Radiography equipment

Abstract

To provide a radiography apparatus that minimizes the chest wall defect distance without compromising the overall rigidity of the apparatus, and that can obtain effective radiographic images over the widest possible range. [Solution] The radiography apparatus 100 comprises a radiation detection unit 1 and a housing 7. The housing 7 has a first housing member 71 having an incident surface to which radiation is incident, and a second housing member 72 having a back surface facing the incident surface. At least one side of the housing 7 is connected at a connecting portion along the direction of radiation incidence between the first housing side wall of the first housing member 71 and the second housing side wall 72b of the second housing member 72. The connecting portion is located inside the housing 7, spaced apart from the radiation detection unit 1 on the back side. The radiation detection unit 1 has an end on the side extending from the second housing side wall 72 toward the first housing side wall 71.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a radiation imaging apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] A radiation imaging apparatus that detects the intensity distribution of radiation transmitted through an object to obtain a radiation image is widely used in medical diagnosis and industrial non-destructive inspection. In a mammography apparatus equipped with such a radiation imaging apparatus, radiation imaging is performed with the breast of the subject sandwiched between plates and stretched thinly.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] As shown in FIG. 1, in a radiation imaging apparatus housed in a mammography apparatus, it is important that the distance from the side surface of the apparatus on the side hitting the chest wall of the subject to the effective imaging region is as small as possible. This is because a radiation image cannot be obtained within this distance, that is, lesions in the range close to the chest wall of the subject cannot be detected. Generally, this distance is called the chest wall defect distance.

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a radiation imaging apparatus having a housing structure composed of a radiation incident surface side member, a back surface side member facing it, and a side surface member. However, since this side surface member is a thick member that covers the outer periphery of the effective imaging region, the chest wall defect distance becomes large. If this side surface member is made thin, the rigidity of the entire apparatus is impaired.

[0006] This disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a radiography apparatus that can obtain effective radiographic images over the widest possible range while minimizing the chest wall defect distance without compromising the overall rigidity of the apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The radiography apparatus of this disclosure comprises a radiation detection unit that converts radiation transmitted through a subject into an electrical signal, and a housing that encloses the radiation detection unit. The housing comprises a first housing member having an incident surface into which radiation is incident, and a second housing member having a back surface facing the incident surface, The housing has the following features: At least one side of the housing is connected to the first housing side wall of the first housing member and the second housing side wall of the second housing member by a connecting portion along the direction of radiation incidence. The connecting portion is located inside the housing, spaced apart from the radiation detection unit on the back side. The radiation detection unit has an end on the side that extends from the second housing side wall toward the first housing side wall. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, a radiography apparatus can be realized that minimizes the chest wall defect distance without compromising the overall rigidity of the apparatus, and that effective radiographic images can be obtained over the widest possible range. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a mammography system. [Figure 2] This is a top perspective view showing the external appearance of the radiography apparatus in this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a top perspective view showing the radiography apparatus in this embodiment in a disassembled state. [Figure 4] This is a partially abbreviated cross-sectional view along the dashed line BB in Figure 2. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing the narrow side of the housing of the radiography apparatus of this embodiment. [Figure 6]This is a cross-sectional view showing the narrow side of the housing of the radiography apparatus in the modified example 1. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view showing the narrow side of the housing in the radiography apparatus of modified example 2. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view showing the narrow side of the housing in the radiography apparatus of modified example 3. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view showing the narrow side of the housing in the radiography apparatus of modified example 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Preferred embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components common to multiple drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals. Therefore, components common to multiple drawings will be described by referring to each other, and the description of components denoted by the same reference numerals will be omitted as appropriate. The dimensions and structural details shown in this embodiment are not limited to those shown in the text and drawings. In this specification, radiation is defined not only as X-rays, but also as alpha rays, beta rays, gamma rays, particle beams, cosmic rays, etc.

[0011] [Configuration of the radiography apparatus 100] The following describes the general configuration of the radiography apparatus 100 in this embodiment using Figures 2 to 4. The radiography apparatus 100 is used, for example, for mammography. Figure 2 is a top perspective view showing the external appearance of the radiography apparatus 100 in this embodiment. Figure 3 is a top perspective view showing the radiography apparatus 100 in this embodiment in an disassembled state. Figure 4 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view along the dashed line BB in Figure 2.

