JP2011137690A - Image photographing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image photographing device optically, mechanically, and accurately disposing a plurality of detector blocks side by side without easily affected by noise. <P>SOLUTION: The image photographing device 10 including an X-ray generation source for generating X-rays 100 includes: detector blocks 52 including a scintillator 53 for receiving the X-rays 100 for converting to light, a photodetector 54 for converting light to an electric signal, and a data collection unit 55 for converting the electric signal to a digital signal; a fixing member 70 for disposing and fixing the plurality of detector blocks 52; a substrate 63; and an electric connection means 61 inserted nearly in parallel with the backs of the plurality of detector blocks 52 and electrically connecting an electric terminal 73 of the data collection unit 55 in the plurality of detector blocks 52 to the substrate 63. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus having a radiation detection apparatus.

  An image photographing apparatus is also called an image diagnostic photographing apparatus. For example, an X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus is used in a medical facility such as a hospital. The gantry of the X-ray CT apparatus is provided with an X-ray detector. X-rays generated in the X-ray tube are exposed to the subject as the X-ray tube rotates, and the X-rays transmitted through the subject are incident on the X-ray detector. A tomographic image of the subject is acquired.

  The X-ray detector converts the incident X-ray into an electric signal. The electric signal from the X-ray detector is amplified, and then a digital signal is obtained by a data acquisition device (data acquisition unit: DAS: Data Acquisition System). Is converted to This digitized data signal is transmitted to the console side using a data transmission system.

  In the X-ray detector, a plurality of detector blocks are two-dimensionally arranged. The bed on which the subject is placed moves along the body axis direction of the subject and is inserted into the opening of the gantry. This is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The bed is moved by one axis along the body axis direction of the subject, so that the imaging range of the region of the subject is X-rayed (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-259733 A

  By the way, in the X-ray CT apparatus, as the area of the X-ray detector is increased, in order to improve the yield when manufacturing the X-ray detector, as shown in FIG. This is a collection of individual photodiodes. Therefore, the plurality of detector blocks 200 are electrically connected to the data collection device 204 at a remote position using the connector 201, the flexible cable 202, and the connector 203. The flexible cable 202 is used to control and supply power to the detector block 200 and to extract data from the detector block 200.

  However, since the data collection device 204 is large, it is difficult to perform a so-called tiling operation in which a plurality of detector blocks are arranged vertically and horizontally and optically accurately arranged in an actual manufacturing process.

  Further, the flexible cable 202 is electrically connected from the detector block 200 to the data collection device 204. However, since the connection distance N of the flexible cable 202 is increased, the capacitance of the flexible cable 202 is increased. It is easily affected by noise.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image photographing apparatus that can arrange a plurality of detector blocks in an optically and mechanically accurate manner and is less susceptible to noise. Is to provide.

