Patent ID: 6377661
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: G21K

Abstract:
An imaging system comprising:a radiation point source; at least one detector panel having an array of detector elements disposed thereon; and a collimator comprising a radiation absorbing material, said collimator being disposed at a position between said radiation point source and said detector panel, said collimator further comprising a monolithic block of a radiation-absorbing material having a front face and a rear face, a plurality of channels formed within and through said block, each of said channels being separated by and defined by a plurality of channel walls that collectively comprise a web of said radiation absorbing material, said web being the portion of the slab material remaining after said plurality of channels are formed in said slab; wherein each of said plurality of channels has a longitudinal axis, and said longitudinal axes of said plurality of channels intersect at a position of said radiation point source, and wherein said walls forming each of said plurality of channels converge toward said radiation point source position.