[0012] The radiography apparatus 100 generates a radiographic image corresponding to the radiation transmitted through the subject by a radiation generator (not shown). The radiography apparatus 100 transfers the generated radiographic image to an external device, and the transferred radiographic image is displayed on an external display device or the like.

[0013] The radiography apparatus 100 has a radiation detection panel 1 as a radiation detection unit for converting radiation into electrical signals. The radiation detection panel 1 has the function of converting radiation incident from side A into electrical signals. Hereafter, side A will be referred to as the incident surface, the surface opposite the incident surface as the back surface, and side A as the top of the radiography apparatus 100. The radiation detection panel 1 has a sensor substrate on which a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements (sensors) are arranged in two dimensions on a glass substrate, a phosphor layer arranged on the sensor substrate, and a phosphor protective film arranged on the phosphor layer. The phosphor protective film is made of a material with relatively high moisture resistance and is used to protect the phosphor layer.

[0014] In the radiation detection panel 1, the phosphor layer emits light in response to incident radiation, and this emitted light is converted into an electrical signal by a photoelectric conversion element placed on the sensor substrate. In the radiation detection panel 1, part or all of the area of ​​the photoelectric conversion element is designated as the effective imaging area R. The effective imaging area R is the area where radiation imaging is possible and an image is actually generated. However, the radiation detection panel 1 is not limited to the configuration described here; it may have multiple phosphor layers, or a direct conversion type conversion element that directly converts radiation into an electrical signal may be used instead of the phosphor layer and photoelectric conversion element. Furthermore, the material of the sensor substrate of the radiation detection panel 1 is not limited to glass; it may be a more flexible resin material or the like.

[0015] The radiation detection panel 1 is electrically connected to the control board 5 via a plurality of flexible circuit boards 4. The control board 5 reads the electrical signals converted by the radiation detection panel 1 and performs various processing. For example, the control board 5 converts the electrical signals into digital signals and generates radiation image data. The control board 5 also transfers the generated radiation image data to an external device via an external connection unit 6. The external connection unit 6 has a board for sending and receiving various control data, transmitting radiation image data, and receiving power, as well as various connectors.

[0016] A buffer material 2 for protecting the radiation detection panel 1 from external forces is provided between the housing 7 and the radiation detection panel 1 described below. If the possibility of the radiation detection panel 1 being damaged is low depending on the assumed external force conditions, the buffer material 2 may not be necessary. The support base 3 supports the radiation detection panel 1 on the surface on the back side of its housing 7, and supports all or part of the control board 5 and the external connection part 6 on the back side.

[0017] The housing 7 encloses each of the above-described structures. Here, C in each figure indicates the side surface of the housing 7 facing the chest wall of the subject in the radiation imaging device 100. That is, C is the side facing the chest wall of the subject in the radiation imaging device 100 housed in the mammography device. In the present embodiment, for each distance from the outermost end of each side surface around the housing 7 to the effective imaging region R, the distance on this C side is the smallest and has a narrow width. That is, the distance becomes the chest wall missing distance S of the radiation imaging device 100. Hereinafter, the side surface on the C side of the housing 7 will be referred to as the narrow-width side surface.

[0018] The housing 7 has a first housing member 71 and a second housing member 72. The first housing member 71 is a member mainly covering the effective imaging region on the incident surface of the radiation imaging device 100, and covers the whole or part of each side surface including the narrow-width side surface in addition to the incident surface. The incident surface portion of the first housing member 71 is defined as the first housing incident surface 71a. As the material of the first housing member 71, a material having radiation transparency such as CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics) is good, and a material that can obtain relatively high rigidity even with a thin thickness is good.

[0019] As a typical molding method of CFRP, there is a method of laminating sheet-like base materials and pressing or thermocompression bonding. Thereby, a member having a substantially uniform thickness determined by the number of laminated sheets is obtained. In addition, there is also a method of injection molding a resin in which discontinuous carbon fibers are kneaded. Further, as the material of the first housing member 71, various resins such as polycarbonate and acrylic may be used in addition to CFRP.

