Radiation detection device, radiation diagnosis device and ct device

Abstract

To make a frame narrower of a radiation detection device including a plurality of sensor units.SOLUTION: A radiation detection device includes: a plurality of sensor units each having a semiconductor layer that converts radiation into electric charges and arranged so as to configure an array; electrodes commonly provided on an incident side of the radiation in the plurality of sensor units and electrically connected to the semiconductor layers of the plurality of sensor units; a conductive member including a part extending through a boundary of the two or more sensor units of the plurality of sensor units and coupled with the electrodes; and a circuit board electrically connected to the electrodes through the conductive member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a radiation detection apparatus, a radiation diagnostic apparatus, and a CT apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] A radiation detection device having a semiconductor layer that converts radiation into an electric charge has been proposed. In some radiation detection devices, a large-screen sensor surface is formed by arranging a plurality of sensor units in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array. In the radiation detection device described in Patent Document 1, a common conductive sheet is adhered to the upper electrodes of a plurality of radiation detection elements. One end of the conductive sheet extends outward from the radiation image detection module and is connected to a connection terminal for applying a high voltage. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-155564 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] There are cases where a narrower frame is required even in a large-screen radiation detection device composed of multiple sensor units. In the configuration of Patent Document 1, one end of the conductive sheet protrudes from the radiation image detection module, making it difficult to achieve a sufficiently narrower frame. One aspect of the present disclosure aims to provide a technology for narrowing the frame of a radiation detection device including multiple sensor units. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In some embodiments, there is provided a radiation detection device comprising: a plurality of sensor units arranged to form an array, each having a semiconductor layer that converts radiation into an electric charge; an electrode that is provided in common to the plurality of sensor units on the radiation incident side and is electrically connected to the semiconductor layer of the plurality of sensor units; a conductive member that includes a portion extending through the boundary between two or more of the plurality of sensor units and is coupled to the electrode; and a circuit board that is electrically connected to the electrode through the conductive member. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to narrow the frame of a radiation detection device including a plurality of sensor units. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a CT apparatus according to some embodiments. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of a radiation detection apparatus according to some embodiments. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of a sensor module according to some embodiments. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the configuration of a sensor unit according to some embodiments. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an arrangement of sensor units according to some embodiments. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the configuration of a sensor unit according to some embodiments. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example arrangement of a sensor set according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments describe a number of features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[0009] In the following description, radiation may include α-rays, β-rays, γ-rays, etc., which are beams made of particles (including photons) emitted by radioactive decay, as well as beams having the same or greater energy, such as X-rays, particle beams, cosmic rays, etc. In addition, in this application, photons such as X-rays and γ-rays, and particles such as β-rays and α-rays may be collectively referred to as radiation photons.

[0010] An example of the configuration of a computed tomography (CT) apparatus 100 according to some embodiments will be described with reference to the block diagram of Fig. 1. The CT apparatus 100 may include a radiation generation unit 101, a wedge 102, a collimator 103, a radiation detection device 104, a top plate 105, a rotating frame 106, a high-voltage generation device 107, a data acquisition system (DAS) 351, a signal processing unit 109, a display unit 110, and a control unit 111. This configuration is an example, and the CT apparatus 100 may have other configurations.

[0011] The CT device 100 may be a device capable of performing photon-counting CT. That is, the CT device 100 described in the following embodiment may be a device capable of reconstructing CT image data with a high S / N ratio by counting radiation transmitted through a subject using a photon-counting radiation detection device 104. Furthermore, the radiation detection device 104 described in the following embodiment may be a direct conversion detector that directly converts radiation photons into electric charges proportional to energy.

[0012] The radiation generating unit 101 irradiates radiation towards the radiation detection device 104. The radiation generating unit 101 is composed of, for example, a vacuum tube that generates X-rays. A high voltage and a filament current are supplied to the vacuum tube of the radiation generating unit 101 from a high voltage generator 107. X-rays are generated by irradiating thermal electrons from the cathode (filament) towards the anode (target).

[0013] The wedge 102 is a filter that adjusts the amount of radiation 121 irradiated from the radiation generating unit 101. The wedge 102 attenuates the amount of radiation so that the radiation 121 irradiated from the radiation generating unit 101 to the subject 120 has a predetermined distribution. The collimator 103 is composed of a lead plate or the like that narrows down the irradiation range of the radiation that has passed through the wedge 102. The radiation 121 generated by the radiation generating unit 101 is shaped into a cone beam via the collimator 103 and is irradiated to the subject 120 on the top board 105.

[0014] The radiation detection device 104 detects radiation 121 that has passed through the subject 120 from the radiation generation unit 101, and outputs a signal corresponding to the amount of radiation to the DAS 108. The subject 120 may be a living thing (e.g., a human or an animal) or an inanimate object.

