High-Speed Radiography with Large-Area Scintillator and Camera Array
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radiography systems, such as flat panel x-ray detectors and vacuum tube image intensifiers, are limited in frame rate and area coverage, making them unsuitable for high-speed imaging of large fields of view due to high costs and inefficiencies, especially at megavolt energies.
Innovation Solution
A high-speed radiographic system using a linear accelerator pulsed x-ray source with a large area scintillator system and a camera array that overlaps to cover the entire field of view, synchronized to produce contiguous video images, with optional optical image intensifiers to enhance light detection and minimize radiation damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If flat panel x-ray detectors are used, then area coverage is improved, but frame rate and maximum area are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system divides the large field of view into multiple sub-areas, each captured by a separate camera. Multiple cameras (e.g., 9 cameras arranged in a 3x3 array) simultaneously image different portions of the scintillator, enabling large area coverage while maintaining high frame rates that would be impossible for a single detector of equivalent size.
2Productivity
If discrete-channel x-ray detectors are used, then frame rate is improved, but cost becomes prohibitively high for large areas
Solution Approach 1:
A large area scintillator serves as an intermediary that converts x-rays to visible light across the entire field of view. Multiple cameras then image this light simultaneously, achieving high frame rates without requiring expensive discrete-channel detectors with electronics at every pixel location. The scintillator enables cost-effective high-speed imaging by decoupling the x-ray detection function from the electronic readout requirements.
3Illumination intensity
If vacuum tube image intensifiers are used, then light yield is improved, but area coverage and pixel resolution are limited
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single image intensifier with limited area, the system segments the field of view across multiple cameras simultaneously imaging a large area scintillator. This approach achieves both large area coverage and high resolution by distributing the imaging function across multiple sensors rather than relying on a single intensifier tube.
4Productivity
If cameras are positioned directly to view the scintillator, then imaging efficiency is improved, but radiation damage to cameras increases
Solution Approach 1:
A mirror positioned at a 45-degree angle serves as an intermediary to redirect light from the scintillator to the cameras. This optical path arrangement allows cameras to be positioned outside the direct x-ray beam path, eliminating radiation damage while maintaining full imaging efficiency through the reflected light path.
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
Enables cost-effective, high-speed video imaging of large areas with synchronized, contiguous image streams, improving spatial sampling and reducing radiation damage to cameras, while maintaining signal quality.
Implementation Method 1
A large area scintillator system, either truly continuous or in large continuous adjacent pieces, converts the x-ray photons that pass through the object into visible light
Implementation Method 2
the light output from the scintillator system is reflected by a mirror at an angle to the cameras, and the cameras record the reflection, thereby minimizing any radiation damage to the cameras due to incident radiation
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention proposes a high speed radiographic system for use with megavolt linear-accelerator pulsed x-ray sources to produce video images of large-area fields. A linear accelerator is positioned above a field of view. X-ray photons are directed through an object of interest traveling and/or colliding within the field of view. A large area scintillator system, either truly continuous or in large continuous adjacent pieces, converts the x-ray photons that pass through the object into visible light, and an arrangement of cameras, focused at that plane, where each camera sees a sub-area of the entire scintillator, and these sub-areas overlap somewhat to cover the entire scintillator. The resulting images generated in each camera are synchronized to produce one contiguous, synchronized stream of images.