JP5143278B2 - Radiography equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a radiographic apparatus that captures radiographic images.

  Since the radiographic apparatus detects a minute signal and forms a radiographic image, it is necessary to minimize the influence of noise. Noise derived from the DC-DC converter of the power supply unit of the radiation imaging apparatus itself cannot be ignored. As in Patent Document 1, the DC-DC converter is stopped at the timing of signal detection, and the noise is cut off from the source. There is something called.

  However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, a voltage holding mechanism is indispensable in the output part of the DC-DC converter in order to operate stably, and an increase in the number of parts hinders miniaturization and weight reduction.

  In addition, there is a need to increase the output speed of captured images, and Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which two sets of output means (gate circuits) are arranged. It is difficult to arrange a plurality of gate circuits along one of the sides forming the outer edge of the radiation detection panel, and it is necessary to distribute the plurality of gate circuits to a plurality of sides such as opposite sides. In consideration of other circuits and the like, various functional elements are distributed and arranged along the four sides forming the outer edge of the radiation detection panel on the outer periphery of the radiation detection panel.

  Thus, in the configuration in which the functional elements are arranged along the four sides forming the outer edge of the radiation detection panel, it is necessary to care for noise for each functional element.

JP 2002-341043 A JP 2007-104219 A

  In view of the above fact, an object of the present invention is to suppress the influence of noise from the power supply unit on the functional elements arranged on the outer peripheral portion of the radiation detection panel.

The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a radiation detection panel for detecting radiation, an A / D converter provided on at least one of the four sides of the outer peripheral portion of the radiation detection panel , and the radiation detection. is arranged on the back of the panel, pre SL and a power supply unit for supplying power to at least some of the components comprising the radiation detection panel, wherein the power supply unit, about two diagonals of intersection of said radiation detection panel The center of the power supply unit is disposed at least in the region.

According to this configuration, the distance between the A / D converter provided on at least one of the four sides of the outer peripheral portion of the radiation detection panel and the power supply unit can be increased. Since the influence of noise from the power supply section becomes smaller as the distance increases, the influence of noise from the power supply section on the A / D converter can be suppressed.

As described in Claim 1 of this invention, it is preferable that the electrical storage part is arrange | positioned at the back surface of the said radiation detection panel.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the influence of noise on the A / D converter and to save the space of the apparatus.

As described in claim 2 of the present invention, the power storage unit is provided between the power supply unit and the side where the A / D converter is not provided among the four sides of the outer peripheral part of the radiation detection panel. It is preferable that they are arranged.

  According to this configuration, the influence of noise on the A / D converter can be reduced, the space of the apparatus can be saved, and the weight balance can be improved.

  A radiation imaging apparatus according to a first aspect includes a radiation detection panel that detects radiation, a plurality of functional elements that are disposed on an outer periphery of the radiation detection panel and have a predetermined function, and a center of the radiation detection panel in plan view And a power supply unit that is disposed on the back surface of the radiation detection panel and supplies power to at least a part of the components including the radiation detection panel.

  According to this configuration, since the power supply unit is disposed at the center of the radiation detection panel in plan view, the distance between the plurality of functional elements disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the radiation detection panel and the power supply unit can be increased. Since the influence of noise from the power supply section becomes smaller as the distance increases, the influence of noise from the power supply section on the functional element can be suppressed.

  The radiation imaging apparatus according to the second aspect includes a plurality of power storage units that are arranged with the power supply unit interposed therebetween and store power supplied by the power supply unit in the configuration of the first aspect.

  According to this configuration, since the plurality of power storage units are arranged with the power supply unit sandwiched therebetween, the periphery of the power supply unit does not become a dead space, and the space of the apparatus can be saved. Further, since the power storage units are arranged symmetrically and the weight balance of the apparatus is improved, it is easy to carry the radiographic apparatus when carrying it.