[0020] The second housing member 72 is primarily a component that covers the back surface of the radiography apparatus 100, and also covers all or part of each side, including the narrow front side, and the incident surface. The back surface portion of the second housing member 72 is referred to as the second housing back surface 72a. It is desirable that the second housing member 72 has higher rigidity than the first housing member 71. As the material for the second housing member 72, a metal with high rigidity such as iron, aluminum, or magnesium is preferable. The second housing member 72 is responsible for the overall rigidity of the radiography apparatus 100, and also plays a role in internal protection from external noise and shielding radiation that has passed through the radiation detection panel 1 during imaging. If shielding from external noise and radiation is performed by different means, the material of the second housing member 72 may be a high-rigidity resin or the like, other than metal.

[0021] The first housing member 71 and the second housing member 72 are fastened together by connecting members, such as a plurality of screws 8, at the portion near the back surface within the narrow bezel side, the portion away from the narrow bezel side within the incident surface, and the portion near the back surface within the two sides in contact with the narrow bezel side.

[0022] The insulating layer 9 is an insulating sheet material provided on the inside of the first housing member 71. As will be described later, on the narrow bezel side, the first housing member 71 and the support base 3 are in close proximity via the insulating layer 9, and the radiation detection panel 1 and the support base 3 are electrically insulated from the first housing member 71. The insulating layer 9 may be bonded to the inner surface of the first housing member 71, or it may be integrally formed with the first housing member, or it may exhibit insulating properties through a paint film on the inner surface of the first housing member 71 without using a sheet material. Furthermore, the insulating layer 9 may be an insulating layer formed on the narrow bezel side end face of either or both of the radiation detection panel 1 or the support base 3, rather than on the first housing member 71 side. By insulating the first housing member 71 from the support base 3, an improvement in the image quality of the captured image can be expected, but if the desired image quality is obtained, the insulating layer 9 may be omitted.

[0023] [Narrow bezel configuration] The following describes in detail the configuration of the narrow side of the housing 7, which is a particularly distinctive feature of the radiography apparatus 100. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the narrow side of the housing 7 in the radiography apparatus 100.

[0024] On the narrow side of the housing 7, the first housing member 71 has a first housing side wall integrally formed with the first housing incident surface 71a. The first housing side wall has a first housing upper side wall 71b closer to the incident surface of the housing 7 and a first housing lower side wall 71c closer to the back surface of the housing 7. The first housing upper side wall 71b and the first housing lower side wall 71c extend along the direction of radiation incidence and are substantially parallel to each other. The stepped portion between the first housing upper side wall 71b and the first housing lower side wall 71c is connected by a smooth surface. The first housing upper side wall 71b may be formed thinner than either or both of the first housing incident surface 71a and the first housing lower side wall 71c of the first housing member 71. Considering improved dimensional stability and reduced manufacturing costs, it is preferable to form the entire first housing member 71 with a uniform thickness using a high-rigidity material such as CFRP.

[0025] On the other hand, on the narrow side of the housing 7, the second housing member 72 has a second housing side wall 72b that is integrally formed with the back surface 72a of the second housing. On the narrow side, the outer first housing member 71 and the second housing side wall 72b, which is inside the first housing member 71, are connected. This connection point is spaced apart from the radiation detection panel 1 and the support base 3 that supports it, on the back side of the housing 7, and the end of the radiation detection panel 1 on the narrow side extends from the second housing side wall 72b toward the upper side wall 71b of the first housing. In this embodiment, the first housing member 71 and the second housing side wall 72b overlap in part on the narrow side, and are connected and fastened at the overlapping portion, so that the overlapping portion is spaced apart from the radiation detection panel 1 and the support base 3, on the back side of the housing 7. By adopting this configuration, the narrowness of the forehead side of the housing 7, which forms the chest wall surface, is improved, that is, the chest wall defect distance S, which is the distance from the upper wall 71b of the first housing to the effective imaging area R of the radiation detection panel 1, is reduced as much as possible.

[0026] On the narrow bezel side, the inner surface of the first upper wall 71b of the housing is located further outward from the housing 7 than the inner surface of the first lower wall 71c of the housing, and a step is formed between the inner surface of the first upper wall 71b and the inner surface of the first lower wall 71c. As a result, the outer surface of the first upper wall 71b protrudes further outward from the housing 7 than the outer surface of the first lower wall 71c, and is the outermost surface on the narrow bezel side of the housing 7. A connecting portion is provided on the first lower wall 71c of the housing, and the first lower wall 71c and the second housing side wall 72b are fastened and fixed together with screws 8.

