US6448566B1
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US
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Scintillator arrays for radiation detectors and methods for making same
Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Co LLC
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Filing: 2001-03-15
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Granted: 2002-09-10
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Expires: 2021-03-15
Abstract
Abstract To provide simpler, more efficient methods for making scintillator arrays, one embodiment of the present invention is a method for making a scintillator array. The method includes extruding a mixture of a scintillator powder and a binder into rods; laminating the extruded rods with a sinterable reflector material; and sintering the laminated rods and reflector material into a scintillator block. Scintillator array embodiments of the present invention are useful in many types of pixelated radiation detectors, such as those used in computed tomography systems.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Riedner
- 👤 David M. Hoffman
- 👤 Richard J. Ruzga
- 👤 Eti Ganin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 03:48
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/16; G01T1/20; G01T1/202
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
41 words
A method for making a scintillator array comprising: extruding a mixture of a scintillator powder and a binder into rods; laminating the extruded rods with a sinterable reflector material; and sintering the laminated rods and reflector material into a scintillator block.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
41 words
A method for making a scintillator array comprising: extruding a mixture of a scintillator powder and a binder into rods; laminating the extruded rods with a sinterable reflector material; and sintering the laminated rods and reflector material into a scintillator block.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising slicing the scintillator block into sections.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sinterable reflector comprises a reflector material powder selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, barium sulfate, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the binder is an organic binder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, methylcellulose, ethylhydroxy ethylcellulose, hydroxybutyl methylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxyethyl methylcellulose, hydroxybutylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, sodium carboxy methylcellulose, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the scintillator powder is selected from the group consisting of gadolinium oxysulfide, Lumex ((YGd) 2 O 3 ), cadmium tungstate, GGG (Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 garnet), bismuth germanate and mixtures thereof.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
61 words
A method for making a scintillator array comprising: extruding a mixture of a scintillator powder and a binder into rods; laminating the extruded rods with a sacrificial material; supporting the laminated, extruded rods; removing the laminated material between the supported rods; sintering the supported rods; and filling gaps between the sintered rods with a reflective material to form a scintillator array.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
61 words
A method for making a scintillator array comprising: extruding a mixture of a scintillator powder and a binder into rods; laminating the extruded rods with a sacrificial material; supporting the laminated, extruded rods; removing the laminated material between the supported rods; sintering the supported rods; and filling gaps between the sintered rods with a reflective material to form a scintillator array.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the rods have faces at opposite ends, and supporting the laminated, extruded rods comprises bonding conforming plates at opposite ends of the rods.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method in accordance with claim 7 and further comprising slicing the scintillator block into sections.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the reflector comprises a powder selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, barium sulfate, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the binder is an organic binder.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, methylcellulose, ethylhydroxy ethylcellulose, hydroxybutyl methylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxyethyl methylcellulose, hydroxybutylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, sodium carboxy methylcellulose, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the scintillator powder is selected from the group consisting of gadolinium oxysulfide, Lumex ((YGd) 2 O 3 ), cadmium tungstate, GGG (Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 garnet), bismuth germanate and mixtures thereof.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
61 words
A method for making a scintillator array comprising: extruding a mixture of a scintillator powder and a binder into rods; laminating the extruded rods with a sacrificial material; sintering the laminated, extruded rods; supporting the sintered, laminated rods; removing the laminated material between the supported rods; and filling gaps between the supported rods with reflective material to form a scintillator block.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
61 words
A method for making a scintillator array comprising: extruding a mixture of a scintillator powder and a binder into rods; laminating the extruded rods with a sacrificial material; sintering the laminated, extruded rods; supporting the sintered, laminated rods; removing the laminated material between the supported rods; and filling gaps between the supported rods with reflective material to form a scintillator block.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the rods have faces at opposite ends, and supporting the laminated, extruded rods comprises bonding conforming plates at opposite ends of the rods.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 and further comprising slicing the scintillator block into sections.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the reflector comprises a powder selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, barium sulfate, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the binder is an organic binder.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, methylcellulose, ethylhydroxy ethylcellulose, hydroxybutyl methylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxyethyl methylcellulose, hydroxybutylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, sodium carboxy methylcellulose, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the scintillator powder is selected from the group consisting of gadolinium oxysulfide, Lumex ((YGd) 2 O 3 ), cadmium tungstate, GGG (Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 garnet), bismuth germanate and mixtures thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
A scintillator array comprising a plurality of parallel sintered rods and a reflective material disposed between said parallel sintered rods wherein said reflective material between said parallel sintered rods is also sintered.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
A scintillator array comprising a plurality of parallel sintered rods and a reflective material disposed between said parallel sintered rods wherein said reflective material between said parallel sintered rods is also sintered.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
46 words
A scintillator array in accordance with claim 21 wherein said parallel sintered rods comprise a scintillator powder selected from the group consisting of gadolinium oxysulfide, Lumex ((YGd) 2 O 3 ), cadmium tungstate, GGG (Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 garnet), bismuth germanate and mixtures thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
A scintillator array in accordance with claim 21 wherein said sintered reflective material comprises a powder selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, barium sulfate, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
95 words
A computed tomographic imaging system comprising: a rotating gantry; a detector array on said rotating gantry; and an x-ray source on said rotating gantry opposite said detector array and configured to direct a radiation beam through an object towards said detector array; said detector array comprising a plurality of sintered scintillator elements that produce light in response to x-ray radiation, a reflective material disposed between said scintillator elements wherein said reflective material is also sintered, and said detector array configured to convert said light to electrical signals to represent an intensity of said x-ray beam.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
95 words
A computed tomographic imaging system comprising: a rotating gantry; a detector array on said rotating gantry; and an x-ray source on said rotating gantry opposite said detector array and configured to direct a radiation beam through an object towards said detector array; said detector array comprising a plurality of sintered scintillator elements that produce light in response to x-ray radiation, a reflective material disposed between said scintillator elements wherein said reflective material is also sintered, and said detector array configured to convert said light to electrical signals to represent an intensity of said x-ray beam.
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-09-09 | 2006-03-11 | 2006-09-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-09-09 | 2010-03-11 | 2010-09-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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