  In the radiation imaging apparatus according to the third aspect, in the configuration of the second aspect, a housing that houses the radiation panel, the functional element, and the power supply unit, and one end portion and the other end portion are attached to the housing. A grip part, and one of the plurality of power storage units is disposed on the one end side of the grip part, and the other is disposed on the other end side of the grip part.

  According to this configuration, since the power storage unit is disposed on each of the attachment end side of the gripping unit, the weight balance of the apparatus is improved, and the radiographic apparatus is easily carried when being carried.

  In the radiation imaging apparatus according to the fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, the power storage unit and the power supply unit are arranged on the same plane.

  According to this configuration, since the power storage unit and the power supply unit are arranged on the same plane, the same plane of the power supply unit does not become a dead space, and the space of the apparatus can be saved. Further, since the weight balance of the apparatus is improved, it becomes easier to carry the radiographic apparatus when carrying it.

  In the radiation imaging apparatus according to the fifth aspect, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the radiation detection panel is formed in a quadrilateral shape having four sides on an outer edge in plan view, and the functional element is Arranged along each of the four sides of the radiation detection panel.

  Even if the functional elements are arranged along each of the four sides of the radiation detection panel as in this configuration, the power supply unit is arranged at the center of the radiation detection panel, The distance from the power supply unit can be increased, and the influence of noise from the power supply unit on the functional element can be suppressed.

  In the radiation imaging apparatus according to the sixth aspect, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the functional element includes an A / D converter that converts an electrical signal carrying image information, or the radiation detection panel. It is a communication part for transmitting / receiving data by radio | wireless communication between the control part which controls, or the display apparatus which can display a radiographic image.

  Since this invention set it as the said structure, it can suppress the influence of the noise from a power supply part with respect to the A / D converter (functional element) arrange | positioned at the outer peripheral part of a radiation detection panel.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an arrangement of electronic cassettes at the time of radiographic imaging. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the internal structure of the electronic cassette. FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a schematic configuration of the electronic cassette. FIG. 4A is a schematic plan view of the electronic cassette for showing the arrangement position of each component, and FIG. 4B is a schematic side view of the electronic cassette for showing the arrangement position of each component. is there. FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the electronic cassette from which the radiation detection panel is omitted from FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of an electronic cassette showing a modification in which the arrangement of the battery is changed.

  Below, an example of an embodiment concerning the present invention is described based on a drawing.

(Configuration of electronic cassette according to this embodiment)
First, the configuration of the electronic cassette according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an arrangement of electronic cassettes at the time of radiographic imaging. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the internal structure of the electronic cassette. FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a schematic configuration of the electronic cassette 12. FIG. 3 is a drawing for explaining the function of each part, and does not necessarily indicate the position where each part is arranged.

  The electronic cassette 12 according to the present embodiment has portability, detects radiation from a radiation source that has passed through a subject, generates image information of a radiation image represented by the detected radiation, and generates the generated image information. Can be stored, and is specifically configured as shown below.

  Note that the radiation imaging apparatus is not limited to the electronic cassette 12, and may be, for example, a stationary radiation imaging apparatus that does not have portability or a radiation imaging apparatus that does not store generated image information.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic cassette 12 is arranged at a distance from a radiation generation unit 14 as a radiation source that generates radiation when a radiographic image is taken. The space between the radiation generator 14 and the electronic cassette 12 at this time is an imaging position for the subject 16 to be located. When an instruction to capture a radiographic image is given, the radiation generator 14 captures a predetermined image. The radiation of the radiation dose according to conditions is emitted. The radiation emitted from the radiation generation unit 14 passes through the subject 16 located at the photographing position, and is applied to the electronic cassette 12 after carrying the image information.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic cassette 12 includes a flat casing 20 made of a material that transmits radiation X and having a predetermined thickness. Within the housing 20, the grid 24 that removes scattered radiation of the radiation X that is generated by passing through the subject 16 and the subject 16 are transmitted in this order from the irradiation surface 22 side where the radiation X is irradiated. A radiation detection panel 26 as an example of a radiation detector that detects radiation from the radiation generation unit 14 and a lead plate 28 that absorbs backscattered rays of radiation X are accommodated.

