Photon-counting detector

US10080533B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KONINIKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. · NL

Inventors

• Ewald Roessl · Ellerau, DE
• Heiner Daerr · Hamburg, DE
• Thomas Koehler · Norderstedt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 16, 2014
• Grant date: Sep 25, 2018
• Expiry date: Dec 6, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01J2235/086
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An imaging system (100) includes a radiation source (110) with a focal spot (204) that emits a beam of x-ray photons that traverses an examination region (106). The imaging system further includes a photon counting detector array (122) that detects a sub-set of the x-ray photons that traverse an examination region. The imaging system further includes a controller (116) that generates and transmits a pause signal, in response to a calculated drop in an intensity of the emitted the beam of x-ray photons below a predetermined intensity level, which causes the photon counting detector array to pause detecting the sub-set of the x-ray photons. The imaging system further includes a counter (136) that counts, for each of a plurality of counting periods, the x-ray photons of the sub-set detected by the photon counting detector array in the corresponding counting period.