ching-Yeu Wei, Yun Li
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Publication number: 20090072157Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a radiation detector according to this invention, a lattice frame 40 is stored in a receptacle 50, and scintillators 1SF and 1SR are also stored therein. The lattice frame 40 and scintillators 1SF and 1SR are once taken out of the receptacle in a state of trial assembly as a two-stage scintillator block in trial assembly 54. The lattice frame 40 and scintillators 1SF and 1SR in trial assembly are stored in the receptacle 50 into which an optical binding material has been poured. This method can reduce trouble occurring in manufacture to realize a radiation detector simply.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2006Publication date: March 19, 2009Inventor: Hiromichi Tonami
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Patent number: 7495223Abstract: A photomultiplier tube, a photomultiplier tube unit, and a performance-improved radiation detector for increasing a fixing area of a side tube in a faceplate while increasing an effective sensitive area of the faceplate. In the photomultiplier tube, a side face (3c) of the faceplate (3) protrudes outward from an outer side wall (2b) of a metal side tube (2), so that a light receiving area for receiving light passing through a light receiving face (3d) of the faceplate (3) is increased. The overhanging structure of the faceplate (3) is conceived based on a glass refractive index. The overhanging structure is aimed to receive light as much as possible which has not been received before. When the metal side tube (2) is fused to the glass faceplate (3), a fusing method is adopted due to joint between glass and metal. Joint operation between the faceplate (3) and the side tube (2) is reliably ensured. Accordingly, the overhanging structure of the faceplate (3) is effective.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2007Date of Patent: February 24, 2009Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K. K.Inventors: Hideki Shimoi, Akira Atsumi, Hiroyuki Kyushima
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Publication number: 20090039271Abstract: A phoswich radiation detector for simultaneous spectroscopy of beta rays and gamma rays includes three scintillators with different decay time characteristics. Two of the three scintillators are used for beta detection and the third scintillator is used for gamma detection. A pulse induced by an interaction of radiation with the detector is digitally analyzed to classify the type of event as beta, gamma, or unknown. A pulse is classified as a beta event if the pulse originated from just the first scintillator alone or from just the first and the second scintillator. A pulse from just the third scintillator is recorded as gamma event. Other pulses are rejected as unknown events.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2008Publication date: February 12, 2009Inventors: Abdollah T. Farsoni, David M. Harnby
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Patent number: 7489077Abstract: A glass container has a faceplate, a side tube, and a bottom. A photocathode is formed on the inner side of the faceplate. The glass container includes a partitioning wall, a shield electrode, a first dynode, a second dynode, a dynode array, and an anode. The partitioning wall has a cross shape to divide an electron focusing space into four space segments. The shield electrode is provided to shield the second dynode from the photocathode. A Venetian blind type of dynodes is provided as the dynode array. The first dynode, the second dynode, the dynode array, and the anode are maintained at the potential which is higher than that of the photocathode. Electrons emitted from the photocathode in response to incident light thereon efficiently impinge on the dynodes regardless of where the electrons are emitted. The electrons are multiplied and then detected by the anode.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2004Date of Patent: February 10, 2009Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.Inventors: Suenori Kimura, Takayuki Ohmura, Teruhiko Yamaguchi, Masuo Ito
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Publication number: 20090032717Abstract: A depth of interaction-sensitive crystal scintillation detector features crystal types that alternate in three-dimensional checkerboard fashion, each type having a different crystal decay time. One or more photosensors are disposed on each of at least two orthogonal surfaces. The scintillation detector provides improved depth of interaction resolution. The different crystal types are identified by pulse shape discrimination processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2007Publication date: February 5, 2009Applicant: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventors: Mehmet Aykac, Ronald Grazioso
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Publication number: 20090032718Abstract: A color scintillator 26 comprises: an optical substrate having bundled optical fibers; an acicular scintillator 50 provided with the optical substrate 30, the acicular scintillator having either of an acicular crystal structure and a columnar crystal structure, the acicular scintillator reacting with at least one of an electromagnetic wave and a radial ray into light emitting; and a coating scintillator 51 coating the acicular scintillator 50, the coating scintillator reacting with at least one of another electromagnetic wave and another radial ray which differ in either of an energy and a type from the electromagnetic wave and the radial ray reacting with the acicular scintillator 50 into light emitting in a different color from an emitting color in the acicular scintillator 50.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2008Publication date: February 5, 2009Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Koichi NITTOH, Kunihiko Nakayama, Keisuke Kitsukawa, Motohisa Abe, Takashi Noji
