Multiframe X-ray Detector Focal Spot Temperature Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
X-ray imaging systems with distributed X-ray sources face a rapid temperature increase at focal spots, limiting the duration of focal spot activation and resulting in noisy images due to the need for fast switching between focal positions without mechanical movement.
Innovation Solution
An X-ray detector system that accumulates temporally distributed partial charges over multiple sub-frames, allowing each focal spot to be activated only for a limited duration, thereby reducing temperature increase and improving signal-to-noise ratio by distributing the total charge quantity across sub-frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the focal spot is activated for a longer duration to improve signal quality, then the signal-to-noise ratio improves, but the focal spot temperature increases rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The detector is divided into multiple charge accumulation sections (first charge accumulation section, second charge accumulation section, etc.) that can be independently activated. Each section accumulates charges from a specific focal spot during a predetermined sub-frame period. This segmentation allows the total integration time to be distributed across multiple shorter sub-frames, reducing the temperature increase at each focal spot while maintaining the overall signal quality through accumulated charges.
2Temperature
If fast switching between focal spots is implemented to reduce temperature increase, then focal spot temperature is controlled, but the images become noisy due to insufficient integration time
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic activation of different charge accumulation sections in a cyclic manner. The first charge accumulation section is activated for a first predetermined sub-frame period, then switched to the second charge accumulation section for a second predetermined sub-frame period, and so on. This periodic action allows each focal spot to be activated for limited durations with sufficient intervals for cooling, while the overall integration time is extended through multiple cycles, maintaining both temperature control and image quality.
3Temperature
If multiple charge accumulation sections are used to distribute charge accumulation over time, then focal spot temperature is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple charge accumulation sections are implemented within the detector, where each section can serve as both an active accumulation section and a standby section. The first charge accumulation section and second charge accumulation section can be alternately activated, allowing each section to perform the same function of charge accumulation but at different time intervals. This multi-functionality reduces the need for entirely separate systems and allows for efficient resource utilization while maintaining temperature control.
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 allows for efficient X-ray imaging with reduced focal spot temperature, enabling higher tube power utilization and maintaining signal quality without increasing data rate, making it suitable for tomographic systems.
Implementation Method 1
an X-ray sensitive element (10) having a charge output
Data Source
AI summary
Device and method for synchronously switching activating a first and second charge accumulation section (31, 32) for a duration of a first and second predetermined sub-frame and a first and second X-ray source until lapse of a predetermined time frame for each of the first and second charge accumulation section (31, 32) for the accumulation of a plurality of temporally distributed partial charges according to an origin of a respective one of the plurality of spatially distributed X-ray sources so as to establish a specific relation between the focal spot position and a rule for accumulating the respective partial measurements, e.g. temporally distributed partial charges, belonging to the same focal spot positions, and to keep the focal spot temperature low by only activating the focal spot for a limited time according to a sub-frame.