Hybrid dosimetry and imaging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11366239-B2
Application number	US-201916528547-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2019
Priority date	Aug 1, 2018
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

Some embodiments include a system, comprising a hybrid imaging device comprising: a first scintillator; a first detector sensors configured to generate a signal based on photons emitted from the first scintillator; a second scintillator; a second detector sensors configured to generate a signal based on photons emitted from the second scintillator; and a control logic coupled to the first detector layer and the second detector layer; wherein: a material of the first scintillator is different from a material of the second scintillator; the first detector overlaps the second detector; and the control logic is configured to generate dose data in response to the first detector and image data in response to the second detector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising a hybrid imaging device comprising:
a first scintillator;
a first detector including first detector pixels configured to generate a signal based on photons emitted from the first scintillator;
a second scintillator;
a second detector including second detector pixels configured to generate a signal based on photons emitted from the second scintillator; and
a control logic coupled to the first detector pixels and the second detector pixels;
wherein:
a material of the first scintillator is different from a material of the second scintillator;
the first detector pixels overlap the second detector pixels; and
the control logic is configured to generate dose data in response to the first detector and image data in response to the second detector.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the material of the first scintillator comprises a water-equivalent material.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the water-equivalent material comprises a polymer.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the material of the first scintillator has a thickness of less than 10 millimeters (mm).

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the material of the second scintillator comprises a non-water-equivalent material.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hybrid imaging device further comprises:
a support structure disposed between the first detector and the second detector.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing;
wherein the first scintillator, the first detector, the second scintillator, the second detector, and the control logic are enclosed in the housing.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a detective quantum efficiency of the first scintillator and the first detector is less than 2%.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first scintillator comprises a homogenous and/or laminar structure.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hybrid imaging device further comprises:
a first readout circuit coupled to the first detector; and
a second readout circuit coupled to the second detector.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an x-ray source configured to generate an x-ray beam with photons having an energy greater than 1 megaelectronvolt (MeV);
wherein the first scintillator is disposed such that the x-ray beam passes through the first scintillator before passing through the second scintillator.

12. A method, comprising:
converting a part of incoming photons into first converted photons with a first scintillator;
passing remaining photons of the incoming photons to a second scintillator;
converting a part of the remaining photons into second converted photons with the second scintillator;
generating dose data in response to the first converted photons; and
generating image data in response to the second converted photons.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein a material of the first scintillator comprises a water-equivalent material.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the water-equivalent material comprises a polymer.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein a material of the second scintillator comprises a non-water-equivalent material.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
generating an absolute-dose calibration-curve;
wherein generating the dose data in response to the first converted photons comprises generating the dose data in response to the absolute-dose calibration-curve.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
simultaneously generating the dose data in response to the first converted photons and generating the image data in response to the second converted photons.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the incoming photons comprise an x-ray beam having an energy greater than 1 megaelectronvolt (MeV).

19. A system, comprising:
means for converting a part of incoming photons into first converted photons and passing remaining photons of the incoming photons;
means for converting a part of the remaining photons into second converted photons;
means for generating dose data in response to the first converted photons; and
means for generating image data in response to the second converted photons.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising:
means for generating an x-ray beam including the incoming photons having an energy greater than 1 megaelectronvolt (MeV).

Assignees

• Varex Imaging Corp

Inventors

• Lu Minghui
• Steiger Joachim
• Aufrichtig Richard

Classifications

• G01T1/2008 Primary

  using a combination of different types of scintillation detectors, e.g. phoswich · CPC title

• A61N5/1071

  for verifying the dose delivered by the treatment plan · CPC title

• G01T1/208

  Circuits specially adapted for scintillation detectors, e.g. for the photo-multiplier section · CPC title

• A61N5/1048

  Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods · CPC title

• A61N5/10

  X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy (A61N5/01 takes precedence) · CPC title