MULTIPLE LINE DETECTOR FOR USE IN RADIOGRAPHY

Abstract: A detector for use in a line scanned radiography system includes a plurality of lines (21-25:60,62) of detector elements which provide increased photon reception and increased scanning speed. By offsetting elements (64) in one line (60) from elements (66,68) in adjacent lines (62) an increase in horizontal resolution is achieved.

Description: MULTIPLE LINE DETECTOR tOR USE IN RADIOGRAPHY This invention relates generally to radiography, and more particularly the invention relates to detectors for use in projection radiography systems. Line scanned radiography systems are employed in applications where a limited volume of a subject is to be inspected. Typically, radiation from a source is collimated whereby only a thin fan beam or swath of radiation is allowed to impinge on the subject. A detector is positioned on the opposite side of the subject to receive the attenuated radiation passing through the subject. Heretofore, the detector has comprised a plurality of individual radiation detectors, such as a scintillator crystal and light detecting diode pair, arranged in a single line for receiving the radiation. While a high degree of scatter rejection is achieved in such a system, only a small fraction of the source photons are intercepted by such a linear detector array. Accordingly, the conventional detector array is source limited and limits the scanning speed of the system. An object of the present invention is an improved detector for use in line scanned radiography systems. Another object of the invention is a radiation detector which has increased photon collection. A further object of the invention is a line scanned radiation detector which allows increased scanning speed. Yet another object of the invention is a radiation detector which is useful in multiple energy radiography systems. Still another object of the invention is a radiation detector having improved resolution. A feature of the invention is a line scan radiation detector having a plurality of lines of detector elements. Briefly, a detector in accordance with the present invention for use in a line scan radiography system comprises a plurality of lines of detector elements, the detector elements in each line being linearly arranged and the lines being parallel to each other. Charge storage means is connected to each detector element to receive electrical charge. In one embodiment each element in one line is aligned with an element in each other line and means is provided for integrating the electrical charge from all aligned elements. In another embodiment each element in one line is positioned intermediate to other elements in an adjacent line whereby improved resolution is achieved. By proper collimation of the radiation source and the detector, all lines of the detector can simultaneously receive a swath of radiation without excessive scatter The increased number of lines in the detector array increases both the number of collected photons and the scanning speed. In a detector array having a large number of detector lines, provision is made for moving the detector with respect to the radiation source to avoid the problem of variable ray paths. The multi-line detector is particularly advantageous in a multiple energy radiation system. The invention and objects and feature thereof will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken with the appended claims, in which: Figure 1 is an illustrative plan view of the display of a line scanned projection radiography system; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a conventional linear detector in a line scanned projection system; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a linear detector array for use in a scanned projection system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 illustrates a line scanned projection radiography system including a detector in accordance with the invention; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the charge transfer from a multiline detector in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; ; Figure 6 is a plan view illustrating another embodiment of a multi line detector and charge output therefrom in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, and Figure 7 illustrates another mode of operation of a multiline detector in a line scanned projection radiography system in accordance with the invention. Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a typical video display in a scanned projection radiography system. The display comprises a plurality of horizontal scan lines 10 with each line having a plurality of pixels or picture elements For example, the display may comprise several hundred scan lines with each line having five hundred pixels or picture elements. Heretofore, the pixel values for each scan line have been obtained from a detector array 12 as illustrated in Figure 2 with the array comprising a plurality of light detecting elements 14. Typically, the light detecting elements comprise a scintillator crystal which generates light in response to impinging radiation and a light emitting diode which generates an electrical charge proportional to detected light. By using a single line of detector elements with a suitable scanning radiation source collimator a high degree of scatter rejection is achieved thereby improving the quality of the output signal. However, the detector array intercepts a relatively small fraction of the source photons thus limiting the minimum radiation necessary for picture development. In accordance with the invention, a detector array is provided with a plurality of lines of detector elements. It has been discovered that with proper detector collimation the number of detector lines can be increased significantly (e.g. up to tenfold) without excessive scatter. The increased number of lines in the detector array increases both the number of collected photons and the scanning speed. For example, by increasing a single line system to ten lines, a tenfold increase in detected photons results using the same scan time. At the scan rate, however, each line is being exposed ten times longer, presenting possible motion artifacts. These can be avoided by increasing the rate of source power tenfold, and scanning ten times faster. The total integrated source energy will be unchanged, thus avoiding overheating. The resultant line scanning time will be unchanged and the image scan time will be reduced ten to one. