15Mcps photon-counting X-ray computed tomography system using a ZnO-MPPC detector and its application to gadolinium imaging

Appl Radiat Isot. 2012 Jan;70(1):336-40. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2011.07.002. Epub 2011 Jul 19.

Abstract

15Mcps photon-counting X-ray computed tomography (CT) system is a first-generation type and consists of an X-ray generator, a turntable, a translation stage, a two-stage controller, a detector consisting of a 2mm-thick zinc-oxide (ZnO) single-crystal scintillator and an MPPC (multipixel photon counter) module, a counter card (CC), and a personal computer (PC). High-speed photon counting was carried out using the detector in the X-ray CT system. The maximum count rate was 15Mcps (mega counts per second) at a tube voltage of 100kV and a tube current of 1.95mA. Tomography is accomplished by repeated translations and rotations of an object, and projection curves of the object are obtained by the translation. The pulses of the event signal from the module are counted by the CC in conjunction with the PC. The minimum exposure time for obtaining a tomogram was 15min, and photon-counting CT was accomplished using gadolinium-based contrast media.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Gadolinium*
  • Photons
  • Radiometry / instrumentation*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / instrumentation*
  • Zinc Oxide / radiation effects*

Substances

  • Gadolinium
  • Zinc Oxide