Patent US4879464A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4879464A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Radiation imaging apparatus
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1987-02-05
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Granted: 1989-11-07
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Expires: 2007-02-05
Abstract
Abstract A plurality of semiconductor radiation detector elements are arranged in a matrix array. The same number of signal process circuits as the detector elements are exclusively connected to the respective detector elements. The detector signals derived from the individual detector elements are independently stored in predetermined memory cells of a frame memory. Further, a coding circuit is connected between the signal process circuits and the frame memory.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuhiro Iinuma
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 22:56
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/29; G01T1/2914; G01T1/2921; G01T1/2928; G01T1/16; G01T1/17
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
231 words
A radiation imaging apparatus comprising: means for detecting radiation emitted from an object under investigation to which a radioactive substance has been administered, said detecting means including; a plurality of detector elements equally divided into a first number of detector subblocks, and means for generating electric pulse signals each representing the radiation detected by said detector elements in said detector subblocks; a plurality of pulse-height analyzer sections each coupled to a different one of said detector elements in said detector subblocks to analyze said electric pulse signals, said analyzer sections each including means for selecting only those of said electric pulse signals having at least a predetermined signal level; means for coding said electric pulse signals selected by said pulse-height analyzer sections and for separately producing coded signals representing unique detection positions in each of said detector subblocks; first memory means for temporarily storing said coded signals from said coding means within a predetermined time period into first memory positions, said first memory positions being organized as a matrix array with each corresponding to a different detector subblock; second memory means for storing said coded signals from said first memory means in second memory positions organized in accordance with said matrix array, said coded signals in said second memory means representing an image data signal of said object; and means for displaying said image data signal as a radiation distribution map.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
231 words
A radiation imaging apparatus comprising: means for detecting radiation emitted from an object under investigation to which a radioactive substance has been administered, said detecting means including; a plurality of detector elements equally divided into a first number of detector subblocks, and means for generating electric pulse signals each representing the radiation detected by said detector elements in said detector subblocks; a plurality of pulse-height analyzer sections each coupled to a different one of said detector elements in said detector subblocks to analyze said electric pulse signals, said analyzer sections each including means for selecting only those of said electric pulse signals having at least a predetermined signal level; means for coding said electric pulse signals selected by said pulse-height analyzer sections and for separately producing coded signals representing unique detection positions in each of said detector subblocks; first memory means for temporarily storing said coded signals from said coding means within a predetermined time period into first memory positions, said first memory positions being organized as a matrix array with each corresponding to a different detector subblock; second memory means for storing said coded signals from said first memory means in second memory positions organized in accordance with said matrix array, said coded signals in said second memory means representing an image data signal of said object; and means for displaying said image data signal as a radiation distribution map.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said first memory means includes a first number of random access memories, and wherein said second memory means includes a frame memory.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as in claim 2, further comprising a central processing unit connected between said frame memory and said display means and including means for processing said image data signal so as to improve a quality of said radiation distribution map.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a collimator array having a plurality of collimators arranged in a matrix, each of said collimators corresponding to a different one of said detector elements for reducing scattered radiation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said collimators each include a square frame having a length of 20 mm, a pitch of 2 mm and a thickness of 0.1 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein each said collimator includes an end portion projecting slightly from an edge of said collimator in a longitudinal direction of the collimator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said first number of said detector subblocks is 64 and wherein 1,024 of said detector elements are in each of said detector subblocks.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said detector element is made of a semiconductor material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes a scintillator and a multichannel plate in a vacuum chamber, said multichannel plate being positioned to receive scintillations of said scintillator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes a scintillator and a semiconductor radiation detector in a vacuum chamber, said semiconductor radiation detector being positioned to receive scintillation of said scintillator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes a fluorescent plate, a fiber assembly connected to receive fluorescent light from the fluorescent plate, and a photodiode for converting the fluorescent light of the fluorescent plate into said electric impulses, said fluorescent plate and said fiber assembly being provided in a vacuum chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said coding means includes means for connecting said plurality of detector elements belonging to the respective detector subblocks, a preselected number of coding lines to derive said coded signals having digital codes with said preselected number of bits and also analogue levels corresponding to said electric impulses.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
