Collimator fabrication

Abstract

A collimator that formed from a plurality of metal foil layers that are shaped by use of lithographic techniques in specific shapes. The formed metal foil layers are stacked and aligned together and then connected together to form the collimator.

Description

[0001] This invention relates in general to grid-like structures of the type suitable for use as collimators. In particular, the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for forming collimator strips which can be assembled to form a collimator that can be used in imaging, diagnosing and / or treatment apparatuses that take images and / or effect treatment by use of gamma rays, electron beams, photon (X-ray) beams, or similar penetrating rays. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0002] Radiation emitting devices are generally known and used as imaging and as radiation therapy devices for the treatment of patients. [0003] Collimators are used in a wide variety of equipment in which it is desired to permit only beams of radiation emanating along a particular path to pass beyond a selected point or plane. Collimators are frequently used in radiation imagers to ensure that only radiation beams emanating along a direct path from the known radiation source strike the detector, thereby minimizing det...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] The present invention pertains to a method for manufacturing a collimator for use in medical devices and will be described with particular reference thereto; however, the invention has much broader applications and can be used to form a collimator for applications in devices other than medical devices. In additional, the invention can be expanded beyond collimators and can be used to form a variety of metallic and non-metallic materials that require very low error tolerances. The novel method of manufacturing the collimator includes 1) generating a computer image of the collimator, 2) sectioning the computer generated image, 3) forming sections of the collimator from a metal material based on each of the drawing sections, and 4) connecting the individual sections to form a collimator that substantially matches the computer generated drawing of the collimator. By using this novel manufacturing technique, collimators having very precise dimensions can be manufactured having very low error tolerances.

[0021] In still yet another and / or alternative embodiment of the invention, the metal sections of the collimator are formed from high density metal foil. The metal foil can be made of a single metal or be a metal alloy. The average density of the metal forming the metal foil is greater than about 8.5 g / cm3, and typically greater than about 9 g / cm3. In addition, the average melting point of the metal forming the metal foil is generally greater than about 1000° C., and typically greater than about 1500° C. The metal forming the metal foil is also non-radioactive or substantially non-radioactive (i.e. stable). Non-limiting examples of the metals that can be used individually or in combination with other metals to form the metal foil include bismuth, cadmium, cobalt, copper, erbium, gold, hafnium, iridium, lead, nickel, niobium, osmium, palladium, platinum, rhenium, rhodium, ruthenium, silver, tantalum, technetium, terbium, thallium, thulium and / or tungsten. The metal foil is selected to have a thin thickness. The thin thickness facilitates in the ease of processing the metal foil during the lithography process and also results in a higher quality final product. Generally the foil thickness is about 10-400 microns, and more typically about 40-150 microns.

[0029] Yet a further and / or alternative object of the present invention is a manufacturing process for a collimator that can form a collimator having a planar shape, a curvilinear shape or any other desired simple or complex shape.

[0030] Still yet a further and / or alternative object of the present invention is a manufacturing process for a collimator that can form a collimator having a simple or complex face surface.

Problems solved by technology

The combinations of any number of shapes can result in non-redundant design arrays (i.e. patterns in which not all shapes, sizes, and / or spacings are identical).

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