Detection apparatus for X-ray tomography

Claim 2

Detection apparatus for use with X-ray tomography apparatus comprising at least one X-ray source adapted to emit X-ray beams to pass through an organ to be analyzed and to thereupon be intercepted by said detection apparatus which comprises multicellular ionization chambers constituted by a single comb-type anode formed by a substantially cylindrical first plate p and a plurality of flat plates P i at right angles to said plate P and a plurality of cathodes C i , each being formed by a plate which is parallel to one of said plates P i , each of said chambers comprising two substantially parallel anode and cathode electrodes separated by a radiation-detecting medium adapted to convert the incident X-rays to electron-ion pairs, connected to said electrodes, and means connected to said electrodes for measuring the charge collected during a predetermined time interval under the influence of the incident X-rays.

Claim 3

Detection apparatus for use with X-ray tomography apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said X-ray source includes means for directing an X-ray beam having a range of angular divergence between 10° and 120° and a small thickness in a range between 0.1 mm and 20 mm onto an organ to be analyzed.

Claim 4

Detection apparatus for use with X-ray tomography apparatus according to claim 1 comprising means for simultaneously rotating said X-ray source and said multicellular ionization chambers about a point located substantially at the center of an organ to be analyzed.

Claim 5

Detection apparatus for use with X-ray tomography apparatus according to claim 1 wherein two successive cathodes C i and C i + 1 are applied against an insulating plate I i which is parallel to the plates P i for each index value "i".

Claim 6

Detection apparatus for use with X-ray tomography apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each cathode plate is placed at an equal distance between two successive anode plates.

Claim 7

Detection apparatus for use with X-ray tomography apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said charge-measuring means comprises an integrating amplifier.

Claim 8

Detection apparatus for use with X-ray tomography apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising switching means for connecting successively N cathodes forming part of N chambers to said integrating amplifier.

Claim 9

Detection apparatus for use with X-ray tomography apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each ionization chamber is filled with xenon gas at a pressure of approximately ten atmospheres.

Claim 10

Detection apparatus for use with X-ray tomography apparatus comprising at least one X-ray source adapted to emit X-ray beams to pass through an organ to be analyzed and to thereupon be intercepted by said detection apparatus which comprises multicellular ionization chambers constituted by a series of anode plates positioned parallel to each other and parallel to the direction of propagation of the X-rays, a grid positioned parallel to said anode plate and being brought to a negative potential -|V 1 |, and a cathode plate positioned parallel to said anode plates and so that said grid is between said cathode plate and said anode plates, said cathode plate being brought to a negative potential |V 2 |>|V 1 |, a radiation detecting medium adapted to convert the incident X-rays to electron-ion pairs, and means connected to said anode plates for measuring the charges collected during a predetermined time interval under the influence of the incident X-rays.

Claim 11

Detection apparatus for use with X-ray tomography apparatus comprising at least one X-ray source adapted to emit X-ray beams to pass through an organ to be analyzed and to thereupon be intercepted by said detection apparatus which comprises multicellular ionization chambers constituted by a series of anode plates positioned parallel to each other and parallel to the direction of propagation of the X-rays, a grid positioned parallel to said anode plate and being brought to a negative potential -|V 1 |, and a cathode plate positioned parallel to said anode plates and so that said grid is between said cathode plate and said anode plates, said cathode plate being brought to a negative potential |V 2 |>|V 1 |, a radiation detecting medium adapted to convert the incident X-rays to electron-ion pairs, and means connected to said anode plates for measuring the charges collected during a predetermined time interval under the influence of the incident X-rays.