IP Library Granted Patent US 9,230,702
Granted Patent B2
US 9,230,702 · App. 13/588,708 · Granted Jan 5, 2016

System and method for reducing grid line image artifacts

Inventors: James Zhengshe Liu (Salt Lake City, UT); Richard Larry Anderton (West Jordan, UT)
Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
G21K1/025G21K1/10Y10T29/49002
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,230,702
App. No.
13/588,708
Granted
Jan 5, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imaging system includes a detector configured to detect X-rays from an X-ray source. The detector includes multiple photodetector elements. The imaging system also includes an anti-scatter grid disposed over the detector, wherein the anti-scatter grid includes multiple radiation absorbing elements. At least a portion of one or more of the radiation absorbing elements of the multiple radiation absorbing elements is disposed on each photodetector element, and a total area of each respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements disposed on each photodetector element is substantially equal.

Claims (61)

1. An imaging system comprising:

a detector configured to detect X-rays from an X-ray source and comprising a plurality of photodetector elements; and

an anti-scatter grid disposed over the detector, wherein the anti-scatter grid comprises a plurality of radiation absorbing elements, at least a portion of one or more of the radiation absorbing elements of the plurality of radiation absorbing elements is disposed on each photodetector element, a total area of each respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements disposed on each photodetector element is substantially equal, and each of the radiation absorbing elements is equally spaced apart relative to each other, wherein each photodetector element comprises a photosensing area, and at least some of the photosensing areas of the photodetector elements have different regions covered by the respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements.

2. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein each of the photodetector elements comprise a substantially equal area.

3. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the detector comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor detector.

4. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein each of the radiation absorbing elements comprises a substantially equal width.

5. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein each photodetector element comprises an axis along a length or width of the photodetector element, and the respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements disposed on each respective photodetector element is disposed at an angle relative to the axis, wherein the angle is greater than 0 degree and less than 180 degrees.

6. The imaging system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of photodetector element comprises a pixel pitch, and wherein a sum of a width of a single radiation absorbing element and a distance between adjacent radiation absorbing elements is less than the pixel pitch.

7. An imaging system comprising:

a detector configured to detect X-rays from an X-ray source and comprising a plurality of photodetector elements having a pixel pitch p, wherein each photodetector element comprises an axis along a length or width of the photodetector element; and

an anti-scatter grid disposed over the detector, wherein the anti-scatter grid comprises a plurality of radiation absorbing elements, at least a portion of one or more of the radiation absorbing elements of the plurality of radiation absorbing elements is disposed on each photodetector element, and a respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements disposed on each respective photodetector element is disposed at an angle α relative to the axis, wherein the angle α is greater than 0 degree and less than 180 degrees, and the angle α is the same for each respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements disposed on each respective photodetector element.

8. The imaging system of claim 7 , wherein a sum of a width, d, of a single radiation absorbing element and a distance, D, between adjacent absorbing elements is less than the pixel pitch, p.

9. The imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the pixel pitch, p, equals

d

×

D

cos

α

.

10. The imaging system of claim 8 , wherein an area of a respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements disposed on each respective photodetector element is equal to

p

×

d

cos

α

.

11. The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the area of each respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements disposed on each photodetector element is substantially equal.

12. The imaging system of claim 7 , wherein each photodetector element comprises a photosensing area, and at least some of the photosensing areas of the photodetector elements have different regions covered by a respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements.

13. The imaging system of claim 7 , wherein each of the photodetector elements comprise a substantially equal area.

14. The imaging system of claim 7 , wherein the detector comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor detector.

15. The imaging system of claim 7 , wherein each of the radiation absorbing elements comprises an equal width.

16. The imaging system of claim 7 , wherein each of the radiation absorbing elements is equally spaced apart relative to each other.

17. A method for assembling an X-ray detector comprising:

providing a detector configured to detect X-rays from an X-ray source, wherein the detector comprises a plurality of photodetector elements having a pixel pitch p, wherein each photodetector element comprises an axis along a length or width of the photodetector element; and

disposing an anti-scatter grid over the detector at an angle α , wherein the anti-scatter grid comprises a plurality of radiation absorbing elements, at least a portion of one or more of the radiation absorbing elements of the plurality of radiation absorbing elements is disposed on each photodetector element, and a respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements disposed on each respective photodetector element is disposed at the angle α relative to the axis, wherein the angle α is greater than 0 degree and less than 180 degrees, and the angle α is the same for each respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements disposed on each respective photodetector element.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein a sum of a width, d, of a single radiation absorbing element and a distance, D, between adjacent absorbing elements is less than the pixel pitch, p.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the pixel pitch, p, equals

d

×

D

cos

α

.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein an area of a respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements disposed on each respective photodetector element is equal to

p

×

d

cos

α

.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein each photodetector element comprises a photosensing area, and at least some of the photosensing areas of the photodetector elements have different regions covered by a respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein each of the radiation absorbing elements comprises a substantially equal width.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein each of the radiation absorbing elements is equally spaced apart relative to each other.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded May 8, 2025
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
Reel/Frame 071225/0218 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2012
From: LIU, JAMES ZHENGSHE; ANDERTON, RICHARD LARRY
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 028807/0278 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140048713A1 · Feb 20, 2014