[0015] The radiation detection device 104 may output a signal capable of measuring the energy value of a radiation photon each time a radiation photon is incident. The radiation photon is, for example, a radiation photon irradiated from the radiation generating unit 101 and transmitted through the subject 120. The radiation detection device 104 has a plurality of detection elements that output one pulse of an electric signal (analog signal) each time a radiation photon is incident. By counting the number of electric signals (pulses), it is possible to count the number of radiation photons incident on each detection element. Furthermore, by performing arithmetic processing on this signal, it is possible to measure the energy value of the radiation photon that caused the output of the signal.

[0016] The above-mentioned detection element may be, for example, a semiconductor detection element such as CdTe (cadmium telluride) or CdZnTe (cadmium zinc telluride) with electrodes disposed thereon. That is, the radiation detection device 104 is a direct conversion type detector that directly converts incident radiation photons into an electrical signal. The radiation detection device 104 has a plurality of the above-mentioned detection elements and ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) that are connected to the detection elements and count the radiation photons detected by the detection elements. The ASIC counts the number of radiation photons incident on the detection elements by discriminating between the individual charges output by the detection elements. The ASIC also measures the energy of the counted X-ray photons by performing arithmetic processing based on the magnitude of each charge. Furthermore, the ASIC outputs the counting result of the radiation photons to the DAS 108 as digital data.

[0017] The DAS 108 generates detection data based on the result of the counting process input from the radiation detection device 104. The detection data is, for example, a sinogram. The sinogram is data in which the results of the counting process of radiation incident on each detection element at each position of the radiation generation unit 101 are arranged. The sinogram is data in which the results of the counting process are arranged in a two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system with the view direction and channel direction as axes. The DAS 108 generates a sinogram, for example, in units of rows in the slice direction of the radiation detection device 104. The result of the counting process is data in which the number of radiation photons is assigned to each energy bin. For example, the DAS 108 counts photons (radiation photons) originating from radiation irradiated from the radiation generation unit 101 and transmitted through the subject 120, and discriminates the energy of the counted radiation photons to obtain the result of the counting process. The DAS 108 is realized, for example, by a processor.

[0018] The rotating frame 106 has an annular shape and is rotatable. Inside the rotating frame 106, the radiation generating unit 101 (wedge 102, collimator 103) and the radiation detecting device 104 are arranged on opposite sides of the top plate 105. The radiation generating unit 101 and the radiation detecting device 104 are rotatable together with the rotating frame 106.

[0019] The high voltage generator 107 includes a boost circuit and outputs a high voltage to the radiation generating unit 101. For example, the high voltage generator 107 has electric circuits such as a transformer and a rectifier, and includes a high voltage generating unit that generates a high voltage to be applied to the radiation generating unit 101, and a radiation control unit that controls the output voltage according to the radiation generated by the radiation generating unit 101. The high voltage generating unit may be of a transformer type or an inverter type. The high voltage generator 107 may be provided on the rotating frame 106, or may be provided on a fixed frame (not shown). The DAS 108 includes an amplifier circuit and an analog / digital (A / D) conversion circuit, and outputs a signal from the radiation detecting device 104 to the signal processing unit 109 as digital data.

[0020] The signal processor 109 processes the signal output from the radiation detector 104. The signal processor 109 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a read-only memory (ROM), and a random access memory (RAM). The display unit 110 includes a flat display device and the like, and is capable of displaying radiation images. The controller 111 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and controls the operation of the entire CT device 100. For example, the controller 111 includes a processing circuit having a CPU and the like, and a driving mechanism such as a motor and an actuator. The controller 111 receives an input signal from an input interface and controls the operation of the gantry device and the bed device. For example, the controller 111 controls the rotation of the rotating frame 106, the tilt of the gantry device, the operation of the bed device and the tabletop, and the like. As an example, the controller 111 rotates the rotating frame 106 around an axis parallel to the X-axis direction according to input inclination angle (tilt angle) information as a control for tilting the gantry device. The control unit 111 may be provided in the gantry device or in the console device.

[0021] The input interface accepts various input operations from an operator, converts the accepted input operations into electrical signals, and outputs the electrical signals to the control unit 111. For example, the input interface accepts input operations such as reconstruction conditions when reconstructing CT image data and image processing conditions when generating post-processing images from CT image data from the operator. For example, the input interface is realized by a mouse, a keyboard, a trackball, a switch, a button, a joystick, a touchpad that performs input operations by touching the operation surface, a touch screen in which a display screen and a touchpad are integrated, a non-contact input circuit using an optical sensor, a voice input circuit, and the like. The input interface may be provided on the pedestal device. The input interface may also be configured with a tablet terminal or the like that can wirelessly communicate with the console device body. The input interface is not limited to only those that have physical operation parts such as a mouse and a keyboard. For example, an electrical signal processing circuit that receives an electrical signal corresponding to an input operation from an external input device provided separately from the console device and outputs the electrical signal to the control unit 111 is also included in the input interface.

