Patent ID: 8243874
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: G01T

Abstract:
1. An x-ray computed tomography apparatus comprising: a scintillator-based x-radiation sensitive detector that includes a first scintillator layer sensitive to x-radiation having a first energy, a second scintillator layer sensitive to x-radiation having a second energy which is different from the first energy; a first energy resolving photon counter in operative communication with the first scintillator layer, wherein the first energy resolving photon counter classifies the x-radiation having a first energy into a first or second energy range, and generates a first or a second signal corresponding to the first or the second energy range of the x-radiation, wherein the second energy range is higher than the first energy range; a second energy resolving photon counter in operative communication with the second scintillator layer, wherein the second energy resolving photon counter classifies the x-radiation having a second energy into a third or fourth energy range, and generates a third or a fourth signal corresponding to the third or the fourth energy range of the x-radiation; and a combiner that combines the signals generated by the first and the second energy resolving photon counters to generate output signals that indicate the number of photons detected.