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Patent number: 7479638Abstract: The invention relates to the production of a scintillator system which comprises an Anti-Scatter-Grid (20) and an arrangement of scintillator cells. In a first processing step, a rectangular pattern of slots (11, 12) is cut into the top surface of a scintillator crystal (10). An Anti-Scatter-Grid (20) is then inserted with one end into said slots and fixed there with a glue. Finally, the top layer (thickness d) is separated from the scintillator crystal (10) yielding the desired scintillator system.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2005Date of Patent: January 20, 2009Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventors: Ralf Dorscheid, Gereon Vogtmeier
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Patent number: 7453067Abstract: A detector is disclosed, including at least one scintillator and at least one photodiode, connected to one another by a connecting medium. The scintillator has a defined depression for holding the connecting medium on its side facing the photodiode in such a way that the visible light produced by the scintillator is focused in the direction of the photodiode. The detector is provided for an imaging X-ray unit, for example a computed tomography unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2006Date of Patent: November 18, 2008Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Frank Berger, Michael Miess
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Patent number: 7439515Abstract: Correction of scintillation event data from a nuclear medicine imaging system for effects of pulse pile-up is carried out by separating event data packets into total energy and individual detector energy data packets, executing pile-up correction algorithms on each of the separated packets simultaneously using a pipeline processing architecture, and reassembling the corrected data packets into corrected scintillation event data packets. Pulse tail correction information for each individual detector is stored in a storage medium for a present event and immediately preceding event for which correction information exists, which allows individual detector correction information to be retrieved by using a look-up procedure, thereby enabling correction to be performed within a single processor cycle.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2006Date of Patent: October 21, 2008Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventor: Donald Bak
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Publication number: 20080251728Abstract: The intrinsic background of a gamma ray spectrometer is significantly reduced by surrounding the scintillator with a second scintillator. This second (external) scintillator surrounds the first scintillator and has an opening of approximately the same diameter as the smaller central scintillator in the forward direction. The second scintillator is selected to have a higher atomic number, and thus has a larger probability for a Compton scattering interaction than within the inner region. Scattering events that are essentially simultaneous in coincidence to the first and second scintillators, from an electronics perspective, are precluded electronically from the data stream. Thus, only gamma-rays that are wholly contained in the smaller central scintillator are used for analytic purposes.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2008Publication date: October 16, 2008Inventors: Norman W. Madden, Frederick S. Goulding, Stephen J. Aszlalos
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Patent number: 7435975Abstract: A scintillator plate for radiation containing a substrate having thereon a fluorescent layer, wherein the fluorescent layer contains CsF crystals.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2006Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.Inventors: Takehiko Shoji, Yasushi Nakano, Mika Sakai
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Patent number: 7435965Abstract: The invention concerns an x-ray detector with a plurality of layers arranged one top of one another in the incident direction of the x-rays, whereby each of the layers comprises at least one photodiode and a luminophore layer applied thereon.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2004Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Manfred Fuchs, Detlef Mattern, Peter Schardt
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Patent number: 7417237Abstract: The radiographic image conversion panel for mammography includes a phosphor layer formed on a rectangular substrate having first and second pairs of two parallel sides, and sealed with a moisture-proof protective film. The phosphor layer is positioned on the substrate such that a distance from at least one side of the first pair to an adjacent end of the phosphor layer is shorter than a critical bonding length being a shortest bonding length long enough to provide a predetermined level of moisture-proof effect and distances from two sides of the second pair to adjacent ends of the phosphor layer are not shorter than the critical length. A seal bonding layer is formed in areas of the second distance, and on a side surface having the at least one side or on the side surface and a rear surface of the substrate. The phosphor layer may be formed in a recess formed in the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2005Date of Patent: August 26, 2008Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Yuichi Hosoi