[0027] As described above, the fastening portion of the screws 8 between the first housing lower wall 71c and the second housing side wall 72b is positioned spaced further back on the housing 7 than the support base 3. If, for example, the fastening portion were positioned on the first housing incident surface 71a or on the upper part of the narrow forehead side, the radiation detection panel 1 and the support base 3 would have to be spaced further away from the narrow forehead side to secure space for screw fastening, which would increase the chest wall defect distance S. In this embodiment, the incident surface portion and the narrow forehead side portion of the first housing member 71 are made of a single continuous member, and the fastening portion with the second housing member 72 is positioned further back on the support base 3. This makes it possible to position the support base 3 closer to the narrow forehead side, to a position where it contacts the insulating layer 9 on the inner surface of the first housing upper wall 71b, thus making the forehead narrower.

[0028] The head of the screw 8 (the end on the narrow forehead side) is either flush with the outermost surface of the narrow forehead side (the outer surface of the first housing upper wall 71b in this embodiment) or recessed inward from the outermost surface of the narrow forehead side towards the inside of the housing 7. In other words, the head of the screw 8 does not protrude from the first housing upper wall 71b. If the screw head protrudes, the chest wall defect distance S will increase by the amount of the protrusion. In this embodiment, even though the screw 8 is provided on the narrow forehead side, the outer surface of the first housing upper wall 71b becomes the chest wall surface that abuts against the subject's chest wall, and the chest wall defect distance S can be kept as small as possible. There are no special restrictions on the screw 8 used in this embodiment; for example, pan head, bind head, low head screws, etc., can be used.

[0029] For example, by using countersunk screws as screws 8, it is possible to avoid creating a step on the narrow side of the housing 7 and to prevent the heads of the screws 8 from protruding from the upper wall 71b of the first housing. In this case, the lower wall 71c of the first housing needs to have a thickness sufficient for countersinking. Specifically, a thickness of about 1 mm or more is required.

[0030] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned step amount D is secured between the inner surface of the upper wall 71b of the first housing and the inner surface of the lower wall 71c of the first housing, and screws that do not require countersunk holes are used as screws 8. This makes it possible to keep the thickness of the first housing member 71 small, less than 1 mm, for example, about 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm, and further narrowing of the frame becomes possible. However, it is also conceivable to make the thickness of the first housing member 71 different on each surface and use countersunk screws.

[0031] In addition to the above, if a first housing member 71 of uniform thickness is used, and the heads of the screws 8 do not protrude from the upper side wall 71b of the first housing, it is also conceivable to make the lower side wall 71c of the first housing and the second housing side wall 72b superimposed on it inclined with respect to the upper side wall 71b of the first housing. However, generally speaking, regardless of the molding method and material, an inclined surface with respect to the main surface of a certain member has low dimensional accuracy such as surface angle, making it difficult to bring inclined surfaces made of different members into close contact, and thus unsuitable for screw fastening. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a step on the narrow side surface as in this embodiment.

[0032] As described above, in this embodiment, the entire first housing member 71 is formed from a highly rigid material such as CFRP with the thinnest possible uniform thickness. Therefore, the rigidity of the entire housing 7 is provided by the second housing member 72. Accordingly, it is desirable that the second housing member 72 be made of a material and shape that exhibits higher rigidity than the first housing member 71. Specifically, high material rigidity means that material properties such as Young's modulus, tensile strength, bending strength, and compressive strength are large. Furthermore, even if the material has equivalent or somewhat inferior material properties, the rigidity can be increased by increasing the basic thickness of the second housing member 72 or by providing reinforcing shapes such as ribs.

[0033] Furthermore, as a means of connecting the first housing member 71 and the second housing member 72, screw fastening is preferred over adhesive, as in this embodiment, considering rigid integration and ease of disassembly for maintenance, etc. Rivets may also be used, although they are slightly inferior to screws in terms of ease of disassembly and joint strength. In this case, the height of the screw head described above is replaced with the height of the rivet head to set the step amount D.

