Photon-counting X-ray detector and method for operating a photon-counting X-ray detector

US11675096B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Healthcare Limited · DE

Inventors

• Edgar Goederer · Forchheim, DE
• Martin Hupfer · Erlangen, DE
• Bjoern Kreisler · Eschborn, DE
• Martin Petersilka · Wiesendorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 9, 2020
• Grant date: Jun 13, 2023
• Expiry date: Dec 9, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01T1/247
• WIPO field: Environmental technology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

An X-ray detector includes a converter element for converting X-rays into electric signals; and a plurality of pixel elements. In an embodiment, each pixel element includes a first signal processing stage for processing respective electric signals with at least one signal amplifier and at least one comparator for providing a digital pixel signal. The signal outputs of the first signal processing stage of at least one group of pixel elements are coupled via signal technology to a common second signal processing stage including a multiplicity of digital logic elements. The common second signal processing stage includes a configurable switching matrix for interconnecting at least one partial number of the multiplicity of digital logic elements with the respective signal outputs of the first signal processing stage, so that, following a configuration of the switching matrix, a processing chain can be provided for the digital processing of the digital pixel signals.