Patent ID: 7429737

Claim:
A digital radiography detector comprising: a) a first housing, having substantially a form factor of a film cassette and having a chest wall edge, the first housing comprising: (i) an X-ray converter coupled with a detection array, wherein each detector in the detection array generates a signal according to an amount of radiation received; (ii) readout electronics coupled with switching elements in the detection array for obtaining the signals therefrom, wherein the readout electronics comprise elements formed from crystalline silicon and wherein the readout electronics are distributed toward outer edges of the first housing and away from the chest wall edge of the first housing; (iii) X-ray shielding selectively protecting the readout electronics and located beneath a portion of the X-ray converter, the shielding defining an area permitting passage of radiation beyond the housing; and b) a second housing electrically connected to the first housing and comprising: (i) a power source for the detection and switching element arrays; and (ii) control electronics for obtaining signals provided from the readout electronics in the first housing.