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Publication number: 20080197287Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to methods and apparatus for obtaining a super resolution image of a sample using a fiber array spectral translator system. In one embodiment includes collecting photons from a sample at a first end of a fiber array spectral translator; delivering the photons from a second end of the fiber array spectral translator into a multiple detector rows of a photon detector; interpolating between the multiple detector rows to thereby form interpolated rows; and arranging an output of the multiple detector rows and the interpolated rows so as to obtain a super resolution image of the sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2007Publication date: August 21, 2008Applicant: CHEMIMAGE CORPORATIONInventors: Matthew P. Nelson, Jason H. Neiss, Patrick J. Treado
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Publication number: 20080191140Abstract: Dual modality detection devices and methods are provided for detecting nuclear material, the devices include a neutron detector including multiple neutron detection modules; and a gamma detector including multiple gamma detection modules, where the multiple neutron detection modules and the multiple gamma detection modules are integrated together in a single unit to detect simultaneously both gamma rays and neutrons.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2007Publication date: August 14, 2008Inventors: Daniel Bruno McDevitt, Jeffrey Wayne Eberhard, Bernhard Erich Hermann Claus, Scott Stephen Zelakiewicz, Joseph Bendahan
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Patent number: 7412024Abstract: A digital x-ray phase contrast soft tissue imaging and mammography system offers significant cancer detection sensitivity and a significant improvement in accurate detection and interpretation of mammograms. In addition, the proposed system produces digital mammograms and thus has the advantages of digital mammography. The system overcomes the limitation of the current approaches to mammography using phase contrast effects and offers substantially higher performance than the current mammography used in hospitals and clinics. The proposed system uses the phase contrast imaging, in a breast and other soft tissue structures, instead of absorption contrast employed in the current x-ray mammography, allowing detection of smaller disease structures with substantial reduction in radiation dose.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2005Date of Patent: August 12, 2008Assignee: Xradia, Inc.Inventors: Wenbing Yun, Yuxin Wang
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Patent number: 7408164Abstract: A detector array including a plurality of scintillators for use in association with an imaging device. The detector array is provided for accurate determination of the location of the impingement of radiation upon an individual scintillator detector. An air gap is disposed between the scintillator elements, thereby increasing the packing fraction and overall sensitivity of the array. The amount of light transmitted down the scintillator element and the amount of light transmitted to adjacent elements is modified to optimize the identification of each element in a position profile map by adjusting the surface finish of the detector elements.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2003Date of Patent: August 5, 2008Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventors: Matthias J. Schmand, Lars A. Eriksson, Niraj K. Doshi, Mehmet Aykac, Ronald Nutt
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Patent number: 7388208Abstract: A dual-energy x-ray detector includes a plurality of x-ray detector elements that detect x-rays that are generated by an x-ray source and that have passed through an object. Each of the x-ray detector elements includes a first scintillator layer adapted to convert x-rays from the x-ray source that have passed through the object into light of a first wavelength, and a second scintillator layer positioned behind the first scintillator layer and adapted to convert x-rays from the x-ray source that have passed through the object and through the first scintillator layer into light of a second wavelength. Each of the x-ray detector elements further includes a first optical sensor having a spectral sensitivity substantially matched to light of the first wavelength, and a second optical sensor having a spectral sensitivity substantially matched to light of the second wavelength.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2006Date of Patent: June 17, 2008Inventor: Ruvin Deych
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Patent number: 7381956Abstract: The invention relates to a detector element (1) for gamma radiation, which is particularly suitable for use in a PEF apparatus. The detector element (1) consists of two or more different conversion units (11, 12), which react to the absorption of a gamma quantum (y) with light emissions (?1, ?2) of different spectral composition. A photodetector arrangement (30) may therefore discriminate between the sites of origin of the light emissions by means of their spectral characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2004Date of Patent: June 3, 2008Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventors: Michael Overdick, Augusto Nascetti, Herfried Karl Wieczorek
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Patent number: 7372045Abstract: An object is to provide a scintillator plate exhibiting even sharpness, and further exhibiting enhanced sharpness by use of CsI crystals. Disclosed is a scintillator plate for radiation comprising a support and provided thereon a phosphor layer emitting light caused upon exposure to radiation, wherein the phosphor layer comprises a plurality of phosphor columnar crystals, and any two phosphor columnar crystal diameters represented by a and b (a?b) satisfy the following inequality of 1.0?a/b<1.5. Further disclosed is a scintillator plate for radiation comprising a support and provided thereon a phosphor layer emitting light caused upon exposure to radiation, wherein the phosphor layer comprises a phosphor made from cesium iodide (CsI) as a base material and an activator, and a most dominant growth direction in the phosphor is (n 0 0) plane (where n=1, 2 or 3).Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2006Date of Patent: May 13, 2008Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.Inventors: Masashi Kondo, Takehiko Shoji