[0022] The signal processing unit 109 may have a pre-processing function. The signal processing unit 109 can generate projection data by performing pre-processing such as logarithmic conversion processing, offset correction processing, inter-channel sensitivity correction processing, and beam hardening correction on the detection data output from the DAS 108 using the pre-processing function. The signal processing unit 109 may also have a reconstruction processing function. The signal processing unit 109 can generate CT image data by performing reconstruction processing using a filtered back projection method, an iterative reconstruction method, or the like on the projection data generated by the pre-processing function using the reconstruction processing function. The signal processing unit 109 can store the reconstructed CT image data in a memory using the reconstruction processing function.

[0023] The projection data generated from the counting results obtained by the photon counting CT includes information on the energy of the X-rays attenuated by passing through the subject 120. Therefore, the signal processing unit 109 can reconstruct, for example, CT image data of a specific energy component by using the reconstruction processing function. In addition, the signal processing unit 109 can reconstruct, for example, CT image data of each of a plurality of energy components by using the reconstruction processing function. In addition, the signal processing unit 109 can assign, for example, a color tone according to the energy component to each pixel of the CT image data of each energy component by using the reconstruction processing function, and generate image data in which a plurality of CT image data color-coded according to the energy component are superimposed. In addition, the signal processing unit 109 can generate image data that allows identification of the substance by using, for example, the K absorption edge specific to the substance by using the reconstruction processing function. Other image data generated by the signal processing unit 109 by using the reconstruction processing function include monochromatic X-ray image data, density image data, and effective atomic number image data.

[0024] To reconstruct CT image data, projection data for 360° around the subject is required, and projection data for 180° + fan angle is required even in the half-scan method. Either reconstruction method is applicable to this embodiment. For simplicity of explanation, the following will use a reconstruction method (full-scan reconstruction) that uses projection data for 360° around the subject.

[0025] The signal processing unit 109 may have an image processing function. The signal processing unit 109 can convert CT image data generated by the reconstruction processing function into image data such as a tomographic image of an arbitrary cross section or a three-dimensional image by rendering processing, using a known method, based on an input operation received from an operator via an input interface, using the image processing function. Furthermore, the signal processing unit 109 can store the converted image data in a memory using the image processing function.

[0026] The control unit 111 may have a scan control function. The control unit 111 controls the CT scan performed by the gantry device by using the scan control function. For example, the control unit 111 controls the operation of the high voltage generator 107, the radiation detection device 104, the DAS 108, and the bed driving device by using the scan control function, thereby controlling the collection process of the counting results in the gantry device. As an example, the control unit 111 controls the collection process of the projection data in the imaging for collecting the positioning image (scanogram) and in the main imaging (scan) for collecting the image used for diagnosis by using the scan control function. The control unit 111 may also have a display control function. The control unit 111 can control various image data stored in the memory to be displayed on the display unit 110 such as a display by using the display control function.

[0027] An example of the configuration of the radiation detection device 104 will be described with reference to the perspective view of Fig. 2. This configuration is one example, and the radiation detection device 104 may have other configurations. The radiation detection device 104 includes a base 201 and a plurality of sensor modules 202. The base 201 has an arc shape that is concave with respect to the radiation 121. The plurality of sensor modules 202 are fixed to the curved surface of the base 201 in a line along the circumferential direction. The base 201 is fixed to a rotating frame 106.

[0028] A configuration example of the sensor module 202 will be described with reference to the perspective view of FIG. 3. This configuration is one example, and the sensor module 202 may have other configurations. Each of the multiple sensor modules 202 included in the radiation detection device 104 may have the configuration described in FIG. 3. The sensor module 202 may include multiple sensor units 301a to 301d, a heat dissipation member 302, a frame 303, a circuit board 304, and a conductive member 307. In the following description, the multiple sensor units 301a to 301d are collectively referred to as sensor unit 301. The description of the sensor unit 301 may be applied to each of the multiple sensor units 301a to 301d.

[0029] The sensor unit 301 generates a signal according to radiation incident on the sensor unit 301. The sensor unit 301 and the circuit board 304 are connected by a cable (not shown, for example, a flexible cable). The signal generated by the sensor unit 301 is read out to the DAS 108 through the circuit board 304. The multiple sensor units 301 are arranged side by side in the direction in which the frame 303 extends. In the example of FIG. 3, one sensor module 202 includes four sensor units 301, but the number of sensor units is not limited to this example. Also, in the example of FIG. 3, the four sensor units 301 are arranged in a single row, but the multiple sensor units may be arranged in multiple rows.

