A balanced filterless K-edge energy window multilayer detector for dual energy computed tomography

Nicholas Allec; Karim S. Karim

doi:10.1117/12.844016

23 March 2010 A balanced filterless K-edge energy window multilayer detector for dual energy computed tomography

Nicholas Allec, Karim S. Karim

Proceedings Volume 7622, Medical Imaging 2010: Physics of Medical Imaging; 76224G (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.844016
Event: SPIE Medical Imaging, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Ross (or balanced) filter-based systems have been studied extensively in the past, however they have only recently been studied for medical applications such as computed tomography and contrast-enhanced mammography. Balanced filters are filters composed of different materials which have thicknesses designed to match the attenuation for all radiation energies except those within a certain energy window (between the K-edges of the filter materials). Images obtained using different filters to attenuate the incident x-rays can be subtracted to obtain an image which contains information solely within the energy window. The disadvantage of this image acquisition method is the requirement of a separate exposure for each filter. This can lead to motion artifacts in the resulting image for example due to cardiac, respiratory, or patient movement. In this paper we investigate a filterless, multilayer detector design using the general concept of balanced filters. In the proposed detector, energy discrimination is achieved using stacked layers of different conversion materials. Similar to how the thicknesses of balanced filters are chosen, the thicknesses of the conversion layers are designed to match the attenuation of x-rays except between the K-edges of the conversion materials. Motion artifacts are suppressed in the final image due to the simultaneous acquisition of images on all layers during a single exposure. The proposed multilayer design can be used for a number of applications depending on the energy range of interest. To study the proposed design, we consider dual energy computed tomography (CT) using a gadolinium-based contrast agent.

Citation Download Citation

Nicholas Allec and Karim S. Karim "A balanced filterless K-edge energy window multilayer detector for dual energy computed tomography", Proc. SPIE 7622, Medical Imaging 2010: Physics of Medical Imaging, 76224G (23 March 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.844016

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available