The invention according to claim 1 is an image capturing apparatus including an X-ray generation source for generating X-rays in the image capturing apparatus,
A detector block having a scintillator that receives the X-ray and converts it into light, a photodetector that converts the light into an electrical signal, and a data collection unit that converts the electrical signal into a digital signal;
A fixing member for arranging and fixing a plurality of the detector blocks;
A substrate,
Electrical connection means that is inserted substantially parallel to the back surface of the plurality of detector blocks and electrically connects the electrical terminals of the data collection units and the substrate in the plurality of detector blocks;
It is characterized by providing. As a result, a plurality of detector blocks can be arranged side by side optically and mechanically accurately, and are not easily affected by noise.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image photographing apparatus, the electrical connecting means is a flexible cable. Thereby, the electrical terminal of the data collection unit and the substrate can be easily electrically connected only by using the flexible cable.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image photographing apparatus, the electrical connection means is an anisotropic conductor sheet. Thereby, the electrical terminal of a data collection part and a board | substrate can be easily electrically connected only by using an anisotropic conductor sheet.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image capturing device, the detector block is arranged along a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction with respect to the fixing member, and each of the detectors. The block is detachably fixed to the fixing member. As a result, even when a detector block fails, only the failed detector block can be removed from the fixing member and replaced with a new detector block, regardless of whether one detector block fails. This prevents the need to replace all detector blocks at the same time and reduces maintenance costs.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus, a plurality of detector blocks are provided with one collimator for guiding the X-rays to the scintillators of the detector blocks. . Thereby, one collimator may be prepared for a plurality of detector blocks.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the image capturing device, the scintillator of each detector block is laminated with a collimator for guiding the X-rays to the scintillator of each detector block. To do. This eliminates the need for a separate collimator, reduces the number of parts, and achieves downsizing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image capturing apparatus in which a plurality of detector blocks can be arranged side by side and arranged optically and mechanically accurately and is not easily affected by noise.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an X-ray CT apparatus that performs an image capturing for medical diagnosis as an example of an image capturing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a figure which shows the X-ray CT apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in detail. It is the front view which looked at the mount frame shown in FIG. 2 from the B direction. It is a disassembled perspective view which has shown notionally the structural example of the radiation detection apparatus. 5A and 5B are perspective views showing an example in which the collimator is formed to be curved along the X direction, and a plurality of detector blocks are arranged in a matrix in the X direction and the Z direction. FIG. It is a figure which shows a collimator, a some detector block, the fixing member for detector blocks, a flexible cable, a connector, and a back substrate. It is a figure which shows the structural example by which each detector block is being fixed to one surface of a fixing member. It is a figure which shows Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the flexible cable shown in FIG. 6, and the flexible cable shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a figure which shows a prior art example.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an X-ray CT apparatus that performs image capturing for medical diagnosis, which is an example of the image capturing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the X-ray CT apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in more detail.

  The X-ray CT apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a gantry 11 and a bed 30. The gantry 11 and the bed 30 are set on the installation surface 12. A rotation unit 13 is provided inside the gantry 11. A circular opening 14 is provided at the center of the gantry 11 and at the center of the rotating unit 13. The subject M placed on the top plate 31 together with the top plate 31 of the bed 30 can be inserted and positioned in the opening 14 along the Z direction (the axial direction of the opening 14).

  Here, a configuration example of the gantry 11 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 1, the gantry 11 includes a main body cover 15 and a base 16, and the main body cover 15 is provided on the base 16. The base 16 is installed on the installation surface 12.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the main body cover 15 includes a front cover part 17, a back cover part 18, and a front cover part 19. The front cover part 17, the back cover part 18, and the front cover part 19 cover the rotating part 13. The front cover part 17 and the back cover part 18 form an opening 14.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the rotation unit 13 includes an X-ray tube 20 that is an X-ray generation source, a radiation detection device 50 that detects X-rays of the X-ray tube 20, and a high voltage generation unit (not shown). The X-ray tube 20 and the radiation detection device 50 are arranged to face each other with the central axis of the opening 14 as the center.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, for example, the head HD of the subject M placed on the top plate 31 is inserted into the opening 14 together with the top plate 31 of the bed 30. The X-ray tube 20 emits X-rays to, for example, the head HD of the subject M, and the X-rays transmitted through the head HD of the subject M are detected by the radiation detection device 50. Thereby, in the radiation detection apparatus 50, the detected X-ray dose is once converted into light, and this light is further converted into an analog electric signal, and the analog electric signal is converted into a data collection unit (DAS: Data Acquisition System). And is converted into digital data (projection data).

  The data transmission unit 23 illustrated in FIG. 2 transmits digital data to the console 24 from the radiation detection device 50 in a non-contact manner. The digital data is transmitted from the transmission unit 23A on the rotating unit 13 side to the fixed unit side of the gantry 11. Are transmitted to the console 24 side through the data transmission unit 23. Thereby, the console 24 acquires a tomographic image of the subject M.

  The rotating unit 13 is provided with a slip ring 25, and the slip ring 25 supplies power to a high voltage generating unit (not shown).

  The bed 30 shown in FIG. 2 has a top plate 31 and a pedestal 32, and the subject M is placed on the top plate 31. The pedestal 32 can move the top plate 31 up and down along the Y direction for positioning in the height direction, and move along the Z direction for positioning in the horizontal direction. The Y direction and the Z direction are orthogonal to each other. This Z direction is parallel to the body axis direction CL of the subject M.