[0034] Furthermore, on the narrow bezel side of the housing 7, the support base 3 extends to a position where it contacts the insulating layer 9, so the upper end of the second housing side wall 72b is spaced apart from the support base 3 and closer to the back surface of the housing 7. Therefore, it becomes possible to install the radiation detection panel 1 closer to the narrow bezel side than the second housing side wall 72b. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3, on the two sides adjacent to the narrow bezel side, the upper end of the second housing member 72 extends close to the incident surface, and the side opposite the narrow bezel side also has a surface that is part of the incident surface. Therefore, even if the upper end of the second housing side wall 72b on the narrow bezel side is lower than the support base 3, the radiation imaging device 100 will have sufficient rigidity against loads from the incident surface side.

[0035] As described above, according to this embodiment, a radiography apparatus 100 is realized that can obtain effective radiographic images over the widest possible range while keeping the chest wall defect distance S small without compromising the overall rigidity of the apparatus.

[0036] [Various modifications of this embodiment] The following describes various modifications of this embodiment. In these modifications, the radiography apparatus 100 is disclosed in the same manner as in this embodiment, but it differs from this embodiment in that the connection between the first lower housing wall 71c and the second housing member 72 on the narrow side of the housing 7 is different. Detailed explanations of components and the like that are the same as those of the radiography apparatus 100 in this embodiment will be omitted.

[0037] (Variation 1) Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the narrow side of the housing 7 in the radiography apparatus 100 of Modified Example 1. In Modification 1, the outer surface of the first upper wall 71b and the outer surface of the first lower wall 71c of the first housing member 71 are integrally formed so as to constitute the outermost surface of the narrow sidewall. The first upper wall 71b is formed thinly, similar to this embodiment. On the other hand, the first lower wall 71c is formed thicker than the first upper wall 71b and is superimposed on and connected to the second housing side wall 72b of the second housing member 72. The difference in thickness between the first lower wall 71c and the first upper wall 71b becomes the step difference D between the inner surface of the first upper wall 71b and the inner surface of the first lower wall 71c. Since the first lower wall 71c is thick enough to allow countersunk holes, a countersunk hole 71d is formed at the connection point with the second housing side wall 72b, and the first lower wall 71c and the second housing side wall 72b are fastened together with a countersunk screw 8.

[0038] Here, the thickness of the first housing incident surface 71a may be the same as or different from either the first housing upper wall 71b or the first housing lower wall 71c, and can be freely set according to the required strength of the first housing incident surface 71a. However, if the thickness of the first housing member 71 is to be non-uniform, the first housing member 71 requires processing techniques such as changing the number of layers of CFRP substrate on different surfaces, using injection-molded material, or integrally forming a separate member.

[0039] The connection point between the first housing lower wall 71c and the second housing side wall 72b is positioned spaced apart from the radiation detection panel 1 and the support base 3 that supports it, on the back side of the housing 7. The radiation detection panel 1 has an end on its narrow forehead side that extends from the second housing side wall 72b toward the first housing upper wall 71b. In modified example 1, the first housing member 71 and the second housing side wall 72b overlap in part on the narrow forehead side, and are fastened together with screws 8 at the overlapping portion, so that the overlapping portion is spaced apart from the radiation detection panel 1 and the support base 3, on the back side of the housing 7. By adopting this configuration, the narrowness of the forehead side of the housing 7, which becomes the chest wall surface, is improved, that is, the chest wall defect distance S, which is the distance from the first housing upper wall 71b to the effective imaging area R of the radiation detection panel 1, is reduced as much as possible.

[0040] Furthermore, in the modified example 1, the thickness of the first housing's lower side wall 71c ensures a step amount D sufficient to prevent the head of the countersunk screw from protruding from the surface of the first housing's lower side wall 71c, and a countersunk hole 71d of sufficient depth for using a countersunk screw as the screw 8 can be formed. This allows the first housing's lower side wall 71c and the second housing's side wall 72b to be fastened with a countersunk screw so that the head of the countersunk screw does not protrude from the surface of the first housing's lower side wall 71c. With this configuration, the narrow forehead side of the housing 7 becomes the chest wall surface that abuts against the subject's chest wall without the head of the screw 8 getting in the way, and the chest wall defect distance S can be kept as small as possible.

