Device and method for simultaneous X-ray and gamma photon imaging with a stacked detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10539683-B2
Application number	US-201615742701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2016
Priority date	Jul 9, 2015
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

A dual mode radiation detector includes an x-ray detector layer configured to convert incident x-ray radiation into x-ray electrical data, where the x-ray detector forms an incident face of the dual mode radiation detector. The dual mode radiation detector further includes a collimator disposed below the x-ray detector layer, and a gamma photon detector layer disposed below the collimator to convert incident gamma photons into gamma photon electrical data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dual mode radiation detector comprising:
an x-ray detector layer configured to convert incident x-ray radiation into x-ray electrical data, said x-ray detector layer forming an incident face of said dual mode radiation detector;
a collimator disposed below the x-ray detector layer;
an x-ray filter disposed between the x-ray detector layer and the collimator; and
a gamma photon detector layer disposed below the collimator and configured to convert incident gamma photons into gamma photon electrical data such that the collimator is between the x-ray detector layer and the gamma photon detector layer.

2. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray detector layer, collimator and gamma photon detector layer are stacked on top of each other.

3. A dual mode radiation detector comprising:
an x-ray detector layer to convert incident x-ray radiation into x-ray electrical data, said x-ray detector layer forming an incident face of said dual mode radiation detector;
a collimator disposed below the x-ray detector layer; and
a gamma photon detector layer disposed below the collimator to convert incident gamma photons into gamma photon electrical data,
wherein an x-ray filter layer is arranged between the x-ray detector layer and the collimator, and wherein the x-ray detector layer, the x-ray filter layer, the collimator, and the gamma photon detector layer are stacked directly on top of each other.

4. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 1 , wherein frontal areas of the collimator and of the gamma photon detector layer each equals a frontal area of the incident face of said dual mode radiation detector.

5. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 1 , wherein said collimator is removable and insertable into said dual mode radiation detector.

6. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray detector layer is an indirect flat panel detector comprising a scintillator layer and a detector array containing photodiodes below said scintillator layer.

7. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 1 , wherein the collimator and gamma photon detector layer form a gamma camera, said gamma camera comprising the collimator, a scintillator layer and a photomultiplier layer below said scintillator layer.

8. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 7 , wherein the collimator is a parallel hole collimator.

9. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 8 , further comprising an anti-scatter grid provided in front of the x-ray detector layer configured to reduce amount of scattered x-ray radiation incident upon the x-ray detector layer.

10. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 9 , wherein said anti-scatter grid is removable from said dual mode radiation detector.

11. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 9 , wherein said anti-scatter grid is configured to transmit at least part of the gamma photons and wherein said anti-scatter grid is configured to remain in place in front of the x-ray detector during acquisition of gamma photon electrical data.

12. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 1 , wherein the collimator is a cone beam collimator.

13. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 1 , wherein the collimator disposed between the x-ray detector layer and gamma photon detector layer is the only collimator of the dual mode radiation detector and wherein the incident face is fully exposed to radiation impinging on said dual mode radiation detector.

14. The dual mode radiation detector according to claim 1 , wherein said gamma photon detector layer comprises a scintillator layer with a decay time shorter than that of sodium iodide scintillators with thallium doping by using a lutetium yttrium orthosilicate or lanthanum tribromine (LaBr 3 ) scintillation crystal.

15. A dual mode radiation detecting system, comprising:
a dual mode radiation detector, including:
an x-ray detector layer to convert incident x-ray radiation into x-ray electrical data, said x-ray detector layer forming an incident face of said dual mode radiation detector;
a collimator disposed below the x-ray detector layer;
an x-ray filter disposed between the x-ray detector layer and the collimator; and
a gamma photon detector layer disposed below the collimator to convert incident gamma photons into gamma photon electrical data; and

an image processing unit, said image processing unit receiving both the x-ray electrical data and gamma photon electrical data from said dual mode radiation detector, and said image processing unit configured to fuse simultaneously acquired x-ray electrical data and gamma photon electrical data into fused images containing both the x-ray electrical data and the gamma photon electrical data.

16. The dual mode radiation detecting system according to claim 15 , wherein the gamma photon electrical data comprises information on energy of photons incident on the gamma photon detector layer, and said image processing unit is configured to filter out x-ray photons incident on the gamma photon detector layer based on the energy of photons incident on the gamma photon detector layer.

17. The dual mode radiation detecting system according to claim 15 , said system being configured for simultaneous fluoroscopy and scintigraphy.

18. The dual mode imaging system according to claim 15 , comprising an x-ray source, wherein said gamma photon detector layer comprises a scintillator layer with a decay time shorter than that of sodium iodide scintillators with thallium doping by using a lutetium yttrium orthosilicate or lanthanum tribromine (LaBr 3 ) scintillation crystal.

19. The dual mode imaging system, comprising a dual mode radiation detector according to claim 15 , comprising an x-ray source, said x-ray source having a focal spot, wherein said the collimator of said dual mode radiation detector is cone beam collimator having a focal spot that is offset from the focal spot of the x-ray source.

20. The dual mode imaging system, comprising a dual mode radiation detector according claim 15 , comprising an x-ray source, said x-ray source being configured to emit pulses of x-ray radiation, wherein said gamma photon detector layer is configured to detect photons in between said pulses of x-ray radiation, wherein said x-ray electrical data is acquired during an x-ray pulse and said gamma photon electrical data is acquired before or after said x-ray pulse so that both the x-ray electrical data and the gamma photon electrical data are acquired within a time interval of 0.5 second and fused into the fused images containing both the x-ray electrical data and the gamma photon electrical data.

21. The dual mode imaging system according to claim 20 , further comprising a support installation supporting said x-ray source and said dual mode radiation detector, said support installation being configured to provide a stationary acquisition position of the x-ray source and dual mode radiation detector, and wherein the x-ray electrical data and the gamma photon electrical data fused into said fused images are obtained with the x-ray source and the dual mode radiation detector in said stationary acquisition position.

22. The dual mode imaging system according to claim 21 , wherein said support installation is a C-arm device, said C-arm device comprising:
a C-arm having opposed first and second free end segments; and
a C-arm support structure connected to

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• De Jong Hugo Wilhelmus Antonius Maria

Classifications

• G01T1/1611

  using both transmission and emission sources sequentially (SPECT imaging G01T1/1642; PET imaging G01T1/2985; detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objects G01V5/20) · CPC title

• A61B6/4266

  characterised by using a plurality of detector units (A61B6/4014 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01T1/1615 Primary

  using both transmission and emission sources simultaneously (SPECT imaging G01T1/1642; PET imaging G01T1/2985; detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objects G01V5/20) · CPC title

• G01T1/1612

  with scintillation detectors (G01T1/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01T1/1642

  using a scintillation crystal and position sensing photodetector arrays, e.g. ANGER cameras · CPC title