Notebook #5

Creating a digital image on a direct capture IR from exposure to plate

discharge:
1. Direct conversion systems directly convert incoming x-ray photons to an
electrical digital signal
a. They use amorphous selenium (a-Se) and a thin film transistor (TFT)
i. Referred to as direct DR systems
2. The active layer in the imaging plate (IP) is a-Se
a. Amorphous selenium (a-Se) is a semiconductor with excellent x-ray
photon detection ability
3. Before the exposure, a high-voltage charge is applied from the top surface of
the selenium layer
a. The ionization caused by the x-ray photons results in the selenium
atoms freeing electrons for collection by the electrodes at the bottom
of the selenium layer
i. The charges are collected at a TFT and then read out line by line
to the computer for processing
Creating a digital image on an indirect capture IR from exposure to plate
discharge:
1. There are 2 types of indirect DR detectors
a. One uses a flat panel TFT detector
b. The other uses a charged coupled device (CCD)
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2. Both need a scintillator to change the x-ray photons to light (the main
difference is in the way the light is converted to an electrical signal)
a. Amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) cannot directly convert x-rays into an
electric charge
i. But it does work as a light detector (photodiode) to capture
fluorescent light
1. Because atomic # of silicon is 14, it requires a relatively
thick silicon layer to provide adequate sensitivity to the
incoming x-ray photons
b. Therefore, amorphous silicon requires a scintillator (such as celsium
iodide CsI or a rare-earth intensifying screen composed of gadolinium
oxysulfide GdOS)
c. Scintillators emit light isotropically, which can reduce spatial resolution
i. To minimize light spread, CsI is made as structured crystals in
the form of needles or columns 10-20micrometers in diameter
1. This significantly reduces light spread and channels light
toward the amorphous silicon photodiode
2. The GdOS is considered a turbid phosphor where the
crystals are deposited as fine powered particles
d. Once the light reaches the amorphous silicon, it is converted into
electrical charges that are then deposited on a TFT
3. Flat panel thin film transistors (TFTs)
a. Both the amorphous silicon and amorphous selenium flat panel
detectors use TFTs for electronic readout
b. TFT collects the electric charges made by either the selenium or silicon
as an array or matrix of pixel-size detector elements (DEL)
i. Each DEL has a switch and a sensing/storage area
1. When the switch for each DEL in a row is activated, the
signal is sent to the computer
ii. The DELs are arranged in a matrix that allows the charge pattern
to be read out pixel-by-pixel and column-by-column basis
1. Pixel size is related to the DEL
a. Which affects pixel pitch and resolution
iii. Detector electronics that are not sensitive to charge take up a
certain amount of space
1. The fill factor refers to the sensing area compared to the
non-sensing area and can be expressed as a percentage
2. If a detector has a fill factor of 80%, then the other 20%
would be covered by electronics
a. A smaller pixel pitch will increase the electronics
and lower the fill factor, resulting in less sensitivity
4. Charge coupled device (CCD)
a. Is a photodetector
i. Which is a device that can convert visible light into an electrical
charge and storing it in a sequential pattern
ii. The stored charge can be released line by line to the ADC
b. A gadolinium oxysulfide or a cesium iodide screen is used as a
scintillator
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i. The light produced from x-ray interactions must be optically

coupled to the CCD sensor chip by lenses or fiber optics
1. The electrical signal made by the CCD is then sent to the
computer for image processing

Terminology: Definition:
CCD (Charged coupled device) A device that can convert visible
light to an electrical charge
Stores electrical charge in a
specific pattern
CMOS (Complementary metal oxide Semiconductor that uses positive
semiconductor) and negative charged transistors
Converts light to an electrical
signal which is then sent to ADC
converter
Pixel Tiny box that contains picture
elements
A square in the matrix
Dynamic range Shade of grey contrast displayed
on a monitor
Bit Binary digit
Byte An 8-bit word
Bite depth The number of bits or pieces of
information within each pixel
Matrix Is a square of numbers arranged
in columns and rows
Corresponds to pixel values
Exposure latitude Refers to the range of exposure
values the image detector can
produce
Notebook #5
Notebook #5