[0041] (Modification 2) Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the narrow side of the housing 7 in the radiography apparatus 100 of the modified example 2. In Modification 2, the first housing member 71 and the second housing member 72 are formed in the same manner as in Modification 1 described above. That is, the upper wall 71b of the first housing is formed thinly, as in this embodiment, and the lower wall 71c of the first housing is formed thicker than the upper wall 71b of the first housing and is superimposed and connected to the second housing side wall 72b of the second housing member 72. The difference in thickness between the lower wall 71c of the first housing and the upper wall 71b of the first housing becomes the step difference D between the inner surface of the upper wall 71b of the first housing and the inner surface of the lower wall 71c of the first housing.

[0042] Since the lower wall 71c of the first housing has sufficient thickness to be countersunk, a counterbore groove 71e, which is a non-through groove, is formed at the connection point with the side wall 72b of the second housing, and the lower wall 71c of the first housing and the side wall 72b of the second housing are fastened together with screws 8 similar to those in this embodiment.

[0043] The connection point between the first housing lower wall 71c and the second housing side wall 72b is positioned spaced apart from the radiation detection panel 1 and the support base 3 that supports it, on the back side of the housing 7. The radiation detection panel 1 has an end on its narrow forehead side that extends from the second housing side wall 72b toward the first housing upper wall 71b. In modified example 2, the first housing member 71 and the second housing side wall 72b overlap in part on the narrow forehead side, and are fastened together with screws 8 at the overlapping portion, so that the overlapping portion is spaced apart from the radiation detection panel 1 and the support base 3, on the back side of the housing 7. By adopting this configuration, the narrowness of the forehead side of the housing 7, which becomes the chest wall surface, is improved, that is, the chest wall defect distance S, which is the distance from the first housing upper wall 71b to the effective imaging area R of the radiation detection panel 1, is reduced as much as possible.

[0044] Furthermore, in the modified example 2, the thickness of the first housing lower wall 71c ensures a step amount D sufficient to prevent the head of the screw 8 from protruding from the surface of the first housing lower wall 71c, and a counterbore groove 71e of sufficient depth for using the screw 8 can be formed. This allows the first housing lower wall 71c and the second housing side wall 72b to be fastened with the screw 8 without the head of the screw 8 protruding from the surface of the first housing lower wall 71c. With this configuration, the narrow forehead side of the housing 7 becomes a chest wall surface that abuts against the subject's chest wall without the head of the screw 8 getting in the way, and the chest wall defect distance S can be kept as small as possible.

[0045] (Variation 3) Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the narrow side of the housing 7 in the radiography apparatus 100 of Modified Example 3. In the modified example 3, the components other than the second housing member 72 are formed in the same manner as in this embodiment.

[0046] In the housing 7, the entire first housing member 71 is formed from a highly rigid material such as CFRP with the thinnest possible uniform thickness, so the overall rigidity of the housing 7 is provided by the second housing member 72. Therefore, in the modified example 3, the second housing member 72 is formed from a highly rigid material that is thicker than the first housing member 71. As with this embodiment, metals such as iron, aluminum, and magnesium are preferred as this highly rigid material. The second housing member 72 is a single, uniformly thick member with a thickness large enough to fasten to the lower wall 71c of the first housing with screws 8 at the end face on the narrow frame side.

[0047] According to Modification 3, a radiography apparatus 100 is realized that can obtain effective radiographic images over the widest possible range while keeping the chest wall defect distance S small, while maintaining sufficient rigidity of the entire apparatus.

[0048] (Modification 4) Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the narrow side of the housing 7 in the radiography apparatus 100 of the modified example 4. In modified example 4, the components other than the second housing member 72 are formed in the same manner as in this embodiment.

[0049] In the housing 7, the entire first housing member 71 is formed from a highly rigid material such as CFRP with the thinnest possible uniform thickness, so the overall rigidity of the housing 7 is provided by the second housing member 72. Therefore, in the modified example 4, the second housing side wall 72b of the second housing member 72 is formed from a highly rigid material that is thicker than the first housing member 71. As with this embodiment, metals such as iron, aluminum, and magnesium are preferred as this highly rigid material. The second housing back surface 72a of the second housing member 72 is the same as in this embodiment. Thus, the second housing member 72 is composed of two members: a thin second housing back surface 72a and a thick second housing side wall 72b, and the second housing side wall 72b is fastened to the first housing lower side wall 71c by screws 8 at the end face on the narrow side of the second housing side wall 72b.