77 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein each said pulse-height analyzer section includes a plurality of pulse-height analyzer circuits having different predetermined levels, and wherein said coding means includes a plurality of encoders coupled to said plurality of pulse height analyzer circuits, respectively, by a first preselected number of coding lines, thereby deriving coded signals having position codes of at least a second preselected number of bits and supplementary codes of a third preselected number of bits.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
192 words
A radiation imaging apparatus comprising: means for detecting radiation emitted from an object under investigation to which a radioactive substance has been administered, said detecting means including a plurality of detector elements equally divided into a first number of detector subblocks, and means for generating electric pulse signals each representing the radiation detected by said detector elements in said detector subblocks; means for separately coding said electric pulse signals from said plurality of detector elements into coded signals representing unique detection positions in said detector subblocks; a plurality of pulse-height analyzer circuit means, connected to said coding means, for selecting only those of said coded signals having a predetermined signal level; first memory means for temporarily storing said selected coded signals within a predetermined time period and into predetermined first memory positions organized in a matrix array; second memory means for storing said coded signals from said first memory means in predetermined second memory positions organized in accordance with said matrix array, said coded signals stored in said second memory means representing an image data signal of the object; and means for displaying said image data signal as a radiation distribution map.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
192 words
A radiation imaging apparatus comprising: means for detecting radiation emitted from an object under investigation to which a radioactive substance has been administered, said detecting means including a plurality of detector elements equally divided into a first number of detector subblocks, and means for generating electric pulse signals each representing the radiation detected by said detector elements in said detector subblocks; means for separately coding said electric pulse signals from said plurality of detector elements into coded signals representing unique detection positions in said detector subblocks; a plurality of pulse-height analyzer circuit means, connected to said coding means, for selecting only those of said coded signals having a predetermined signal level; first memory means for temporarily storing said selected coded signals within a predetermined time period and into predetermined first memory positions organized in a matrix array; second memory means for storing said coded signals from said first memory means in predetermined second memory positions organized in accordance with said matrix array, said coded signals stored in said second memory means representing an image data signal of the object; and means for displaying said image data signal as a radiation distribution map.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said coding means includes first means for connecting detector elements belonging to the respective detector subblocks, via a plurality of diodes, to a preselected number of coding lines so as to derive said coded signals having digital codes of said preselected number of bits and also analogue levels corresponding to said electric impulses.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
72 words
An apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said pulse-height analyzer circuit means includes second means for connecting an output of each said pulse-height analyzer circuits via an OR gate circuit to an input of AND gate circuits, and for connecting an input of said pulse-height analyzer circuit means directly to another input of said AND gate circuits, and wherein said coding lines are coupled to output signals of said AND gate circuits.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as in claim 14, further comprising a collimator array having a plurality of collimators arranged in a matrix array, each of said collimators corresponding to a different one of said detector elements for reducing scattered radiation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein each said collimator of the collimator array includes a square frame having a length of 20 mm, a pitch of 2 mm and a thickness of 0.1 mm.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein each said collimator includes an end portion projecting slightly from an edge of said collimator in a longitudinal direction of the collimator.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said first number of said detector subblocks is 64 and wherein 1,024 of said detector elements are included in each of said detector subblocks.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein each said detector element is made of a semiconductor material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said detector means includes a scintillator and a multi-channel plate in a vacuum chamber, said multichannel plate being positioned to receive scintillations of said scintillator.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said detector means includes a scintillator and a semiconductor radiation detector in a vacuum chamber, said multichannel plate being positioned to receive scintillations of said scintillator.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said detector means includes a fluorescent plate, a fiber assembly connected to receive fluorescent light from the fluorescent plate, and a photodiode for converting the fluorescent light of the fluorescent plate into said electric impulses, said fluorescent plate and said fiber assembly being provided in a vacuum chamber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-11-06 | 1993-05-08 | 1993-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-11-06 | 1997-05-08 | 1997-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-11-06 | 2001-05-08 | 2001-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |