Direct conversion x-ray detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9392985-B2
Application number	US-201414327630-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2014
Priority date	Jul 26, 2013
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

A direct-conversion x-ray detector or x-ray detector module includes: a direct converter; at least one collimator; and at least one radiation source. The at least one collimator is arranged in a direction of radiation of the x-ray radiation in front of the direct converter, and to restrict direct irradiation of the direct converter by the x-ray radiation. The at least one radiation source is at a side of the direct converter, and configured to irradiate the direct converter with additional radiation. The at least one collimator includes: at least one reflection layer on a side facing the direct converter, and configured to reflect the additional radiation onto the direct converter; and a cooling facility configured to cool the at least one radiation source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A direct-conversion x-ray detector or x-ray detector module for detection of x-ray radiation, comprising:
a direct converter to detect x-ray radiation;
at least one collimator arranged in front of the direct converter in a direction of radiation of the x-ray radiation, the at least one collimator configured to restrict direct irradiation of the direct converter by the x-ray radiation; and
at least one radiation source at a side of the direct converter, the at least one radiation source configured to irradiate the direct converter with additional radiation;
wherein the at least one collimator includes
at least one reflection layer on a side facing the direct converter, the at least one reflection layer configured to reflect the additional radiation onto the direct converter, and
a cooling facility configured to cool the at least one radiation source; and

wherein the additional radiation is one of visible and infrared radiation.

2. The x-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein
the at least one collimator is at least partly formed of a thermally-conductive material; and
the at least one radiation source is integrated into at least one heat sink, which is thermally-conductively connected to the at least one collimator.

3. The x-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein
the at least one collimator is at least partly formed of a thermally-conductive material; and
the at least one radiation source is integrated into at least one heat sink, which is an integral component of the at least one collimator.

4. The x-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one collimator is composed of metal and includes one of metal ribs and metal gratings.

5. The x-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one radiation source includes one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

6. The x-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one radiation source is configured to emit infrared radiation.

7. The x-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one radiation source includes two radiation sources, the two radiation sources arranged on at least two sides of the direct converter.

8. The x-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the direct converter and the at least one collimator are separated by a gap for the additional radiation.

9. The x-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein the x-ray detector is a computed tomography x-ray detector for use in a computed tomography (CT) system.

10. The x-ray detector of claim 2 , wherein the at least one collimator is composed of metal and includes one of metal ribs and metal gratings.

11. The x-ray detector of claim 3 , wherein the at least one collimator is composed of metal and includes one of metal ribs and metal gratings.

12. The x-ray detector of claim 2 , wherein the at least one radiation source includes one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

13. The x-ray detector of claim 2 , wherein the at least one radiation source is configured to emit infrared radiation.

14. The x-ray detector of claim 5 , wherein the at least one radiation source is configured to emit infrared radiation.

15. The x-ray detector of claim 5 , wherein the at least one radiation source includes two radiation sources, the two radiation sources arranged on at least two sides of the direct converter.

16. The x-ray detector of claim 6 , wherein the at least one radiation source includes two radiation sources, the at least two radiation sources arranged on at least two sides of the direct converter.

17. The x-ray detector of claim 3 , wherein the at least one collimator is composed of metal and includes one of metal ribs and metal gratings.

18. The x-ray detector of claim 3 , wherein the at least one radiation source includes one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

19. A computed tomography (CT) system comprising:
the x-ray detector of claim 2 , wherein the x-ray detector is a CT x-ray detector.

20. A computed tomography (CT) system comprising:
the x-ray detector of claim 3 , wherein the x-ray detector is a CT x-ray detector.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Ergler Thorsten
• Freund Andreas
• Kreisler Björn
• Schröter Christian
• Wirth Stefan

Classifications

• A61B6/4208 Primary

  characterised by using a particular type of detector · CPC title

• A61B6/032 Primary

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/4291

  the detector being combined with a grid or grating · CPC title

• A61B6/4488

  Means for cooling (A61B6/045 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01T1/244

  Auxiliary details, e.g. casings, cooling, damping or insulation against damage by, e.g. heat, pressure or the like · CPC title