[0050] According to Modification 4, a radiography apparatus 100 is realized that can obtain effective radiographic images over the widest possible range while keeping the chest wall defect distance S small, while maintaining sufficient rigidity of the entire apparatus.

[0051] This embodiment includes the following configuration. (Composition 1) A radiation detection unit that converts radiation that has passed through the subject into an electrical signal, A housing enclosing the aforementioned radiation detection unit, Equipped with, The aforementioned enclosure is A first housing member having an incident surface into which radiation is incident, A second housing member having a back surface facing the incident surface, It has, At least one side of the housing is such that the first housing side wall of the first housing member and the second housing side wall of the second housing member are connected at a connecting portion along the direction of radiation incidence. The aforementioned connecting portion is located inside the housing, spaced apart from the radiation detection unit on the rear side. The radiation detection unit has an end on the side that extends from the second housing side wall toward the first housing side wall. Radiography equipment. (Configuration 2) The first housing side wall and the second housing side wall overlap in part, and the connecting portion is provided in the overlapping portion. The superimposed portion is located inside the housing, spaced apart from the radiation detection unit on the back side. The radiography apparatus described in Configuration 1. (Composition 3) The first housing side wall has a first housing upper side wall and a first housing lower side wall that extends along the direction of radiation incidence and is closer to the rear surface than the first housing upper side wall. The inner surface of the upper wall of the first housing is located on the outer side of the housing than the inner surface of the lower wall of the first housing. The outer surface of the upper wall of the first housing is the outermost surface of the side surface, The lower wall of the first housing and the side wall of the second housing are connected at the connecting portion. A radiography apparatus as described in configuration 1 or 2. (Composition 4) The outer surface of the upper wall of the first housing protrudes outward from the housing more than the outer surface of the lower wall of the first housing. The radiography apparatus described in Configuration 3. (Composition 5) The lower wall of the first housing is formed to be thicker than the upper wall of the first housing. The outer surface of the lower wall of the first housing, together with the outer surface of the upper wall of the first housing, is the outermost surface of the side surface. The radiography apparatus described in Configuration 3. (Composition 6) The lower wall of the first housing has a through hole formed at the connecting portion. The radiography apparatus described in Configuration 5. (Composition 7) The lower wall of the first housing has a non-through groove formed at the connecting portion. The radiography apparatus described in Configuration 5. (Composition 8) The aforementioned connecting portion is connected by a connecting member. The end of the connecting member on the side is either flush with the outermost surface of the side, or recessed inward from the outermost surface towards the inside of the housing. A radiography apparatus that describes one of the configurations 2 to 7. (Composition 9) The radiation detection unit has a support base that supports it on the back surface of the housing, The end face on the side of the support base is located on the inner surface of the upper wall of the first housing, The upper end of the second housing side wall on the incident surface side is characterized in that it is spaced apart from the support base towards the back surface. A radiography apparatus that describes one of the configurations 3 to 8. (Composition 10) An insulating layer is placed on the inner surface of the upper wall of the first housing, The end face on the side of the support base is in contact with the insulating layer. The radiography apparatus described in configuration 9. (Composition 11) The upper wall of the first housing is thinner than either or both of the incident surface and the lower wall of the first housing member. A radiography apparatus that describes one of the configurations 3 to 10. (Composition 12) The first housing member is a member of uniform thickness. A radiography apparatus that describes one of the configurations 3 to 10. (Composition 13) The first housing member has a thickness of less than 1 mm. A radiography apparatus described in any one of configurations 3 to 12. (Composition 14) The second housing member has higher rigidity than the first housing member. A radiography apparatus that describes one of the configurations 1 to 13. (Composition 15) The second housing member is, It is a single-piece member with a uniform thickness that is thicker than the first housing member. The radiography apparatus described in configuration 14. (Composition 16) The second housing member is, The back surface of the second housing, which is the back surface of the housing, The second housing side wall is thicker than the first housing member, Having, The radiography apparatus described in configuration 14. (Composition 17) The side surface of the housing is a narrow forehead side surface in which the distance from the outer surface to the effective imaging area of ​​the radiation detection unit is smaller than that of the other sides of the housing. A radiography apparatus that describes one of the configurations 1 to 16. (Composition 18) Used in mammography, A radiography apparatus that describes one of the configurations 1 to 17. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 100: Radiography equipment 1: Radiography panel 2: Cushioning material 3: Support base 4: Flexible circuit board 5: Control board 6: External connection section 7: Cabinet 8: Bis 9: Insulating layer 71: First housing component 72: Second housing component