[0030] The frame 303 is a member having rigidity for mounting the sensor unit 301. The frame 303 may be called a mount frame. The frame 303 may be made of, for example, metal. The frame 303 functions as a support member for supporting the sensor unit 301. A circuit board 304 is attached to the frame 303. The sensor units 301 and the circuit board 304 are located on opposite sides of the frame 303. The frame 303 is fixed to the base 201. For example, the frame 303 may be mechanically fixed to the base 201 using a fastener such as a screw, or may be chemically fixed to the base 201 using an adhesive.

[0031] The electrode 305 is disposed at a position covering the sensor units 301 included in the sensor module 202. In FIG. 3, the electrode 305 is shown transparently for the sake of explanation. The electrode 305 may be provided in common to the sensor units 301 included in one sensor module 202 on the radiation incident side. For example, one integrated electrode 305 may be provided for one sensor module 202. Furthermore, the electrode 305 may be provided in common to the sensor modules 202. For example, one integrated electrode 305 may be provided for one radiation detection device 104. The sensor units 301 are disposed to form an array. The sensor units 301 may form a one-dimensional array or a two-dimensional array.

[0032] The electrode 305 is fixed to the frame 303. The electrode 305 may be directly or indirectly fixed to the frame 303. For example, each of the frame 303 and the electrode 305 may be fixed to the base 201, whereby the electrode 305 may be indirectly fixed to the frame 303.

[0033] The heat dissipation member 302 is located between the lower surface 408 of each of the sensor units 301a to 301d and the frame 303. One heat dissipation member 302 may be arranged in common for the sensor units 301. Alternatively, an individual heat dissipation member 302 may be arranged for each of the sensor units 301. For example, the heat dissipation member 302 may be wider than the width of the lower surface of the sensor unit 301 in the short side direction of the frame 303. The heat dissipation member 302 transfers heat generated in the sensor unit 301 to the frame 303. The heat dissipation member 302 may be made of, for example, metal. The sensor module 202 may not have the heat dissipation member 302. In this case, the heat generated in the sensor unit 301 is transferred directly to the frame 303.

[0034] A gap 306 is formed at the boundary between two adjacent sensor units 301b and 301c among the multiple sensor units 301a to 301d included in the sensor module 202. In the example of FIG. 3, the gap 306 may be formed by a recess formed on each side surface of the sensor units 301b and 301c. In this case, the portions of the side surfaces of the sensor units 301b and 301c where the recess is not formed may be bonded to each other. This bonding may be performed by, for example, an adhesive or solid-state bonding. Alternatively, the gap 306 may be formed by arranging the sensor units 301b and 301c apart from each other.

[0035] The conductive member 307 includes a portion that extends through the gap 306. That is, the conductive member 307 includes a portion that extends through the boundaries of two or more sensor units among the multiple sensor units. One end of the conductive member 307 is coupled to the electrode 305. The other end of the conductive member 307 is coupled to, for example, the circuit board 304. That is, the electrode 305 and the circuit board 304 are electrically connected through the conductive member 307. A specific voltage may be supplied from the circuit board 304 to the electrode 305 through the conductive member 307. The voltage supplied from the circuit board 304 to the electrode 305 may be an anode voltage. In this case, the electrode 305 functions as an anode electrode. Alternatively, the voltage supplied from the circuit board 304 to the electrode 305 may be a cathode voltage. In this case, the electrode 305 functions as a cathode electrode.

[0036] By disposing the conductive member 307 at such a position, it is not necessary to provide wiring connected to the electrode 305 outside the multiple sensor units 301, and therefore it is possible to narrow the frame of the radiation detection device 104. As a result, the radiation detection device 104 becomes smaller. In the radiation image captured by the radiation detection device 104, the value of a pixel at a position corresponding to the gap 306 may be interpolated using the pixel values ​​of the surrounding pixels.

[0037] A configuration example of the sensor unit 301 will be described with reference to the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4. This configuration is an example, and the sensor unit 301 may have other configurations. The sensor unit 301 may include a semiconductor layer 402, an interposer 404, an integrated circuit 406, and a mounting board 407. In the following description, the upper surface of each member in the drawing is referred to as the upper surface, and the lower surface in the drawing is referred to as the lower surface. The sensor unit 301 has an upper surface 401 located on the radiation incident side, and a lower surface 408 located on the opposite side to the upper surface 401. FIG. 4 shows only two sensor units 301 adjacent to each other in an array among the multiple sensor units 301 included in the radiation detection device 104. Any two adjacent sensor units 301 among the multiple sensor units 301 included in the radiation detection device 104 may have the configuration shown in FIG. 4.

[0038] The semiconductor layer 402 converts radiation into electric charges. An upper surface 401 of the semiconductor layer 402 is located on the incident side of the radiation 121. In the example of FIG. 4, the semiconductor layer 402 is located at the top of the sensor unit 301 (the position farthest from the frame 303). Therefore, the upper surface of the semiconductor layer 402 constitutes the upper surface 401 of the sensor unit 301.