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Patent number: 7365336Abstract: The Low-energy Imaging Particle Spectrometer (LIPS) is configured as a “pinhole camera” with particle-specific scintillator focal planes. The scintillators are designed specifically to respond only to either protons or electrons within a specific energy range. The scintillators are coupled directly to a multi-anode photomultiplier tube (PMT). Owing to their particle-specific response, the scintillators themselves provide the particle discrimination. The pulse amplitude defines the particle energy and the spatial position provides angular information.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2005Date of Patent: April 29, 2008Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventors: Gary E. Galica, Francesca Scire-Scappuzzo, Joy S. G. Stafford-Evans
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Patent number: 7361902Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation detector for detecting radiation impinging in a detection zone, having detector elements which are arranged in the form of a preferably two-dimensional array in rows and columns running orthogonally with respect to one another and each have a scintillator and a photodiode interacting with the latter. In this case, detector elements arranged at the edge of array are provided, whose scintillators have an extent transversely with respect to the edge of the array which is larger than is necessary for encompassing the detection zone.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2001Date of Patent: April 22, 2008Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Thomas Von Der Haar
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Patent number: 7351525Abstract: The present invention discloses an in vitro method to identify a contaminant gas in a specimen comprising a mixture of gases as a function of the decay rate of at least one species of positronium. The positronium is obtained by directing the positrons from a positron source in to a vessel that contains a specimen containing the mixture of gases comprising a contaminant gas to be identified.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2005Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Assignee: Alert Tech Systems, LLCInventor: Gerald Smith
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Patent number: 7330532Abstract: This invention relates to an optically coupled digital radiography method and apparatus for simultaneously obtaining two distinct images of the same subject, each of which represents a different x-ray energy spectrum. The two images may be combined in various ways such that anatomical features may be separated from one another to provide a clearer view of those features or of underlying structures. The two different images are obtained using a pair of scintillators separated by an x-ray filter that attenuates part of the x-ray spectrum of an x-ray exposure such that the first and second scintillators receive a different energy spectrum of the same x-ray exposure. Alternatively, the two different images can be obtained without a filter and with two scintillators made of different fluorescing materials that react differently to the same x-ray exposure.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2005Date of Patent: February 12, 2008Assignee: Imaging Dynamics Company Ltd.Inventor: Robin Winsor
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Patent number: 7329875Abstract: A method of manufacturing a detector array for an imaging system, the method comprising providing a pixelated scintillator having a plurality of lost molded pixels comprising a scintillator material adapted to detect radiation.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2004Date of Patent: February 12, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kevin Paul McEvoy, James Scott Vartuli, Stephen Thomas Tedeschi, Steven Jude Duclos, Martin Kin-Fei Lee, Venkat Subramaniam Venkataramani, James Anthony Brewer, Robert Joseph Lyons, Mohandas Nayak
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Patent number: 7326933Abstract: A radiation or neutron detector wherein lateral side light detecting optical fibers prepared from clear optical fibers that are scraped on a lateral side to permit side incidence of fluorescence are used to detect the fluorescence from a phosphor or a scintillator such that the background to gamma-rays is reduced. If desired, the optical fibers may be bent at 90 degrees and guided to a photomultiplier tube in order to reduce the size of the detector. Fabrication and maintenance of the detector can be facilitated by adopting such a design that a detecting block comprising a detection medium and lateral side light detecting optical fibers is separated from a readout block comprising clear optical fibers.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2006Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignee: Japan Atomic Energy Research InstituteInventors: Masaki Katagiri, Masahito Matsubayashi
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Patent number: 7310405Abstract: A scintillator pack comprises an array of scintillator pixels and an x-ray absorbing layer disposed in inter-scintillator regions between the scintillator pixels. The x-ray absorbing layer acts to absorb x-rays and protect underlying regions of the inter-scintillator regions. The x-ray absorbing layer may be formed by a number of methods including casting and melt infiltration.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2002Date of Patent: December 18, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Venkat Subramaniam Venkataramani, Steven Jude Duclos