  The radiation detection panel 26 of the electronic cassette 12 is configured by laminating a photoelectric conversion layer that absorbs radiation and converts it into charges on the TFT active matrix substrate 32 shown in FIG. The photoelectric conversion layer is made of amorphous a-Se (amorphous selenium) containing, for example, selenium as a main component (for example, a content rate of 50% or more), and when irradiated with radiation, the amount of charge corresponding to the amount of irradiated radiation. The generated radiation (electron-hole pair) is internally generated to convert the irradiated radiation into charges.

  The radiation detection panel 26 indirectly uses a phosphor material and a photoelectric conversion element (photodiode) instead of the X-ray-charge conversion material that directly converts the radiation X such as amorphous selenium into electric charges. You may convert into an electric charge. As phosphor materials, gadolinium sulfate (GOS) and cesium iodide (CsI) are well known. In this case, X-ray-light conversion is performed using a fluorescent material, and light-charge conversion is performed using a photodiode of a photoelectric conversion element.

  Further, on the TFT active matrix substrate 32, a pixel unit 40 (FIG. 3) provided with a storage capacitor 34 for storing the charge generated in the photoelectric conversion layer and a TFT 36 for reading the charge stored in the storage capacitor 34. In this figure, a large number of photoelectric conversion layers corresponding to the individual pixel portions 40 are schematically shown as photoelectric conversion portions 38), and are arranged in a matrix, and the photoelectric conversion layers accompany the radiation to the electronic cassette 12. The electric charges generated in the above are stored in the storage capacitors 34 of the individual pixel units 40. As a result, the radiation image represented by the radiation that has passed through the subject and has been applied to the electronic cassette 12 is converted into image information by charges and is held on the radiation detection panel 26.

  The TFT active matrix substrate 32 has a plurality of gate lines 42 extending in a certain direction (row direction) for turning on / off the TFTs 36 of the individual pixel units 40, and a direction (column direction) orthogonal to the gate lines 42. And a plurality of data wirings 44 for reading out stored charges from the storage capacitor 34 through the TFT 36 which is extended and turned on. Individual gate lines 42 are connected to a gate line driver 46, and individual data lines 44 are connected to a signal processing unit 48.

  When charges are accumulated in the storage capacitors 34 of the individual pixel units 40, the TFTs 36 of the individual pixel units 40 are sequentially turned on in units of rows by a signal supplied from the gate line driver 46 via the gate wiring 42. The charge accumulated in the storage capacitor 34 of the pixel unit 40 for which is turned on is transmitted as a charge signal through the data wiring 44 and input to the signal processing unit 48. Accordingly, the charges accumulated in the storage capacitors 34 of the individual pixel portions 40 are sequentially read out in units of rows.

  The signal processing unit 48 includes an amplifier and a sample hold circuit provided for each individual data line 44, and the charge signal transmitted through each data line 44 is amplified by the amplifier and then held in the sample hold circuit. The Also, on the output side of the sample and hold circuit, a multiplexer and an A / D converter 48A as an example of an electric signal converter that converts an electric signal carrying image information are connected in order. The charge signals held in the individual sample and hold circuits are sequentially input (serially) to the multiplexer, and the analog electric signal is converted into a digital electric signal by the A / D converter 48A. An image memory 50 is connected to the signal processing unit 48, and image information output from the A / D converter 48 </ b> A of the signal processing unit 48 is stored in the image memory 50 in order. The image memory 50 has a storage capacity capable of storing image information for a plurality of frames, and image information obtained by imaging is sequentially stored in the image memory 50 each time a radiographic image is captured.

  The electronic cassette 12 is an example of a communication unit 52 for transmitting and receiving data to and from a display device (not shown) that can display a radiation image, and a control unit that controls the radiation detection panel 26. And a control unit 70 for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus.