[0039] The semiconductor layer 402 may be a single crystal substrate of a semiconductor that converts radiation directly into an electric charge, such as cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) or cadmium telluride (CdTe). The semiconductor layer 402 may be a single crystal substrate of a semiconductor, such as silicon (Si), lead iodide (PbI2), mercury iodide (HgI2), bismuth iodide (BiI3), or thallium bromide (TlBr).

[0040] The upper surface 401 of the sensor unit 301 is covered with the electrode 305. The entire upper surface 401 of the sensor unit 301 may be covered with the electrode 305, or only a part of the upper surface 401 of the sensor unit 301 may be covered with the electrode 305.

[0041] The upper surface 401 of the sensor unit 301 (the upper surface of the semiconductor layer 402 in the example of FIG. 4) and the lower surface of the electrode 305 (the lower surface of the conductive layer 412 in the example of FIG. 4) may be in contact with each other. The upper surface 401 of the sensor unit 301 and the lower surface of the electrode 305 may or may not be bonded to each other at the contact surface.

[0042] Among the plurality of sensor units 301, two adjacent sensor units 301 in the array may be in contact with each other. For example, the semiconductor layers 402 of two adjacent sensor units 301 may be in contact with each other. The interposers 404 of two adjacent sensor units 301 may be in contact with each other. The mounting substrates 407 of two adjacent sensor units 301 may be in contact with each other. In the example of FIG. 4, all of these three members are in contact, but instead, only some of these three members may be in contact with each other. The two adjacent sensor units 301 may or may not be bonded to each other at the contact surface.

[0043] The electrode 305 may include an insulating layer 411 and a conductive layer 412. The conductive layer 412 may be bonded to the sensor units 301. The insulating layer 411 may be located on the opposite side of the sensor units 301 with respect to the conductive layer 412. Alternatively, the electrode 305 may have other configurations, for example, may not include the insulating layer 411. One radiation detection device 104 may have only a single electrode 305 or may have multiple electrodes 305. The electrode 305 may also be formed of a thin film such as a film. The conductive layer 412 faces the upper surface 401 of the sensor unit 301. The conductive layer 412 may be in contact with the upper surface 401 of the sensor unit 301. The conductive layer 412 may be made of a metal, for example, gold, silver, copper, aluminum, an alloy, or the like. The insulating layer 411 covers the conductive layer 412. The insulating layer 411 may be made of, for example, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), amorphous carbon, or a polyimide film.

[0044] The conductive layer 412 may be used to apply a voltage to the semiconductor layer 402. When used in this manner, the conductive layer 412 may be in contact with (and in particular may be bonded to) the semiconductor layer 402 or may be adhered to the semiconductor layer 402 using a conductive adhesive.

[0045] The integrated circuit 406 is attached to a mounting board 407. The integrated circuit 406 may be an energy resolving counter (ERCE). For example, the integrated circuit 406 may have a function of counting electrical pulses generated by radiation photons being incident on the semiconductor layer 402. Alternatively, the integrated circuit 406 may read out a voltage corresponding to the charge accumulated in the semiconductor layer 402 from the semiconductor layer 402.

[0046] 4, the mounting board 407 is located at the bottom of the sensor unit 301 (at the position closest to the frame 303). Therefore, the bottom surface of the mounting board 407 constitutes the bottom surface 408 of the sensor unit 301. The heat dissipation member 302 is located between the sensor unit 301 and the frame 303. The heat dissipation member 302 is in contact with the bottom surface 408 of the sensor unit 301 and the frame 303.

[0047] The electrode 305 may have a grid for reducing scattered radiation. The electrode 305 serves both the function of aligning the sensor unit 301 and the function of reducing scattered radiation, so that the number of components of the radiation detection device 104 can be reduced.

[0048] As described above with reference to FIG. 3, a gap 306 is formed between two adjacent sensor units 301b and 301c. A conductive member 307 extends into the gap 306. One end of the conductive member 307 is coupled to the electrode 305 (specifically, the conductive layer 412). The conductive member 307 includes a portion that extends through the boundary between the sensor unit 301b and the sensor unit 301c. For example, the conductive member 307 may extend downward (e.g., toward the frame 303) from the portion coupled to the electrode 305. The conductive member 307 may reach the circuit board 304 by bypassing the heat dissipation member 302 and the frame 303. Alternatively, the conductive member 307 may reach the circuit board 304 by penetrating the heat dissipation member 302 and the frame 303.