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Patent number: 7285783Abstract: A side tube includes a tube head, a funnel-shaped connection neck, and a tube main body, which are arranged along a tube axis and which are integrated together into the side tube. The size of a cross section of the tube head perpendicular to the tube axis is larger than the size of a cross section of the tube main body perpendicular to the tube axis. The radius of curvature of rounded corners of the tube head is smaller than the radius of curvature of rounded corners of the tube main body. The length of the tube head along the tube axis is shorter than the length of the tube main body along the tube axis. One surface of a faceplate is connected to the tube head. A photocathode is formed on the surface of the faceplate in its area located inside the tube head.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2004Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.Inventors: Teruhiko Yamaguchi, Suenori Kimura, Minoru Suzuki, Yoshitaka Nakamura
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Patent number: 7286640Abstract: A digital dual-band detector functions as an imaging platform capable of extracting hard and soft tissue images, for example. The detector has a first detector system comprising a first scintillator for converting x-rays from a sample to an first optical signal, and a first detector for detecting the first optical signal in combination with a second detector system comprising a second scintillator for converting x-rays from the sample and passing through the first scintillator to a second optical signal, and a second detector for detecting the second optical signal. The detector can facilitate the implementation and deployment of recent developments and can permit low cost practical deployment in clinical applications as well as biomedical research applications where significant improvement in spatial resolution and image contrast is required.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2004Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Xradia, Inc.Inventors: Wenbing Yun, Yuxin Wang, David Dean Scott
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Patent number: 7282713Abstract: A composition including at least one of a glass composition and a glass ceramic composition, the composition includes a plurality of scintillator crystals.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2004Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Haochuan Jiang, David Michael Hoffman
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Patent number: 7279120Abstract: This invention provides novel cadmium tungstate scintillator materials that show improved radiation hardness. In particular, it was discovered that doping of cadmium tungstate (CdWO4) with trivalent metal ions or monovalent metal ions is particularly effective in improving radiation hardness of the scintillator material.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2004Date of Patent: October 9, 2007Assignee: Intematix CorporationInventors: Shifan Cheng, Yi-Qun Li
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Patent number: 7276705Abstract: A luminescent body is for an X-ray detector, in particular for an X-ray computer tomograph. It contains a ceramic of the general composition (M1-xLnx)2O2S, M being at least one element selected from the group: Y, La, Sc, Lu and/or Gd, and Ln being at least one element selected from the group: Eu, Ce, Pr, Tb, Yb, Dy, Sm and/or Ho. In order to improve the spatial resolution of the luminescent body, the ceramic is used in the form of fibers, which are connected in a parallel alignment to constitute a fiber plate.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2004Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Juergen Leppert
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Patent number: 7276704Abstract: A photomultiplier tube, a photomultiplier tube unit, and a performance-improved radiation detector for increasing a fixing area of a side tube in a faceplate while increasing an effective sensitive area of the faceplate. In the photomultiplier tube, a side face (3c) of the faceplate (3) protrudes outward from an outer side wall (2b) of a metal side tube (2), so that a light receiving area for receiving light passing through a light receiving face (3d) of the faceplate (3) is increased. The overhanging structure of the faceplate (3) is conceived based on a glass refractive index. The overhanging structure is aimed to receive light as much as possible which has not been received before. When the metal side tube (2) is fused to the glass faceplate (3), a fusing method is adopted due to joint between glass and metal. Joint operation between the faceplate (3) and the side tube (2) is reliably ensured. Accordingly, the overhanging structure of the faceplate (3) is effective.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2000Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.Inventors: Hideki Shimoi, Akira Atsumi, Hiroyuki Kyushima
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Patent number: 7274023Abstract: The gamma-radiation module includes a housing having a box-like container and a cover for hermetically sealing a pair of cylinders within the housing. Each cylinder includes scintillation material and a photomultiplier tube on a common cylindrical axis. The hermetically sealed module may be used singly or in multiple modules in portal applications whereby gamma-radiation from a source may be detected through a gamma-radiation transparent cover on the module.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2005Date of Patent: September 25, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Lucas Lemar Clarke, James R. Williams, Brian Marshall Palmer, Keith D. Jones, Nathan Herbert Johnson, Thomas Robert Anderson