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a multiline detector in accordance with one embodiment of the invention in which five lines 21-25 of detector elements are provided. In this embodiment each element in one line is aligned with an element in each other line. Figure 4 illustrates the placement of the multiline detector 18 of Figure 3 in a scanned projection radiography system in which radiation from a source 30 passes through a source collimator 32 through a subject 34 and thence to a detector collimator 36 prior to reception by the detector 18. By providing the detector collimator 36 whereby the radiation passing therethrough is of the same width as the detector 18, photon scatter can be minimized. Accordingly, the increased number of lines in the detector array can increase both the number of photons and the scanning speed. Figure 5 is a schematic illustrating the signal transfer from five aligned detector cells 31-35. As illustrated, the signal from each detector element is transferred to a storage element 36 and is subsequently passed through a shifter 38 and summed with the signal from the detector element thereabove. The signal storage elements and shifting element may comprise charge coupled devices (CCDs). Thus, by continually shifting the charge upward charge from each of the elements 31-35 is summed and provided as an output to the data acquisition system (not shown). After each charge packet from a detector element is stored, the detector array is incremented by one line spacing whereby the accumulated charge from the aligned detector elements correspond to the same line position with respect to the scanned subject. By indexing the linear array by one line width for each transfer of charge, each sequence of collected charge represents the output from the same section in the object under inspection. However, when the source and array are linearly scanned with respect to the subject, this is not exactly true since the beams going to each line in the array are at slightly different angles and each successive line represents a slightly different path through the object. In an array having a relatively few lines the effect is negligible. However, the effect can be significant for an array having a large number of lines. In such a case, the problem can be avoided by rotating the line array around a stationary source as shown in Figure 6. The figure is similar to Figure 4 and includes a source collimator 52 and a detector collimator 56 placed on opposing sides of the patient 54. With the source 50 held stationary the detector 58 is rotated as indicated whereby the X-ray beam path for each successive line exactly duplicates the previous X-ray beam path. The collimators 52 and 56 can be rotated with the detector array to minimize scatter. Figure 7 is another embodiment of a detector array in accordance with the invention in which the two lines 60 and 62 have detector elements which are offset with respect to each other. For example, the detector element 64 in the line 60 lies intermediate the two detector elements 66 and 68 in the line 62. By providing separate charge output lines, as indicated, the combination of the two lines represents twice the horizontal sampling rate. Accordingly, the effective horizontal resolution as measured by the number of samples is doubled. The multi line detector is particularly advantageous when used in a multiple energy system. For example, in a dual energy system the source spectrum is alternated between a high and low energy level. The multiple line array is moved the distance of one line for each spectrum. Two sets of storage systems are needed in a dual energy system so that the information corresponding to each energy spectrum can be obtained. To use the embodiment of Figure 7 in a dual energy system, two successive lines must be in one position with two following lines indexed over by one-half of an element. Accordingly, each energy spectrum has a stored output at each horizontal position. Multiline detectors in accordance with the invention provide a projection radiography system with increased photon collection and scanning speed and improved horizontal resolution. While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the description is illustrative of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications and applications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. In a line scanned radiation system in which collimated radiation passing through a subject is received by a detector, the improvement comprising collimation means for intercepting radiation passing through the subject and defining a radiation swath, and a multiple line detector positioned to receive said radiation swath, each line of said detector including a plurality of linearlY arranged individual detector elements. 2. The improvement as defined by Claim 1 and wherein said lines are juxtaposed across said radiation swath. 3. The improvement as defined by Claim 1 or 2, and further including signal storage means connected to each of said detector elements to receive electrical signals. 4. The improvement as defined by Claim 3 wherein said detector comprises two lines of detector elements with each element in one line being positioned intermediate to elements in the other line. 5. The improvement as defined by Claim 3 wherein each element in one line is aligned with an element in each other line, and further including means for integrating electrical signals from aligned elements. 6. The improvement as defined by Claim 5 wherein said means for receiving and integrating electrical signals comprises a charge coupled device. 7. The improvement as defined by Claim 3 wherein said means for receiving electrical signals comprises a charge coupled device. 8. A detector for use in a line scanned radiography system comprising a plurality of lines of detector elements, said detector elements in each line being linearly arranged and said lines being parallel to each other. 9. The detector as defined by Claim 8 and further including signal storage means connected to each of said detectors. 10. The detector as defined by Claim 9 wherein said detector comprises two lines of detector elements with elements in one line being positioned intermediate two elements in the other line, 11. The detector as defined by Claim 10 wherein each element in one line is aligned with an element in each other line, and further including means for integrating electrical signals from aligned elements. 12. The detector as defined by Claim 11 wherein said means for receiving and integrating electrical signals domprises a charge coupled device. 13. The detector as defined by Claim 9 wherein each detector element comprises a scintillator crystal and a light detecting diode.

Inventors: MACOVSKI, ALBERT
Applicants: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY
Application year: 1983
Main classification: G01T1
IPC codes: G01N23, G01T1, A61B6