[0049] The conductive member 307 may be a pin-shaped member having a small diameter inserted into the gap 306, or may be a wire-shaped member inserted into the gap 306. Alternatively, the conductive member 307 may be integrally formed with the electrode 305 (specifically, the conductive layer 412 thereof). The diameter of the conductive member 307 may be, for example, about 200 micrometers.

[0050] The gap 306 may be hollow or may be filled with a member different from the conductive member 307. The gap 306 may be formed by arranging two sensor units 301 apart from each other. The gap 306 may be formed by a recess (e.g., a groove) on the side of the sensor unit 301. After the gap 306 is filled with adhesive, a cavity for inserting the conductive member 306 may be formed by a masking method or the like. Alternatively, after the gap 306 is filled with adhesive, a cylindrical member for inserting the conductive member 307 may be bonded to the side of the sensor unit 301.

[0051] The sensor unit 301b and the sensor unit 301c may or may not be in contact with each other at the portion where the gap 306 is formed, and may or may not be joined. Furthermore, two sensor units that do not have a boundary where the gap 306 is formed (for example, the sensor unit 301a and the sensor unit 301b) may or may not be in contact with each other, and may or may not be joined. The two sensor units 301 may be joined by solid-state bonding, or may be joined by a method other than solid-state bonding (for example, vapor deposition).

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, the radiation detection device 104 is described in the context of the CT device 100. Alternatively, the radiation detection device 104 may be used in other devices, such as a fluoroscopic diagnostic device or an article inspection device. In the above-described embodiment, the radiation detection device 104 that detects radiation has been described. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the above-described embodiment can be applied to a radiation detector that detects gamma rays, particle radiation, or the like. The above-described embodiment can also be applied to a radiation diagnostic device equipped with the radiation detection device 104, in addition to the CT device 100. In such a case, the radiation diagnostic device includes, for example, a PET (Positron Emission Tomography) device, a SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) device, or the like.

[0053] A modified example of the radiation detection device 104 described above will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The radiation detection device 104 described above has an arc-like shape. Alternatively, the radiation detection device 104 may have a planar shape as shown in each of the views of FIG. 5. For ease of viewing, each of the views of FIG. 5 shows only the sensor unit 301, the frame 303, the circuit board 304, the electrode 305, the gap 306, and the conductive member 307. Also, each of the views of FIG. 5 shows the electrode 305 transparently. Each of the views of FIG. 5 omits the cable connecting the sensor unit 301 and the circuit board 304.

[0054] In FIG. 5(a), a plurality of sensor units 301 are arranged to form a 6×6 two-dimensional array. One frame 303, one circuit board 304, and one electrode 305 are commonly arranged for these plurality of sensor units 301. A gap 306 is arranged at the boundary between four sensor units 301 located at the center of the two-dimensional array. A conductive member 307 extends through the gap 306. That is, the conductive member 307 extends through the boundary between the four sensor units 301. The conductive member 307 is surrounded between the four sensor units 301 having corners facing each other.

[0055] The gaps 306 may be formed by arranging the four sensor units 301 apart from each other. Alternatively, the gaps 306 may be formed by notches formed in the corners of the four sensor units 301. In this case, the side surfaces of the four sensor units 301 may be joined to each other.

[0056] One end of the conductive member 307 is coupled to the electrode 305. The other end of the conductive member 307 is electrically connected to the circuit board 304. As a result, the electrode 305 and the circuit board 304 are electrically connected to each other through the conductive member 307.

[0057] The example of FIG. 5(b) differs from the example of FIG. 5(a) in the positions of the gap 306 and the conductive member 307, but other points may be the same. In the example of FIG. 5(b), the gap 306 is disposed at the boundary between the two sensor units 301. The conductive member 307 extends through the gap 306. That is, the conductive member 307 extends through the boundary between the two sensor units 301. The conductive member 307 is enclosed between the two sensor units 301 having side surfaces facing each other.

[0058] In Fig. 5(c), a plurality of sensor units 301 are arranged to form a 6 x 2 two-dimensional array. One frame 303, one circuit board 304, and one electrode 305 are arranged in common to the plurality of sensor units 301. In the example of Fig. 5(c), similarly to the example of Fig. 5(a), gaps 306 are arranged at the boundaries of four sensor units 301 located at the center of the two-dimensional array. Conductive members 307 extend through the gaps 306.

[0059] Instead of the above example, the multiple sensor units 301 may be arranged to form a one-dimensional array such as 6 × 1. If the number of arrangements is small, it is possible to consolidate and simplify the cables connecting the sensor units 301 and the circuit board 304.

[0060] An example of the configuration of the sensor unit 301 of the radiation detection device 104 according to the example of Fig. 5 will be described with reference to the cross-sectional view of Fig. 6. The sensor unit 301, frame 303, circuit board 304, electrode 305, gap 306 and conductive member 307 in Fig. 6 may be similar to the configuration in Fig. 4.

