Anti-Scatter Grid Radiation Absorbing Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
X-ray imaging systems suffer from grid line image artifacts due to anti-scatter grids absorbing primary X-rays, which impair image quality and diagnostic effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The anti-scatter grid is designed with radiation absorbing elements disposed at an angle relative to the photodetector elements, ensuring an equal area coverage and minimizing grid line artifacts by optimizing the distribution of absorbing materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If radiation absorbing elements are used in the anti-scatter grid, then scattered X-rays are blocked, but primary X-rays are also absorbed causing grid line image artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the radiation absorbing elements transparent to primary X-rays through selective material composition and geometric configuration. The elements are designed with specific properties that allow them to absorb scattered X-rays while being transparent to primary X-rays, thus eliminating grid line artifacts while maintaining scatter rejection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the radiation absorbing elements, specifically their composition (e.g., tungsten, molybdenum, or their alloys) and geometric properties (thickness, spacing, orientation). These parameter changes enable the elements to selectively absorb scattered X-rays based on their different trajectories and energies, while allowing primary X-rays to pass through
2Object-affected harmful factors
If radiation absorbing material is placed over photodetector elements, then scattered X-rays are reduced, but image quality deteriorates due to absorbed primary X-rays
Solution Approach 1:
The radiation absorbing elements are designed with local quality characteristics where their material composition and geometric structure are optimized to interact differently with scattered versus primary X-rays. This local optimization allows scatter absorption while maintaining transparency to primary X-rays, preserving image quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of radiation absorbing materials into a beneficial selective filtering mechanism. By carefully designing the elements' properties, the system exploits the differences between scattered and primary X-rays to achieve beneficial scatter rejection without the harmful artifact generation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces grid line image artifacts by equally distributing the radiation absorbing elements across each photodetector, thereby improving image quality and diagnostic utility in X-ray imaging systems.
Implementation Method 1
An anti-scatter grid typically includes structures of radiation absorbing material (e.g., lead strips) to absorb scattered X-rays
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging system includes a detector configured to detect X-rays from an X-ray source. The detector includes multiple photodetector elements. The imaging system also includes an anti-scatter grid disposed over the detector, wherein the anti-scatter grid includes multiple radiation absorbing elements. At least a portion of one or more of the radiation absorbing elements of the multiple radiation absorbing elements is disposed on each photodetector element, and a total area of each respective portion of the one or more radiation absorbing elements disposed on each photodetector element is substantially equal.