Claims

1. A radiation detection unit that converts radiation that has passed through the subject into an electrical signal, A housing enclosing the aforementioned radiation detection unit, Equipped with, The aforementioned enclosure is A first housing member having an incident surface into which radiation is incident, A second housing member having a back surface facing the incident surface, It has, At least one side of the housing is such that the first housing side wall of the first housing member and the second housing side wall of the second housing member are connected at a connecting portion along the direction of radiation incidence. The aforementioned connecting portion is located inside the housing, spaced apart from the radiation detection unit on the rear side. The radiation detection unit has an end on the side that extends from the second housing side wall toward the first housing side wall. Radiography equipment.

2. The first housing side wall and the second housing side wall overlap in part, and the connecting portion is provided in the overlapping portion. The superimposed portion is located inside the housing, spaced apart from the radiation detection unit on the back side. The radiography apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The first housing side wall has a first housing upper side wall and a first housing lower side wall that extends along the direction of radiation incidence and is closer to the back surface than the first housing upper side wall. The inner surface of the upper wall of the first housing is located on the outer side of the housing than the inner surface of the lower wall of the first housing. The outer surface of the upper wall of the first housing is the outermost surface of the side surface, The lower wall of the first housing and the side wall of the second housing are connected at the connecting portion. The radiography apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The outer surface of the upper wall of the first housing protrudes outward from the housing more than the outer surface of the lower wall of the first housing. The radiography apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The lower wall of the first housing is formed to be thicker than the upper wall of the first housing. The outer surface of the lower wall of the first housing, together with the outer surface of the upper wall of the first housing, is the outermost surface of the side surface. The radiography apparatus according to claim 3.

6. The lower wall of the first housing has a through hole formed at the connecting portion. The radiography apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The lower wall of the first housing has a non-through groove formed at the connecting portion. The radiography apparatus according to claim 5.

8. The aforementioned connecting portion is connected by a connecting member. The end of the connecting member on the side is either flush with the outermost surface of the side, or recessed inward from the outermost surface towards the inside of the housing. The radiography apparatus according to claim 2.

9. The radiation detection unit has a support base that supports it on the back surface of the housing, The end face on the side of the support base is located on the inner surface of the upper wall of the first housing, The upper end of the second housing side wall on the incident surface side is characterized in that it is spaced apart from the support base towards the back surface. The radiography apparatus according to claim 3.

10. An insulating layer is placed on the inner surface of the upper wall of the first housing, The end face on the side of the support base is in contact with the insulating layer. The radiography apparatus according to claim 9.

11. The upper wall of the first housing is thinner than either or both of the incident surface and the lower wall of the first housing member. The radiography apparatus according to claim 3.

12. The first housing member is a member of uniform thickness. The radiography apparatus according to claim 3.

13. The first housing member has a thickness of less than 1 mm. The radiography apparatus according to claim 3.

14. The second housing member has higher rigidity than the first housing member. The radiography apparatus according to claim 1.

15. The second housing member is, It is a single-piece member with a uniform thickness that is thicker than the first housing member. The radiography apparatus according to claim 14.

16. The second housing member is, The back surface of the second housing, which is the back surface of the housing, The second housing side wall is thicker than the first housing member, Having, The radiography apparatus according to claim 14.

17. The side surface of the housing is a narrow forehead side surface in which the distance from the outer surface to the effective imaging area of ​​the radiation detection unit is smaller than that of the other sides of the housing. The radiography apparatus according to claim 1.

18. Used in mammography, The radiography apparatus according to claim 1.

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