Back Focused Anti-Scatter Grid for X-Ray Imaging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional anti-scatter grids in medical imaging suffer from irregularity and production difficulties, leading to suboptimal performance due to diffuse radiation issues caused by substrates with high X-ray absorption properties, which degrade primary radiation and limit image quality.
Innovation Solution
An anti-scatter grid with a substrate having grooves that open only on one face, filled with high X-ray absorption material, oriented to converge along a line on the opposite face, where the grooves do not open, using materials like polyetherimides or graphite, and a metallic lead alloy, with a protective layer and specific grid ratio and density parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the substrate has high X-ray absorption properties, then the grid can stop scattered radiation, but the primary radiation is degraded by diffuse radiation from the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is segmented by creating grooves that divide it into separate regions. The grooves are filled with high X-ray absorption material to form strips, while the substrate material between grooves has low absorption. This segmentation allows the grid to stop scattered radiation through the strips while minimizing diffuse radiation from the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the grid have different X-ray absorption properties. The strips (formed by filling grooves) have high absorption properties to attenuate scattered radiation, while the substrate regions between grooves have low absorption properties to minimize diffuse radiation. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between stopping scattered radiation and avoiding primary radiation degradation.
2Ease of manufacture
If the grooves open onto both faces of the substrate, then the grid can be produced more easily, but the regularity and focus of the grid is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves are designed to open onto only one face of the substrate, creating an asymmetric structure. This asymmetric groove configuration, combined with the convergent orientation of groove planes intersecting along a line on the opposite face, provides both manufacturing feasibility and the required grid regularity and focus for effective scatter attenuation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the grooves are filled with high X-ray absorption material, then scattered radiation is attenuated, but the production process becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves are pre-formed in the substrate before filling with high X-ray absorption material. This preliminary action of creating the groove structure first allows for controlled placement of the absorption material, simplifying the overall production process while ensuring the strips are properly positioned to achieve effective scatter attenuation.
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
The solution effectively attenuates scattered radiation by positioning the groove-free face towards the X-ray source, enhancing image quality and overcoming production challenges by improving the regularity and focus of the grid, thereby improving image contrast and reducing radiation degradation.
Implementation Method 1
the grooves being filled with a material having high X-ray absorption properties
Implementation Method 2
the substrate having low X-ray absorption properties
Data Source
AI summary
An anti-scatter grid for an x-ray imaging system. The grid has substrate having a first face and a second face. The substrate has a plurality of grooves opening onto the first face of the substrate and not opening onto the second face. The substrate has high X-ray absorption properties. Each groove has an orientation such that the planes of all the grooves are convergent and intersect along a line situated on the side of the second face where the grooves do not open.