  3 is a front view of the gantry 11 shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the B direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the X-ray tube 20 and the radiation detection device 50 are disposed to face each other with the opening 14 interposed therebetween. As will be described below, the radiation detection apparatus 50 is formed in an arc shape along the X direction with the X-ray tube 20 as the center. The X direction is the channel direction of the detector block of the radiation detection apparatus 50, and the Z direction is parallel to the body axis direction CL of the subject. The X direction is the first direction, the Z direction is the second direction, and the X direction and the Z direction are orthogonal to each other.

  FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view conceptually showing a configuration example of the radiation detection apparatus 50.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the radiation detection apparatus 50 includes a collimator 51 and a detector block 52. The detector block 52 includes a scintillator 53, a light detection unit 54, and a data acquisition unit (DAS: Data Acquisition System) 55, and the scintillator 53, the light detection unit 54, and the data collection unit 55 are stacked. Is blocked.

  The collimator 51 shown in FIG. 4 is provided for efficiently exposing the X-ray 100 generated from the X-ray tube 20 shown in FIG. 2 to the scintillator 52, such as an X-ray reflected by another part. Remove noise. The scintillator 53 converts the X-ray 100 that has passed through the collimator 15 into light L. The light detection unit 54 is configured using, for example, a plurality of photodiodes. The light L is converted into an electrical signal to be an analog signal, and the analog signal is sent to the data collection unit 55.

  5 (A) and 5 (B), the collimator 51 is curved along the X direction, and a plurality of detector blocks 52 are arranged in a matrix in the curved X and Z directions. It is a perspective view which shows the example arranged in.

  In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5, the collimator 51 is curved along the X direction, and a plurality of detector blocks 52 are arranged in a matrix in the X direction and the Z direction. That is, the collimator 51 has a size that covers the plurality of detector blocks 52, and one collimator 51 is used. Thereby, one collimator has only to be prepared for a plurality of detector blocks, and the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case where a collimator is arranged for each detector block.

  FIG. 6 shows a collimator 51, a plurality of detector blocks 52, a detector block fixing member 70, a flexible cable 61, a connector 62, and a back substrate 63. In FIG. 6, for the sake of simplification of the drawing, four detector blocks 52 are representatively shown along the X direction. However, in actuality, any number of detection blocks may be detected along the X direction and the Z direction. The vessel block 52 is arranged in a matrix with respect to the fixing member 70, and is detachably fixed.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the convex surface 51 </ b> A of the collimator 51 is disposed so as to face the plurality of detector blocks 52. The concave surface 51B on the opposite side of the collimator 51 is the side that receives X-rays.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the fixing member 70 is, for example, a flat plate member. The plurality of detector blocks 52 are arranged in a matrix along the X direction and the Z direction at intervals of the arrangement pitch P on the one surface 70A of the fixing member 70 at a dense interval. It is detachably fixed to.

  FIG. 7 shows a structural example in which each detector block 52 is fixed to one surface 70 </ b> A of the fixing member 70. The fixing member 70 is a member for fixing each detector block 52 at a mechanically and optically accurate position.

  Each detector block 52 is detachably attached to the fixing member 70 by, for example, a plurality of screws 71. As described above, when each detector block 52 is detachably attached to the fixing member 70, for example, when at least one of the light detection unit 54 and the data collection unit 55 of the detector block 52 fails. However, only the defective detector block 52 can be easily replaced. For this reason, even when a detector block fails, only the failed detector block can be removed from the fixing member and replaced with a new detector block, regardless of whether one detector block fails. This prevents the need to replace all detector blocks at the same time and reduces maintenance costs.