[0061] In the example of Fig. 6, a gap 306 is formed between the sensor unit 301f and the sensor unit 301g. The sensor unit 301f and the sensor unit 301g may be two sensor units positioned diagonally opposite each other in the radiation detection device 104 of Fig. 5(a). The sensor unit 301f and the sensor unit 301g may be two sensor units adjacent to each other (e.g., with side surfaces facing each other) in the radiation detection device 104 of Fig. 5(b). Two sensor units such as the sensor unit 301e and the sensor unit 301f, which do not have a gap 306 at the boundary, may or may not be coupled to each other.

[0062] 6, the conductive member 307 may pass through the frame 303 to reach the circuit board 304. Alternatively, the conductive member 307 may bypass the frame 303 to reach the circuit board 304.

[0063] 5 and 6, since it is not necessary to provide wiring connected to the electrodes 305 on the outside of the multiple sensor units 301, the frame of the radiation detection device 104 can be narrowed. As a result, the radiation detection device 104 becomes smaller. Also, it becomes possible to electrically connect the sensor units 301 located on the inside (i.e., the sensor units 301 that do not contact the outer periphery).

[0064] A modified example of the radiation detection device 104 of FIG. 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The radiation detection device 104 shown in FIG. 7 includes a plurality of sensor sets 700a-700d, a frame 303, and a circuit board 304. In the following description, the plurality of sensor sets 700a-700d will be collectively referred to as sensor set 700. The description of the sensor set 700 may be applied to each of the plurality of sensor sets 700a-700d. The frame 303 and the circuit board 304 may be provided in common to the plurality of sensor sets 700.

[0065] Each of the multiple sensor sets 700 includes multiple sensor units 301, an electrode 305, and a conductive member 307. The multiple sensor sets 700 are arranged to form an array. The multiple sensor sets 700 may form a one-dimensional array or a two-dimensional array. In the example of FIG. 7, the multiple sensor sets 700 are arranged to form a 2×2 two-dimensional array. In each sensor set 700, the multiple sensor units 301 are arranged to form a 3×3 two-dimensional array. Alternatively, the multiple sensor sets 700 may form another arrangement, for example, a 3×4 two-dimensional array.

[0066] The configuration of each sensor set 700 may be the same as that described with reference to Figs. 5 to 6. For example, the sensor sets 700a to 700d may include electrodes 305a to 305d and conductive members 307a to 307d coupled thereto, respectively. Even in the configuration of Fig. 7, it is not necessary to provide wiring connected to the electrodes 305 on the outside of the multiple sensor sets 700, so that the frame of the radiation detection device 104 can be narrowed. As a result, the radiation detection device 104 can be made compact. In addition, it is possible to electrically connect the sensor units 301 located on the inside (i.e., the sensor units 301 that do not contact the outer periphery).

[0067] One sensor set 700 of the plurality of sensor sets 700 may be replaceable independently of the other sensor sets 700 of the plurality of sensor sets 700. For example, only sensor set 700a may be removable from frame 303 while sensor sets 700b to 700d remain attached to frame 303. Furthermore, a new sensor set 700 may be attachable to frame 303 in place of the removed sensor set 700a. This improves the ease of replacement when sensor unit 301 is damaged or malfunctions.

[0068] The multiple sensor sets 700 may include two or more sensor sets 700 in which the position of the conductive member 307 in each sensor set 700 is the same. In the example of Fig. 7, the position of the conductive member 307 in each sensor set 700 is the same in all of the multiple sensor sets 700. The position of the conductive member 307 in each sensor set 700 being the same may mean that when two sensor sets 700 are stacked (after rotating if necessary), the conductive members 307 overlap. Such two or more sensor sets 700 can be manufactured in the same process, thereby improving the productivity of the radiation detection device 104.

[0069] The distance between the center 701 of the array formed by the plurality of sensor sets 700 and the conductive member 307 included in one sensor set 700 may be greater than the distance between the center 701 of the array formed by the plurality of sensor sets 700 and the center of the one sensor unit 301. For example, the distance between the center 701 and the conductive member 307a included in the sensor set 700a is greater than the distance between the center 701 and the center 702 of the sensor set 700a. It is highly likely that the region of interest for radiography is set in the center of the array formed by the plurality of sensor sets 700. Therefore, by moving the position (i.e., the position of the conductive member 307) that is interpolated from the values ​​of the surrounding pixels away from the center 701 of the array, it is possible to reduce the possibility of degradation of the image quality of the region of interest.

