Stacked X-Ray Detector Readout for Sparse Spectral CT Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radiation imaging devices with spectral CT functionality face increased processing load and power consumption due to the need to acquire intensity and energy information from all pixels, which is inefficient and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A radiation detector with a stacked configuration of electric charge generation regions and read circuits, where some circuits generate intensity signals and others generate spectral signals, allowing for reduced processing load and power consumption by selectively outputting energy information from thinned-out circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If all pixels acquire both intensity information and energy information, then spectral CT functionality is achieved, but processing load and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The read circuits are segmented into two types: first read circuits that acquire intensity information from all pixels, and second read circuits that acquire energy information from only thinned-out pixels. This segmentation allows the system to maintain spectral CT functionality while reducing the total amount of data processing required, thereby lowering power consumption and processing load.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the detector array are assigned different functions: regions corresponding to first read circuits are optimized for intensity measurement, while regions corresponding to second read circuits are optimized for energy spectrum measurement. This local differentiation allows efficient acquisition of both types of information without requiring all pixels to perform both functions.
2Loss of information
If all pixels output energy information, then complete spectral data is obtained, but processing load increases
Solution Approach 1:
Energy information is extracted only from thinned-out pixels corresponding to second read circuits, rather than from all pixels. This extraction strategy reduces the volume of energy data that needs to be processed while still providing sufficient spectral information for spectral CT reconstruction, thereby reducing processing load without significant loss of spectral data quality.
3Measurement precision
If intensity information is acquired from all pixels, then image resolution is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The readout system is segmented such that intensity information is acquired from all pixels through first read circuits, while energy information is acquired only from thinned-out pixels through second read circuits. This segmentation maintains full-resolution intensity data for image reconstruction while reducing the processing burden and power consumption associated with energy information handling.
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 configuration enables efficient output of intensity and energy information while maintaining image resolution, reducing processing load and power consumption, and allowing for the generation of high-resolution luminance and low-resolution color images with visible physical property distributions.
Implementation Method 1
an X-ray detector with a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a radiation detection element having a function of generating an electric charge corresponding to energy of X-ray
Data Source
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AI summary
An object is to provide intensity information and energy information while reducing processing load and power consumption. In a radiation detector 100, a radiation detection element 1, in which a plurality of pixels 7d each configured to generate an electric charge corresponding to energy of X-rays penetrating a subject is two-dimensionally arranged, and a plurality of read circuits 8a and 8b each configured to output an intensity signal of transmitted X-rays based on the electric charge generated by each of the plurality of pixels 7d are stacked with each other, and some read circuits 8a thinned out from a plurality of read circuits 8a and 8b each generate a spectral signal related to a spectrum of a transmitted X-ray based on the electric charge and output the spectral signal.