IP Library Granted Patent US 9,014,329
Granted Patent B2
US 9,014,329 · App. 13/165,380 · Granted Apr 21, 2015

X-ray computed tomography apparatus

Inventors: Tomoe Sagoh (Tochigi-ken, JP); Takayuki Yamazaki (Tochigi-ken, JP); Michito Nakayama (Tochigi-ken, JP); Atsushi Hashimoto (Tochigi-ken, JP); Takeshi Miyagi (Kanagawa-ken, JP)
Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
A61B6/4208A61B6/032A61B6/4488A61B6/54A61B6/585H04N5/32H04N5/357
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,014,329
App. No.
13/165,380
Granted
Apr 21, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An X-ray CT apparatus includes an X-ray source configured to generate an X-ray; a scintillator configured to convert the X-ray into a fluorescent; a substrate including a plurality of photosensitive elements configured to convert the fluorescent into an electric charge; a temperature sensor formed on the surface of the substrate; a heat element formed on the surface of the substrate; and a controller configured to control a temperature of the photodiode by adjusting an electric current of the heat element.

Claims (18)

1. An X-ray CT apparatus, comprising:

an X-ray source configured to generate an X-ray;

a scintillator configured to convert the X-ray into a fluorescent;

a photodiode array including a plurality of photosensitive elements, formed on a substrate, configured to convert the fluorescent into an electric charge, a plurality of heat elements formed on the substrate, and a heat sensor formed on the substrate, at least one of the heat elements positioned between adjacent ones of the photosensitive elements; and

a controller configured to control an amount of heat generation of the plurality of heat elements by adjusting an electric current of the heat elements or an electric voltage of the heat elements on the basis of temperature information from the heat sensor.

2. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a semiconductor trench formed on the substrate.

3. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the semiconductor trench is formed between the heat sensor and the heat elements.

4. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a cooling fan.

5. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the controller further controls the temperature of the plurality of photosensitive elements by adjusting a volume of air of the cooling fan.

6. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the controller adjusts the temperature of the plurality of photosensitive elements so as to be a target value in a non-scanning period.

7. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the heat sensor and the heat elements are semiconductor elements.

8. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the heat sensor and the heat elements are semiconductor elements on a semiconductor element forming area.

9. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the heat elements are resistor elements.

10. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the heat elements are Unipolar elements.

11. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the heat elements are MOSFET transistors.

12. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the heat elements are bipolar transistors.

13. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein a number of the heat elements corresponds to a number of the photosensitive elements.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2016
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038595/0569 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 29, 2011
From: SAGOH, TOMOE; YAMAZAKI, TAKAYUKI; NAKAYAMA, MICHITO; HASHIMOTO, ATSUSHI; MIYAGI, TAKESHI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026518/0169 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP P2010-140806 · Jun 21, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110311023A1 · Dec 22, 2011