CT principle

Scanner design

CT Principle
Detector design

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CT principle Xenon detector

Xenon detector
Scanner design

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CT principle

Scanner design Xenon detector

A gas detector, usually filled with the noble gas type Xenon, consists on a high number of gas chambers (500 – 700),

separated by metal plates, the so called anodes and cathodes.

The high vpltage electrodes (cathodes) are connected to a DC supply of approx. 250 V.

The signal electrodes (anodes) are connected to the data measurement system and switch the detector current to the

integrator circuits.

The pressure in the detector is approx. 20 – 25 bar.

The principle of the gas detector:

X-rays ionize the Xenon gas and the number of ionizations determine the detector output current.

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CT principle
Solid state detector
Solid state detector

Scanner design

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CT principle Solid state detector

Scanner design Solid state detector

A solid state detector consists on a scintillation crystal, such as cesium iodide or cadmium tungstate, and ceramic materials,

such as gadolinium oxysulfide.

This material converts the X-ray to light, which is in turn converted by a photo- diode to electric current.

Each detector element is conected to ist corresponding measurement channel on the integrator circuit.

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CT principle
Xenon vs Solid State
Xenon vs Solid State

Scanner design

 Xenon Single detector chamber

sub-divided by electrodes

 Solid state Detector array made up of

individual elements

both detector types have following characteristics

- good conversion of incident xrays into detector element
- fast detector response, short „afterglow“
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CT principle Number of detector elements

Scanner design Number of detector elements

• Lower range scanners:

400-600 detectors.

•Top range scanners:

650-900 detectors (per row).

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CT principle
Number of detectors and rows
Scanner design
Number of detectors and rows

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Multi-row detector systems for spiral CT,
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CT principle Number of detectors and rows

Scanner design Number of detectors and rows

Newest CT systems are equipped with a multi row detector of up to 64 rows, which benefits the speed of the scanner.

The multi row detector allows a measurement of multiple images / revolution and this in turn reduces the required scan time for

patients. Additionally the high speed of the measurement reduces motion artefacts and enables very good cardio images.

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CT principle Number of projections

Scanner design Number of projections

•Lower range scanners:

600-1000 per image.

•Top range scanners:

1100-4600 per image.

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CT principle

Scanner design

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