Patent EP0365301A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0365301A1
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Imaging apparatuses and methods
Assignee: Philips Nuclear Medicine Inc
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Filing: 1989-10-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-10-18
Abstract
Abstract A plurality of segmented radiation sensitive arrays (30) receive radiation, from a radiation source (16), which has transversed an examination region (14) of a computed tomography scanner (10). Each array (30) includes a plurality of columns (A,B,C) of radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24), e.g. photodiodes, which produce an electrical signal indicative of the intensity of radiation received. Within each of the columns, there are larger cells and smaller cells. The electrical signals from each of the plurality of cells (A1....A24 or B1....B24 or C1....C24) within each column (A or B or C) are serialised (34) and amplified (36a, 36a, 36c). Selected combinations of the electrical signals from the various columns (A,B,C) and larger and smaller elements within each column (A or B or C) are combined (46) and reconstructed (50) into an image representation (2) for display on a video monitor (52).
Inventors
- 👤 Dominic J. Heuscher
- 👤 Rodney A. Mattson
- 👤 Carl J Brunnett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 01:06
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/52; A61B6/5205; A61B6/02; A61B6/03; A61B6/032; G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/29; G01T1/2914; G01T1/2985
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
An imaging apparatus comprising: means (18) defining an examination region (14); radiation source means (16) for rotating a beam of radiation about the examination region (14); means for receiving radiation that has traversed the examination region (14) and producing electrical signals indicative of the received radiation; and image reconstruction means (50) for reconstructing the electrical signals into an image representation, characterised in that said means for receiving (30, 32, 34 or 30, 60) includes a plurality of segmented arrays (30) of radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
An imaging apparatus comprising: means (18) defining an examination region (14); radiation source means (16) for rotating a beam of radiation about the examination region (14); means for receiving radiation that has traversed the examination region (14) and producing electrical signals indicative of the received radiation; and image reconstruction means (50) for reconstructing the electrical signals into an image representation, characterised in that said means for receiving (30, 32, 34 or 30, 60) includes a plurality of segmented arrays (30) of radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein each segmented array (30) comprises a regular grid of radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) on a common substrate, the grid having a plurality of columns (A,B,C) of radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) which extend along a circumference of the examination region (14) and a plurality of rows (1,...24) of radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) which extend in a direction lengthwise of the examination region (14).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said means for receiving (30, 32, 34 or 30, 60) includes serialising means (32, 34 or 60) such that said electrical signals comprise at least one output signal of serial data values.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein the serialising means (32, 34 or 60) includes: a charge coupled device array (34); and a charge injector means (32) for transferring to the charge coupled device array (34) charge values indicative of radiation received by the cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) of the segmented arrays (30), the charge coupled device array (34) being clocked to produce the or each output signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein the serialising means (32, 34 or 60) includes an array (60) of field effect transistors on a common substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein each segmented array (30) includes cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) of different sizes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to any Claim 6 wherein each segmented array (30) comprises a plurality of rows (1,....24) of cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) which extend in a direction lengthwise of the examination region (14), each row (1,....24) including cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) of different sizes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to Claim 6 wherein each segmented array (30) comprises a plurality of columns (A,B,C) of cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) which extend along a circumference of the examination region (14), each column (A,B,C) including cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) of different sizes.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including: a sampling means (40) for sampling the electrical signals from each cell (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24); and combining means (46a,b) for selectively combining the sampled electrical signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to Claim 9 further including: logarithm means (48) for determining the logarithm of the sampled electrical signals, the logarithm means (48) being operatively connected with the combining means (46a,b).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to Claim 9 or Claim 10 wherein the combining means (46a,b) includes a weighting and filtering means (46a) for selectively spatially weighting and temporally filtering the electrical signals.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
88 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein: each segmented array (30) includes cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) of a plurality of sizes; and the apparatus further includes a plurality of memory means (42), each memory means (42) storing electrical signals from a preselected subset of cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) of each segmented array (30), and combining means (46a,b) for selectively combining stored electrical signals from the memory means (42), the combining means (46a,b) being operatively connected with the image reconstruction means (50) for supplying the combined electrical signals thereto.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
113 words
An apparatus according to Claim 2 or Claim 12 further including: a charge coupled device array (34) comprising a plurality of columns (A,B,C) of charge coupled device cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) ; injector means (32) for transferring to the charge coupled device array (34) charge values indicative of radiation received by the cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) of the segmented arrays (30); a plurality of amplifiers (36 a,b,c), one connected with each column (A,B,C) of charge coupled device cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24); and clock means for causing each amplifier (36a,b,c) to amplify in series outputs from the cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) in its associated column (A,B,C) of charge coupled device cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to Claim 2 or Claim 12 further including an array (60) of field effect transistors for connecting the radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) to output amplifiers (36a,b,c).
Claim 16
Independent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including collimator means (20) for selectively screening a portion of the segmented arrays (30) of radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the plurality of segmented arrays (30) form at least three rings of radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) which encircle the examination region (14), each ring having more than 2,000 radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24) therein.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24,C1....C24) comprise photodiodes.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of imaging comprising: rotating a fan beam of radiation around an object to be imaged; detecting radiation which has traversed the object using detection means (30); reading radiation absorption data from the detection means (30); and reconstructing an image representation from the read data, characterised in that the detection means (30) comprises a plurality of segmented arrays (30) of radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24).
Claim 20
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of imaging comprising: rotating a fan beam of radiation around an object to be imaged; detecting radiation which has traversed the object using detection means (30); reading radiation absorption data from the detection means (30); and reconstructing an image representation from the read data, characterised in that the detection means (30) comprises a plurality of segmented arrays (30) of radiation sensitive cells (A1....A24, B1....B24, C1....C24).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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