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Patent number: 7271395Abstract: A device and method for measuring a depth of interaction of an ionizing event and improving resolution of a co-planar grid sensor (CPG) are provided. A time-of-occurrence is measured using a comparator to time the leading edge of the event pulse from the non-collecting or collecting grid. A difference signal between the grid signals obtained with a differential amplifier includes a pulse with a leading edge occurring at the time-of-detection, measured with another comparator. A timing difference between comparator outputs corresponds to the depth of interaction, calculated using a processor, which in turn weights the difference grid signal to improve spectral resolution of a CPG sensor. The device, which includes channels for grid inputs, may be integrated into an Application Specific Integrated Circuit. The combination of the device and sensor is included. An improved high-resolution CPG is provided, e.g., a gamma-ray Cadmium Zinc Telluride CPG sensor operating at room temperature.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2005Date of Patent: September 18, 2007Assignee: Brookhaven Science Associates, LLCInventor: Gianluigi DeGeronimo
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Patent number: 7265357Abstract: A scintillator layer is disclosed for a spatially resolving X-ray detector. Apertures provided in a plate and in the form of a grid, are filled with a filling compound formed from a polymer and a phosphor powder.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2005Date of Patent: September 4, 2007Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Khanh Pham Gia, Wolfgang Rossner
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Patent number: 7244942Abstract: A method for producing a high resolution detector array so as to provide very high packing fraction, i.e., the distance between scintillator elements is minimized so the detector efficiency will be higher than is currently achievable. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fabrication methodology is enhanced by handling LSO bars rather than single crystals when gluing on the Lumirror® as well as etching the LSO. Namely, an LSO boule is cut into wide bars of a selected dimension, for example 30 mm, which are then acid etched or mechanically polished. A selected number, N, of these LSO bars can then be glued together with Lumirror® sheets between each bar (coating the LSO disks and Lumirror® sheets with Epotek 301-2). The glued bar block is then cut again into bars in a perpendicular direction, and these new LSO-Lumirror® bars are etched.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2004Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventors: Mark S. Andreaco, Charles W. Williams, J. Clifton Moyers, Keith Vaigneur
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Patent number: 7244943Abstract: An X-ray image acquisition apparatus (15) includes a conversion panel (20) aligned with a photo detector array (40). The conversion panel (20) includes a plurality of conversion cells (22), each including a conversion body (31), an X-ray transparent and light reflective file over the top (32) of the body (31), and a light reflective film (36) surrounding the body (31). The body (31) is made of a scintillating material that efficiently generates optical light photons in response to X-ray radiation illuminating thereon and is substantially transparent to the optical light photons. The body (31) is also sufficiently long to absorb the X-ray radiation over a wide range of energy levels. The light reflective films (36, 38) collimate the optical light photons generated in the body (31) toward the photo detector array (40) to form X-ray images.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2004Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Edward J. Seppi
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Patent number: 7244947Abstract: A broad spectrum neutron detector has a thermal neutron sensitive scintillator film interleaved with a hydrogenous thermalizing media. The neutron detector has negligible sensitivity to gamma rays and produces a strong and unambiguous signal for virtually all neutrons that interact with the hydrogenous volume. The interleaving of the layers of thermal neutron sensitive phosphors helps ensure that all parts of the thermalizing volume are highly sensitive.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2004Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: Science Applications International CorporationInventors: Raulf M. Polichar, Janis Baltgalvis
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Patent number: 7238943Abstract: Systems and methods are described for asymmetrically placed cross-coupled scintillation crystals. A method includes coupling a plurality of photomultiplier tubes to a scintillation crystal array, the scintillation crystal array defining a plurality of corner edges, wherein a first corner edge of the plurality of corner edges is aligned with a first center of a first photomultiplier tube of the plurality of photomultiplier tubes and a second corner edge of the plurality of corner edges is not aligned with a second center of a second photomultiplier tube of the plurality of photomultiplier tubes.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2003Date of Patent: July 3, 2007Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas SystemInventors: Wai-Hoi Wong, Jorge Uribe, Hossain Baghaei, Hongdi Li
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Patent number: 7238944Abstract: A detector for x-ray computer tomography scanners, includes a number of adjacent detector lines extending in an x direction, whereby each detector line is formed from a multitude of adjacent scintillator elements. In order to increase the resolution in the z direction and to simplify the design of the detector, the surface of the scintillator elements are partially covered, which further serves to reduce the size of the aperture in the z direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2003Date of Patent: July 3, 2007Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Herbert Bruder, Thomas Flohr, Karl Stierstorfer