  The display device includes a keyboard or mouse as input means, a display as display means, a PC (personal computer) including a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like. In addition, a communication unit for transmitting and receiving data to and from the electronic cassette 12 by wireless communication is provided.

  The control unit 70 includes a CPU that controls the entire electronic cassette 12, a ROM as a storage medium that stores various processing programs, a RAM that temporarily stores data as a work area, and a memory that stores various information. It is composed of the included microcomputer.

  The control unit is not limited to the one that controls the operation of the entire apparatus, and may be a part that controls the operation of a part of the components of the apparatus.

  The electronic cassette 12 is a power supply unit that supplies electric power to at least a part of the components including the radiation detection panel 26. The power supply unit supplies electric power to the components of various circuits and elements to operate the electronic cassette 12. 54.

  Further, the electronic cassette 12 includes a battery (a rechargeable secondary battery) 56 as a power storage unit that stores electric power supplied by the power supply unit 54 so as not to impair the portability of the electronic cassette 12.

  The power storage unit that stores the power supplied by the power supply unit 54 is not limited to a rechargeable secondary battery, and a nickel hydride, lithium ion, lead storage battery, capacitor, or the like may be used. When a capacitor is used, the charging speed can be increased compared to a secondary battery.

  Further, when the fuel cell is used, for example, when the electronic cassette 12 and its cradle, which is a charger thereof, are attached to the cradle, the hydrogen, alcohol, or A structure in which water in which ammonia is dissolved can be supplied to the fuel cell of the electronic cassette 12, and a waste liquid recovery container for recovering the waste liquid generated in the fuel cell is detachably provided in the casing 20 of the electronic cassette 12. Also good.

  The power supply unit 54 is connected to a battery 56, and rectifies and transforms power from the battery 56 to supply power to various circuits and elements.

  Specifically, the power supply unit 54 includes a DC-DC converter as a power supply circuit that generates output power required from input power, and a DC current from the battery 56 is converted by the DC-DC converter. Transform to desired voltage and supply to various circuits and elements.

  The DC-DC converter is specifically a switching regulator system. For example, when the power source is repeatedly turned on and off (switched) at a frequency of several hundred kHz to several MHz, the current rapidly changes, and di Spike noise proportional to / dt (current change in current) occurs. Thus, the power supply unit 54 becomes a noise source that generates noise.

(Arrangement position of each component in the electronic cassette 12)
Next, the arrangement position of each component in the electronic cassette 12 will be described.

  FIG. 4A is a schematic plan view of the electronic cassette for showing the arrangement position of each component, and FIG. 4B is a schematic side view of the electronic cassette for showing the arrangement position of each component. is there. FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of an electronic cassette in which the radiation detection panel 26 is omitted from FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of an electronic cassette showing a modification in which the arrangement of the battery 56 is changed.

  As shown in FIG. 4 (A), the casing 20 of the electronic cassette 12 has four sides (four straight lines) 21A, 21B on the outer edge in plan view (viewed from the irradiation surface side irradiated with radiation), The shape having 21C and 21D, specifically, a quadrilateral shape (rectangular shape). More specifically, the housing 20 of the electronic cassette 12 has a rectangular shape. The electronic cassette 12 may have a shape with rounded corners.

  The radiation detection panel (detection region) 26 for detecting radiation is also similar to the shape of the electronic cassette 12, and has four sides (four straight lines) 26A, 26B, 26C, and 26D on the outer edge in plan view. The shape, specifically, a quadrilateral shape (rectangular shape). More specifically, the housing 20 of the electronic cassette 12 has a rectangular shape.

  The radiation detection panel 26 has long sides 26B and 26D arranged along the long sides 21B and 21D of the electronic cassette 12 having a rectangular shape. The radiation detection panel 26 may have short sides 26A and 26C disposed along the long sides 21B and 21D of the rectangular electronic cassette 12.

