Phosphor read-out device and phosphor read-out process
View Patent ↗The present invention reduces the influences of electromagnetic fields during reading out of image signals from memory phosphor films. This is done by pre-amplifying the detection signals obtained from a detection device, in particular a CCD array, before further processing, for example by an analog-to-digital converter. An amplification register for electron multiplying can be used for the amplification. In this way individual photon sensitivity can be achieved when reading out X-ray images.
1. A phosphor read-out device for reading out information stored in a memory phosphor, comprising:
a detection device for detecting emission radiation emitted by the memory phosphor to obtain unprocessed detection signals;
a memory device for intermediate storage of the unprocessed detection signals; and
an amplifying device for pre-amplifying the unprocessed, intermediately stored detection signals prior to subsequent signal processing,
wherein the amplification in the amplifying device can be set to provide a preset dynamic range.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the detection device, the memory device, and the amplifying device are arranged on a single chip.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1 , constructed as an electron multiplying CCD.
4. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the detection device includes several detection sections which can be read out and pre-amplified separately from one another.
5. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amplification in the amplifying device can be varied from pixel to pixel.
6. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an amplification in the amplifying device can be controlled as a function of a dose of X-ray with which the memory phosphor is activated.
7. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an amplification factor in the amplifying device is automatically adaptable during a reading out of a memory phosphor image.
8. A phosphor read-out device for reading out information stored in a memory phosphor, comprising:
a detection device for detecting emission radiation emitted by the memory phosphor to obtain unprocessed detection signals;
a memory device for intermediate storing of the unprocessed detection signals; and
an amplifying device for pre-amplifying the unprocessed, intermediately stored detection signals prior to subsequent signal processing, wherein the memory device comprises a read-out register and the amplifying device comprises an amplification register.
9. A phosphor read-out device for reading out information stored in a memory phosphor, comprising:
a detection device for detecting emission radiation emitted by the memory phosphor to obtain unprocessed detection signals;
a memory device for intermediate storage of the unprocessed detection signals; and
an amplifying device for pre-amplifying the unprocessed, intermediately stored detection signals prior to subsequent signal processing,
wherein a ratio between a maximum possible and a minimum possible amplification in the amplifying device is at least 50.
10. A phosphor read-out process for reading out information stored in a memory phosphor, comprising:
detecting emission radiation emitted by the memory phosphor to obtain unprocessed detection signals;
intermediate storing of the unprocessed detection signals; and pre-amplifying the intermediately stored, unprocessed detection signals prior to subsequent signal processing,
wherein the amplification of the intermediately stored, unprocessed detection signals is set in such a way that the amplified detection signals have a preset dynamic range.
11. A process as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the detecting is done by charge-coupling and the amplification by electron multiplying.
12. A process as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the detecting is done in several detection sections which are read out and pre-amplified separately from one another.
13. A process as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the amplification is set pixel by pixel.
14. A process as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the amplification of the detection signals is controlled as a function of a dose of X-ray with which the memory phosphor is activated.
15. A process as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the amplification of the detection signals is automatically adapted during the reading out of a memory phosphor image.
16. A phosphor read-out process for reading out information stored in a memory phosphor, comprising:
detecting emission radiation emitted by the memory phosphor to obtain unprocessed detection signals;
intermediate storing of the unprocessed detection signals; and
pre-amplifying the intermediately stored, unprocessed detection signals prior to subsequent signal processing,
wherein a ratio between a maximum possible and a minimum possible amplification is at least 50.