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Patent number: 7224766Abstract: The present invention is a directed to a non-pixelated scintillator array for a CT detector as well as an apparatus and method of manufacturing same. The scintillator array is comprised of a number of ceramic fibers or single crystal fibers that are aligned in parallel with respect to one another. As a result, the pack has very high dose efficiency. Furthermore, each fiber is designed to direct light out to a photodiode with very low scattering loss. The fiber size (cross-sectional diameter) may be controlled such that smaller fibers may be fabricated for higher resolution applications. Moreover, because the fiber size can be controlled to be consistent throughout the scintillator array and the fibers are aligned in parallel with one another, the scintillator array, as a whole, also is uniform. Therefore, precise alignment with the photodiode array or the collimator assembly is not necessary.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2005Date of Patent: May 29, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Haochuan Jiang, David M. Hoffman, James S. Vartuli
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Patent number: 7202479Abstract: A method for assigning a pulse profile, in particular a pulse profile of a scintillation detector having at least two scintillation materials with different decay characteristics, to one of a plurality of pulse types with differing decay times, encompasses the method steps of: acquiring an output pulse profile and converting the pulse profile into an electrical signal whose amplitude-time profile represents the pulse profile of the output pulse; transforming the amplitude-time profile into the frequency space in order to obtain an amplitude-frequency profile representing the output pulse; normalizing the amplitude-frequency profile in order to obtain a normalized amplitude-frequency profile; comparing the normalized amplitude-frequency profile with a predetermined reference profile; and assigning the output pulse profile to one of the pulse types on the basis of the result of the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2002Date of Patent: April 10, 2007Assignee: Forschungszentrum Julich GmbHInventors: Hassan Saleh, Egon Zimmerman, Horst Halling
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Patent number: 7196331Abstract: A detector module is proposed for producing an X-ray detector for an X-ray computed tomograph. The module includes a number of detector units, each including sensor elements arranged next to one another in the z-direction and in a phi-direction running perpendicular thereto. The detector units are held on a carrier plate in the manner of a column extending in the z-direction. In order to ensure a precise alignment of the sensor elements, the detector units are positioned on the carrier plate via a collimator element.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2005Date of Patent: March 27, 2007Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Bjoern Heismann
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Patent number: 7180070Abstract: A radiation detector for imaging a sheet-shaped beam (11) of ionizing radiation comprises an electron multiplication chamber (12) filled with a medium for electron multiplication; and a solid multichannel structure (14) arranged in the path of the sheet-shaped beam within the chamber, wherein the structure liberates electrons (16a) in response to being exposed to the radiation. An electron detecting means (17d) is provided for detecting the electrons spatially resolved to thereby image the sheet-shaped beam. The structure (14) is of a scintillating material, so that said the structure emits scintillating light in response to being exposed to the radiation; and detecting means (19–20) are provided for detecting scintillating light (18) emitted from the structure.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2004Date of Patent: February 20, 2007Assignee: XCounter ABInventors: Vladimir Peskov, Tom Francke
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Patent number: 7166849Abstract: A scintillator array for use in a CT imaging system and a method for making the scintillator array are provided. The scintillator array includes a plurality of projecting elements disposed proximate one another. The scintillator array further includes a glass compound containing a plurality of reflective particles being disposed on the plurality of projecting elements, wherein the projecting elements emit light in response to receiving x-rays.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2004Date of Patent: January 23, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Haochuan Jiang, David Michael Hoffman
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Patent number: RE40291Abstract: Light-receiving devices are two-dimensionally arranged on a substrate, bonding pads electrically connected to the light-receiving devices in the respective rows or columns via signal lines are arranged on the outer periphery of the substrate, and a protective passivation film is disposed on the light-receiving devices and signal lines, thereby forming a light-receiving device array. On the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving device array, a scintillator made of columnar crystals of CsI is deposited. On the other hand, a resin frame formed like an elongated frame is disposed inside the bonding pads. Inside this frame, a protective film in which an inorganic film is held between organic films made of Parylene is laminated. The outer periphery of the protective film is in close contact with the resin frame with the aid of the coating resin.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2004Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.Inventors: Takuya Homme, Toshio Takabayashi, Hiroto Sato