  A signal processing unit is provided in the casing 20 along the four sides (four straight lines) 26A, 26B, 26C, and 26D on the outer periphery of the radiation detection panel 26 so as to surround the radiation detection panel 26 from the four sides. Forty-eight A / D converters 48A are arranged.

  Note that the A / D converter 48A may be arranged along at least one of the four sides 26A, 26B, 26C, and 26D. When the A / D converter 48A is arranged along two sides of the four sides 26A, 26B, 26C, and 26D, the A / D converter 48A is arranged along two opposite sides (for example, the side 26A and the side 26C). It may be the composition which is arranged, and may be the composition arranged along two adjacent sides (for example, side 26A, side 26B).

  In addition, the housing 20 of the electronic cassette 12 is provided with a handle 13 for carrying the electronic cassette 12 as an example of a grip portion that can be gripped by a person handling the electronic cassette 12. The handle 13 has one end 13 </ b> A and the other end 13 </ b> B attached to the side 21 </ b> B of the housing 20, and is disposed at the center in the length direction of the side 21 </ b> B of the housing 20.

  Moreover, the handle 13 is U-shaped. The gripping part may be a T-shaped shape, a U-shaped shape, a perforated shape such as a round shape, or the like as long as it has a shape that functions as a gripping part. Moreover, the structure provided with the some handle 13 may be sufficient.

  Further, the gripping portion may be configured to be non-penetrating, that is, a configuration having no space for inserting a hand (a part of a hand such as a finger). It may be a gripping part in which a concave part for hooking a part) is formed or a gripping part in which a convex part that can be gripped is formed.

  A control unit 70 and a communication unit 52 are disposed on the outer periphery of the radiation detection panel 26. Specifically, the control unit 70 and the communication unit 52 are provided between the side 21B where the handle 13 is disposed and the A / D converter 48A disposed on the side 26B, that is, the A / D in the housing 20. It is arranged at a position outside the converter 48A.

  The control unit 70 is disposed on the side 21C side and on the attachment end 13A side of the handle 13 to the housing 20, and the communication unit 52 is on the side 21A side and the attachment end of the handle 13 on the housing 20 It is arranged on the 13B side.

  The control unit 70, the communication unit 52, and the A / D converter 48A are functional elements that need to suppress the influence of noise. In addition, the functional element which becomes the object which suppresses the influence of noise is not restricted to the control part 70, the communication part 52, and the A / D converter 48A, It has a predetermined function and its function falls by noise If it is good.

  The power supply unit 54 serving as a noise source is disposed inside the housing 20 and on the back side of the radiation detection panel 26 as shown in FIG. The back surface of the radiation detection panel 26 refers to an opposite surface opposite to the irradiation surface 22 (see FIG. 2) irradiated with radiation.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 5, the power supply unit 54 is disposed at the center of the radiation detection panel 26 in plan view.

  Here, being arranged in the center means that the distances (shortest distance) to the opposite sides 26A and 26C are the same, and the distances (shortest distance) to the opposite sides 26B and 26D are the same. A case where the power supply unit 54 is arranged so that the center C is at the intersection of two diagonal lines of the rectangular radiation detection panel 26 and the center C is at least within the region of the power supply unit 54.

  The power supply unit 54 has an outer shape that is at least smaller than the radiation detection panel 26. Further, when the shortest distance from each side 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D to the outer edge of the power supply unit 54 is compared with the distance from the outer edge to the center C, the power source unit from each side 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D It is desirable that the shortest distance to the outer edge of 54 is long.

  Further, the battery 56 includes batteries 56A and 56B. As shown in FIGS. 4B and 5, the batteries 56 </ b> A and 56 </ b> B are arranged on both sides with the power supply unit 54 interposed therebetween. One battery 56A is arranged on the side 21A side. Specifically, one battery 56 </ b> A is disposed on the side where the communication unit 52 is provided and on the side of the attachment end 13 </ b> B to the housing 20 of the handle 13.

