Methods and systems for a layered imaging detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11294079-B2
Application number	US-201916719294-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2019
Priority date	Dec 18, 2019
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

Various methods and systems are provided for an imaging detector array. In one example, a detector module of the array has an X-ray sensor assembly coupled to an upper surface of a conductive block and at least one integrated circuit positioned in a recess of the conductive block below the X-ray sensor assembly. The detector module may further include a radiation blocker positioned between the X-ray sensor assembly and the at least one integrated circuit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging system, comprising:
one or more detector modules, each detector module having a plurality of layers, including;
an X-ray sensor assembly oriented perpendicular to a vertical axis of the detector module and positioned above a conductive block;
a radiation blocker positioned between the X-ray sensor assembly and the conductive block, the radiation blocker configured to block penetration of radiation into the conductive block; and
at least one integrated circuit positioned along a side of the conductive block and configured to be shielded from irradiation by the radiation blocker.

2. The imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising a thermally insulating layer disposed between the radiation blocker and the conductive block, the thermally insulating layer configured to inhibit conduction of heat from the at least one integrated circuit to the X-ray sensor assembly.

3. The imaging system of claim 2 , wherein the thermally insulating layer is a layer of adhesive and wherein the adhesive is at least one of an epoxy and a UV-curable adhesive.

4. The imaging system of claim 2 , wherein the thermally insulating layer is formed of one or more adhesive-filled slots, each slot oriented co-planar with the X-ray sensor assembly and positioned above an integrated circuit of the at least one integrated circuit along the vertical axis of the detector module.

5. The imaging system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more adhesive-filled slots are recesses in an upper surface of the conductive block and wherein the one or more adhesive-filled slots have troughs at extreme ends of each slots, the troughs configured to collect excess adhesive coupling the radiation blocker to the conductive block.

6. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the radiation blocker is a layer entirely covering the upper surface of the conductive block and a lower surface of the X-ray sensor assembly and formed of a material that absorbs and/or attenuates x-ray photons.

7. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein an edge of the radiation blocker protrudes beyond an outward facing surface of the at least one integrated circuit along a direction perpendicular to the vertical axis and wherein the protrusion of the radiation blocker is configured to provide an overhang to shield the at least one integrated circuit from irradiation.

8. The imaging system of claim 7 , wherein the outward facing surface of the at least one integrated circuit is spaced away from an outermost plane aligned with the vertical axis and defined by the protrusion of the edge of the radiation blocker.

9. The imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one integrated circuit is located in a recess along a side of the conductive block and a surface of the recess is tilted with respect to the vertical axis where the tilting positions a bottom end of the recess further away from the outermost plane than an upper end of the recess.

10. A detector for an imaging system, comprising:
at least one detector module having a layered structure, wherein the layered structure includes;
an X-ray sensor assembly;
a radiation blocker positioned between the X-ray sensor assembly and a conductive block, configured to block penetration of radiation past the X-ray sensor assembly;
one or more integrated circuits positioned along a side of the conductive block, below the X-ray sensor assembly and electrically coupled to the X-ray sensor assembly; and
a thermally insulating layer, disposed between the radiation blocker and the conductive block, configured to inhibit heat transmission from the one or more integrated circuits to the X-ray sensor assembly.

11. The detector of claim 10 , wherein the one or more integrated circuits are positioned underneath, relative to a vertical axis of the at least one detector module, the radiation blocker and spaced away from an outermost plane aligned with the vertical axis, the outermost plane defined by a protrusion of an edge of the radiation blocker along a direction perpendicular to the vertical axis.

12. The detector of claim 11 , wherein the one or more integrated circuits are inclined where a bottom end of each of the one or more integrated circuits is further from the outermost plane of the radiation blocker than an upper end of each of the one or more integrated circuits.

13. The detector of claim 11 , wherein the one or more integrated circuits are aligned parallel with the vertical axis and positioned in an inset extending from a mid-point along a height of the radiation blocker, the height defined along the vertical axis, to a bottom end of the at least one detector module.

14. The detector of claim 10 , further comprising a shield formed of a radiation blocking material and configured to be coupled to at least one of a surface of a cable coupled to the one or more integrated circuits and extending along a side of the conductive block and a surface of an adjacent detector module and wherein the shield is configured to shield the one or more integrated circuits from scattered radiation.

15. The detector of claim 14 , wherein the shield extends along at least a length of the one or more integrated circuits, the length defined along the vertical axis, and wherein the shield is positioned between the one or more integrated circuits and the adjacent detector module.

16. The detector of claim 10 , further comprising a shield formed of a radiation blocking material and coupled to a cable, the cable coupled to the one or more integrated circuits, by at least one of a coating applied to a surface of cable extending at least along a length of the one or more integrated circuits, the length defined along the vertical axis, and incorporation of the radiation blocking material into a material of the cable and wherein the shield is configured to shield the one or more integrated circuits from scattered radiation.

17. The detector of claim 10 , wherein the radiation blocker includes one or more layers of one or more types of radiation blocking material, the one or more layers stacked along the vertical axis, and wherein at least one of the one or more types of radiation blocking material is configured with at least one of thermally resistant and k-edge emission blocking properties.

18. A detector module, comprising:
a radiation blocker aligned perpendicular to a vertical axis of the detector module and positioned below an X-ray sensor assembly and above a first surface of a conductive block, the first surface also aligned perpendicular to the vertical axis;
at least one integrated circuit coupled to a cable and positioned at a second surface of the conductive block, the second surface different from the first surface and substantially aligned with the vertical axis; and
a thermally insulating layer coupled to a bottom surface of the radiation blocker and the first surface of the conductive block.

19. The detector module of claim 18 , further comprising a thermal interfacing pad positioned between the at least one integrated circuit and the second surface of the conductive block, the thermal interfacing pad configured to conduct heat from the at least one integrated circuit to the conductive block.

20. The detector module of claim 18 , further comprising a heat sink positioned below the conductive block and configured to draw heat from the at least one integrated circuit through the conductive block away from the X-ray sensor assembly.

Assignees

• Ge Prec Healthcare Llc

Inventors

• Konkle Nicholas
• Lochner Daniel
• Schueneman Grant
• Drago Jahir

Classifications

• G01T1/2019

  Shielding against direct hits · CPC title

• G01T1/243

  Modular detectors, e.g. arrays formed from self contained units (constructional or manufacturing details H10W90/00) · CPC title

• G01N23/046

  using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/4014

  arranged in multiple source-detector units · CPC title

• A61B6/4429

  related to the mounting of source units and detector units · CPC title