  Thereby, it can prevent that it becomes the situation which replaces the fixing member 70 and the flexible cable 61 with all the detector blocks 52, and a maintenance is easy.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the electrical terminal 73 of the data collection unit 55 is electrically connected to the electrical terminal 74 of the flexible cable 61. The bent portion 75 of the flexible cable 61 may be arbitrarily provided by elastically deforming a part of the flexible cable 61 in order to align the electric terminal 73 of the data collecting unit 55 and the electric terminal 74 of the flexible cable 61. it can. Thereby, the electrical terminal 73 of the data collection part 55 and the electrical terminal 74 of the flexible cable 61 can be reliably aligned.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the flexible cable 61 is electrically connected to the back substrate 63 via the electrical connector 62. As described above, the flexible cable 61 is an example of an electrical connection unit that electrically connects the electrical terminal 73 of the data collection unit 55 and the back substrate 63. The back substrate 63 is electrically connected to the image processing unit 75 of the console 24.

  Next, the operation of the above-described embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  An operation example of imaging the subject M using the X-ray CT apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the couchtop 31 of the bed 30 is inserted into the opening 14 of the gantry 11 with the subject M placed thereon, and the head HD of the subject M is positioned in the opening 14. The

  As shown in FIG. 2, the X-ray tube 20 generates X-rays, and the X-ray tube 20 is rotated around the system axis CL along the R direction. When the X-ray 100 is exposed to the subject M from the X-ray tube 20, the X-ray 100 from the X-ray tube 20 is transmitted through the subject M as shown in FIG. The light passes through the collimator 51 of the detection device 50 and enters the scintillator 53 of the detector block 52.

  The scintillator 53 shown in FIG. 6 converts the incident X-ray 100 into light L, and the light L is received by the light detection unit 54. As a result, the light L is optical-electrically converted, and the morphological information data, which is an analog signal subjected to the optical-electrical signal conversion, becomes a digital signal S in the data collecting unit 55.

  This digital signal S is transmitted to the console 24 via the electrical terminal 73 of the data collection unit 55, the electrical terminal 74 of the flexible cable 61, the conductor line portion of the flexible cable 61, the electrical connector 62, and the back substrate 63 shown in FIG. By being sent to the image processing unit 75, for example, the form of the head of the subject can be displayed on the display device of the console 24. Accordingly, the head HD of the subject M, which is a specific example of the X-ray imaging target region shown in FIG.

  As described above, in the X-ray CT apparatus 10 which is an example of the image capturing apparatus, the radiation detection apparatus 50 includes the collimator 51 and the detector block 52, and the detector block 52 includes the scintillator 53 and the light detection unit 54. The scintillator 53, the light detection unit 54, and the data collection unit 55 are modularized by being arranged integrally. Thereby, the detector block 52 of the radiation detection apparatus 50 can arrange a plurality of detector blocks optically and mechanically accurately, and is hardly affected by noise.

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In addition, when the component in another embodiment of this invention demonstrated below is substantially the same as the corresponding component of Embodiment 1 shown in FIGS. I will use the explanation.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 8 shows Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

  The second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 8 has substantially the same configuration as the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6, but the radiation detection apparatus 50R of the second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. What is different from the radiation detection apparatus 50 according to the first embodiment is the shape of the collimator 51R.

  In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 6, one collimator 51 is arranged in common for each detector block 52. On the other hand, in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the collimator 51 </ b> R is integrally arranged for each detector block 52.

  9 shows an arrangement example of the flexible cable 61 shown in FIG. 6 and the flexible cable 61 shown in FIG. In FIG. 9A, the flexible cables 61 are arranged in a lattice shape along the X1 direction orthogonal to the Z direction and the Z direction. In FIG. 9B, the flexible cable 61 is arranged in a comb shape parallel to the X1 direction. The arrangement example of the flexible cable 61 illustrated in FIG. 9A can increase the strength compared to the arrangement example of the flexible cable 61 illustrated in FIG. .