  The other battery 56B is arranged on the side 21C side. Specifically, the other battery 56 </ b> B is disposed on the side where the control unit 70 is provided and on the side of the attachment end 13 </ b> A of the handle 13 to the housing 20.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the batteries 56A and 56B are arranged along the back surface of the radiation detection panel 26 in a side view. The batteries 56A and 56B and the power supply unit 54 are arranged on the same plane.

  The batteries 56A and 56B may be the same voltage or different voltages. When the batteries 56A and 56B have different voltages, the DC-DC converter can be simplified, leading to noise suppression.

  Further, as a configuration in which the batteries 56A and 56B are arranged on both sides with the power supply unit 54 interposed therebetween, as shown in FIG. 6, one battery 56A is arranged on the side 21B side, and the other battery 56B is The structure arrange | positioned at the side 21D side may be sufficient. Specifically, one battery 56A is disposed on the side where the communication unit 52, the control unit 70, and the handle 13 are provided, and the other battery 56B is disposed on the opposite side.

  When a fuel cell is used as the power storage unit, the fuel cell and its associated devices (fuel pump, waste liquid processing unit, etc.) are arranged in the center of the radiation detection panel 26, and fuel tanks are arranged on both sides of the fuel cell. It is desirable to have a configuration in which

  In the configuration further including the waste liquid tank, the disposition position of the waste liquid tank may be the center of the radiation detection panel 26 or the positions on both sides of the fuel cell.

(Operation of the electronic cassette 12 according to the present embodiment)
Next, the operation of the electronic cassette 12 according to this embodiment will be described.

  In the electronic cassette 12 according to the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 5, the power supply unit 54 is disposed at the center of the radiation detection panel 26 in plan view. The distance between the power supply unit 54 and the functional elements such as the control unit 70, the communication unit 52, and the A / D converter 48A arranged on the outer periphery can be increased. Since the influence of noise from the power supply section 54 becomes smaller as the distance increases, the influence of noise from the power supply section 54 on these functional elements can be suppressed.

  When the handle 13 is held and the electronic cassette 12 is held, the power supply unit 54 is positioned below the handle 13. Further, the battery 56 </ b> A and the communication unit 52 are positioned below the attachment end 13 </ b> B of the handle 13. Further, the battery 56 </ b> B and the control unit 70 are located below the attachment end 13 </ b> A of the handle 13. Furthermore, the batteries 56A and 56B and the power supply unit 54 are arranged on the same plane.

  For this reason, since the weight balance of the apparatus when the electronic cassette 12 is held by the handle 13 is improved, the electronic cassette 12 is easily carried when being carried.

  The batteries 56A and 56B are disposed with the power supply unit 54 interposed therebetween, and the batteries 56A and 56B and the power supply unit 54 are disposed on the same plane.

  For this reason, the periphery of the power supply unit 54 does not become a dead space, and the space of the apparatus can be saved. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications, changes, and improvements can be made.

12 Electronic cassette (radiographic equipment)
13 Handle (gripping part)
20 Housing 26 Radiation detection panel 48A A / D converter (functional element)
52 Communication unit (functional element)
54 Power supply 56 Battery (power storage unit)
70 Control unit (functional element)

Claims (2)

A radiation detection panel for detecting radiation;
An A / D converter provided on at least one of the four sides of the outer periphery of the radiation detection panel;
A power storage unit disposed on the back surface of the radiation detection panel;
A power supply unit disposed on a back surface of the radiation detection panel, transforming power from the power storage unit to supply power to at least a part of a component including the radiation detection panel;
With
The power supply unit is a radiation imaging apparatus in which an intersection of two diagonal lines of the radiation detection panel is set as a center, and the center is disposed at least in a region of the power supply unit. The radiographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power storage unit is arranged between a side where the A / D converter is not provided among four sides of an outer peripheral part of the radiation detection panel and the power supply unit. .

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