[0070] <Summary of the embodiment> [Item 1] 1. A radiation detection device, comprising: A plurality of sensor units each having a semiconductor layer that converts radiation into an electric charge and arranged to form an array; an electrode provided in common to the plurality of sensor units on a radiation incident side and electrically connected to the semiconductor layer of the plurality of sensor units; a conductive member coupled to the electrode, the conductive member including a portion extending through a boundary of two or more of the plurality of sensor units; a circuit board electrically connected to the electrode through the conductive member. [Item 2] The plurality of sensor units include a mounting substrate on which a circuit for processing a signal based on the charge obtained in the semiconductor layer is mounted; Item 2. The radiation detection device of item 1, further comprising an interposer positioned between the semiconductor layer and the mounting substrate. [Item 3] 3. The radiation detection device according to claim 1, wherein the two or more sensor units constituting the boundary through which the conductive member extends include portions that are coupled to each other. [Item 4] The radiation detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the radiation detection device includes a plurality of sensor sets arranged to form an array, each sensor set having the plurality of sensor units, the electrode, and the conductive member. [Item 5] 5. The radiation detection device of claim 4, wherein one sensor set of the plurality of sensor sets is independently replaceable from other sensor sets of the plurality of sensor sets. [Item 6] 6. The radiation detection device according to item 4 or 5, wherein the plurality of sensor sets includes two or more sensor sets in which the position of the conductive member in each sensor set is the same. [Item 7] 7. The radiation detection device according to any one of items 4 to 6, wherein a distance between a center of an array constituted by the plurality of sensor sets and the conductive member included in one of the sensor sets is greater than a distance between a center of an array constituted by the plurality of sensor sets and a center of the one of the sensor sets. [Item 8] 8. The radiation detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the conductive member is integrally formed with the electrode. [Item 9] 8. The radiation detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the conductive member is a pin-shaped member or a wire-shaped member inserted into the boundary between the two or more sensor units. [Item 10] 10. The radiation detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the conductive member extends through boundaries between four of the plurality of sensor units. [Item 11] A radiation detection device according to any one of items 1 to 10, a radiation generating unit that irradiates radiation toward the radiation detection device; a signal processing unit that processes a signal output from the radiation detection device; A CT device comprising: [Item 12] the radiation detection device is a photon counting type radiation detection device, Item 12. The CT apparatus according to item 11, wherein the signal processing unit generates image data using a count result of radiation photons derived from radiation transmitted through a subject. [Item 13] A radiation detection device according to any one of items 1 to 10, a radiation generating unit that irradiates radiation toward the radiation detection device; a signal processing unit that processes a signal output from the radiation detection device; A radiation diagnostic apparatus comprising:

[0071] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 100 CT device, 104 radiation detection device, 301 sensor unit, 302 heat dissipation member, 303 frame, 305 substrate, 307 conductive member

Claims

1. 1. A radiation detection device, comprising: A plurality of sensor units each having a semiconductor layer that converts radiation into an electric charge and arranged to form an array; an electrode provided in common to the plurality of sensor units on a radiation incident side and electrically connected to the semiconductor layer of the plurality of sensor units; a conductive member coupled to the electrode, the conductive member including a portion extending through a boundary of two or more of the plurality of sensor units; a circuit board electrically connected to the electrode through the conductive member.

2. The plurality of sensor units include a mounting substrate on which a circuit for processing a signal based on the charge obtained in the semiconductor layer is mounted; The radiation detection device according to claim 1 , further comprising an interposer located between the semiconductor layer and the mounting substrate.

3. The radiation detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the two or more sensor units constituting the boundary through which the conductive member extends include portions that are coupled to each other.

4. The radiation detection device according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of sensor sets, each of which has the plurality of sensor units, the electrode, and the conductive member, and which are arranged to form an array.

5. The radiation detection apparatus of claim 4 , wherein one sensor set of the plurality of sensor sets is replaceable independently of other sensor sets of the plurality of sensor sets.

6. The radiation detection device of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of sensor sets includes two or more sensor sets in which the positions of the conductive members in each sensor set are the same.

7. 5. The radiation detection device according to claim 4, wherein a distance between a center of an array formed by the plurality of sensor sets and the conductive member included in one of the sensor sets is greater than a distance between a center of the array formed by the plurality of sensor sets and a center of the one of the sensor sets.

8. The radiation detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive member is integrally formed with the electrode.

9. The radiation detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive member is a pin-shaped member or a wire-shaped member inserted into the boundary between the two or more sensor units.

10. The radiation detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive member extends through boundaries of four of the plurality of sensor units.

11. A radiation detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, a radiation generating unit that irradiates radiation toward the radiation detection device; a signal processing unit that processes a signal output from the radiation detection device; A CT device comprising:

12. the radiation detection device is a photon counting type radiation detection device, The CT apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the signal processing unit generates image data using a count result of radiation photons originating from radiation transmitted through a subject.

13. A radiation detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, a radiation generating unit that irradiates radiation toward the radiation detection device; a signal processing unit that processes a signal output from the radiation detection device; A radiation diagnostic apparatus comprising:

Images