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 10 shows Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

  The third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 10 has substantially the same configuration as the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6, but the radiation detection apparatus 50S of the third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The difference from the radiation detection apparatus 50 of the first embodiment of the invention is that an anisotropic conductor sheet 170 as an electrical connection means is arranged instead of the flexible cable 61 as the electrical connection means shown in FIG. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the anisotropic conductor sheet 170 includes a large number of spherical conductors 172 in an insulating film 171. The electrical terminal 73 of the data collection unit 55 of the detector block 52 is pressed against one surface of the anisotropic conductive sheet 170, and the electrical terminal 63B of the back substrate 63 is pressed against the other surface of the anisotropic conductive sheet 170. By being pressed, the electrical terminals 73 and 63B can conduct each other by sandwiching the conductor 172 therebetween. In addition, since the anisotropic conductive sheet 170 can directly and electrically connect the data collection unit 55 of the detector block 52 and the back substrate 63, the radiation detection apparatus can be reduced in size and the number of parts can be reduced.

  In the third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 10, one collimator 51 is arranged in common with respect to each detector block 52 as in the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 11 shows Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

  The fourth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 11 has substantially the same configuration as the third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 10, but the radiation detection apparatus 50T of the fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The shape of the collimator 51R is different from the radiation detection apparatus 50S of the third embodiment of the invention.

  In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 10, one collimator 51 is arranged in common for each detector block 52. On the other hand, in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the collimator 51 </ b> R is integrally arranged for each detector block 52.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the anisotropic conductor sheet 170 includes a large number of spherical conductors 172 in an insulating film 171. The electrical terminal 73 of the data collection unit 55 of the detector block 52 is pressed against one surface of the anisotropic conductive sheet 170, and the electrical terminal 63B of the back substrate 63 is pressed against the other surface of the anisotropic conductive sheet 170. By being pressed, the electrical terminals 73 and 63B can conduct each other by sandwiching the conductor 172 therebetween. In addition, since the anisotropic conductive sheet 170 can directly and electrically connect the data collection unit 55 of the detector block 52 and the back substrate 63, the radiation detection apparatus can be reduced in size and the number of parts can be reduced.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the illustrated example, an X-ray CT apparatus is used as an example of an image capturing apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other apparatuses such as an apparatus may be used. For example, the imaging apparatus of the present invention can also be applied as a PET (Position Emission Computed Tomography) apparatus. In this case, the X-ray 100 from the X-ray tube 20 is applied to the subject M. When the X-ray 100 is incident on the drug in the subject M, gamma rays are generated from the site of the drug administration, and the gamma rays are incident on the scintillator to convert the gamma rays into light. The light is received by the light detection unit.

  Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention. For example, you may delete some components from all the components shown by embodiment of this invention. Furthermore, you may combine the component covering different embodiment suitably.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 X-ray CT apparatus 11 Base 14 Opening part 20 X-ray tube 30 which is an X-ray generation source 30 Bed 50 Radiation detection apparatus 51 Collimator 52 Detector block 53 Scintillator 54 Light detection part 55 Data collection part 61 Flexible cable (electrical connection means) Example)
62 Connector 63 Back substrate (an example of substrate)
70 Fixing member 73 Electrical terminal of data collection unit
100 X-ray 170 Anisotropic conductor sheet (an example of electrical connection means)
X first direction Z second direction

Claims (6)

An image capturing apparatus including an X-ray generation source that generates X-rays,
A detector block having a scintillator that receives the X-ray and converts it into light, a photodetector that converts the light into an electrical signal, and a data collection unit that converts the electrical signal into a digital signal;
A fixing member for arranging and fixing a plurality of the detector blocks;
A substrate,
Electrical connection means that is inserted substantially parallel to the back surface of the plurality of detector blocks and electrically connects the electrical terminals of the data collection units and the substrate in the plurality of detector blocks;
An image photographing apparatus comprising:   The image photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connection means is a flexible cable.   The image photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connection means is an anisotropic conductive sheet.   The detector blocks are arranged along a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction with respect to the fixing member, and each of the detector blocks can be attached to and detached from the fixing member. The image photographing device according to claim 1, wherein the image photographing device is fixed.   The image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein one collimator for guiding the X-rays to the scintillators of each detector block is arranged in the plurality of detector blocks.   The image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein collimators for guiding the X-rays to the scintillators of the detector blocks are stacked on the scintillators of the detector blocks.

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