IP Library Granted Patent US 9,753,154
Granted Patent B2
US 9,753,154 · App. 14/458,411 · Granted Sep 5, 2017

X-ray detector

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,753,154
App. No.
14/458,411
Granted
Sep 5, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

An X-ray detector is disclosed, in particular for a computed tomography system. In an embodiment, the X-ray detector includes a regular arrangement of measuring pixels for covering a measuring surface. A plurality of the measuring pixels of the regular arrangement are constructed as direct converting measuring pixels, and remaining ones of the measuring pixels are constructed as indirect converting measuring pixels.

Claims (24)

1. An X-ray detector, comprising:

a regular arrangement of measuring pixels covering a measuring surface, the regular arrangement including two different types of measuring pixels, wherein a plurality of the measuring pixels of the regular arrangement are constructed as direct converting measuring pixels and remaining ones of the measuring pixels are constructed as indirect converting measuring pixels, and wherein at least two adjacent of rows of measuring pixels are direct converting measuring pixels, a row being a plurality of measuring pixels adjacent to one another and extending along the entire measuring surface in a direction of rotation of the x-ray detector, wherein each direct converting measuring pixel includes a detector layer, and wherein the detector layer is provided with a reflective surface at least at boundary surfaces between direct converting measuring pixels and indirect converting measuring pixels.

2. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the direct converting measuring pixels and the indirect converting measuring pixels are arranged in a periodic sequence.

3. The X-ray detector of claim 2 , wherein a plurality of measuring pixels are mounted side by side in a row direction to form a measuring pixel row, wherein only measuring pixels of a same type are mounted side by side in each measuring pixel row, and wherein a plurality of measuring pixel rows are mounted side by side in a column direction, orthogonal to the row direction, to form the regular arrangement of measuring pixels.

4. The X-ray detector of claim 3 , wherein, viewed in the column direction, measuring pixel rows with direct converting measuring pixels and measuring pixel rows with indirect converting measuring pixels are arranged in a periodic sequence, and wherein each measuring pixel row with measuring pixels of a first type respectively follows a number of measuring pixel rows.

5. The X-ray detector of claim 3 , wherein, viewed in the column direction, measuring pixel rows with direct converting measuring pixels and measuring pixel rows with indirect converting measuring pixels are arranged in a periodic sequence, and wherein, following a number of measuring pixel rows with measuring pixels of a first type, is a same number of measuring pixel rows with measuring pixels of a second type.

6. The X-ray detector of claim 3 , wherein measuring pixel rows with direct converting measuring pixels and measuring pixel rows with indirect converting measuring pixels are mounted side by side so as to alternate in the column direction.

7. The X-ray detector of claim 2 , wherein each measuring pixel includes a detector layer and a signal processing layer with an application-specific integrated circuit.

8. The X-ray detector of claim 2 , wherein each indirect converting measuring pixel includes a scintillator layer with walls for segregation from adjacent measuring pixels, and wherein the walls are omitted at boundary surfaces between indirect converting measuring pixels and direct converting measuring pixels.

9. The X-ray detector of claim 2 , further comprising an evaluation unit, the evaluation unit being configured to evaluate the measuring signals of all direct converting measuring pixels and the measuring signals of all indirect converting measuring pixels independently of each other, wherein two independent pixel type-based data records are generated, and wherein the two data records are then used for an image reconstruction.

10. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of measuring pixels are mounted side by side in a row direction to form a measuring pixel row, wherein only measuring pixels of a same type are mounted side by side in each measuring pixel row, and wherein a plurality of measuring pixel rows are mounted side by side in a column direction, orthogonal to the row direction, to form the regular arrangement of measuring pixels.

11. The X-ray detector of claim 10 , wherein, viewed in the column direction, measuring pixel rows with direct converting measuring pixels and measuring pixel rows with indirect converting measuring pixels are arranged in a periodic sequence, and wherein each measuring pixel row with measuring pixels of a first type respectively follows a number of measuring pixel rows.

12. The X-ray detector of claim 11 , wherein the number of direct converting measuring pixel rows is three measuring pixel rows.

13. The X-ray detector of claim 10 , wherein, viewed in the column direction, measuring pixel rows with direct converting measuring pixels and measuring pixel rows with indirect converting measuring pixels are arranged in a periodic sequence, and wherein, following a number of measuring pixel rows with measuring pixels of a first type, is a same number of measuring pixel rows with measuring pixels of a second type.

14. The X-ray detector of claim 10 , wherein measuring pixel rows with direct converting measuring pixels and measuring pixel rows with indirect converting measuring pixels are mounted side by side so as to alternate in the column direction.

15. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the direct converting measuring pixels and the indirect converting measuring pixels have the same dimensions in row direction.

16. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein each measuring pixel includes a detector layer and a signal processing layer with an application-specific integrated circuit.

17. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein each indirect converting measuring pixel includes a scintillator layer with walls for segregation from adjacent measuring pixels, and wherein the walls are omitted at boundary surfaces between indirect converting measuring pixels and direct converting measuring pixels.

18. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the reflective surface is achieved with aid of a silicide.

19. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , further comprising an evaluation unit, the evaluation unit being configured to evaluate the measuring signals of all direct converting measuring pixels and the measuring signals of all indirect converting measuring pixels independently of each other, wherein two independent pixel type-based data records are generated, and wherein the two data records are then used for an image reconstruction.

20. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray detector is included in a computed tomography system.

21. A computed tomography system, comprising the X-ray detector of claim 1 .

22. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein half of the measuring surface is covered by adjacent measuring pixels of a first type and half of the measuring surface is covered by adjacent measuring pixels of a second type.

23. The X-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the direct converting measuring pixels comprising a row of measuring pixels abut one another and the indirect converting measuring pixels comprising a row of measuring pixels abut one another.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 066088 FRAME: 0256. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 17, 2024
From: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 071178/0246 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2023
From: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 066088/0256 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR DATA PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 046164 FRAME 0572. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
To: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
Reel/Frame 046425/0415 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 21, 2018
From: SIEMENS AKTIENGELSELLSCHAFT
To: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
Reel/Frame 046164/0572 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2014
From: HACKENSCHMIED, PETER; SCHROETER, CHRISTIAN; STRASSBURG, MATTHIAS
To: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 033617/0443 →