OPTICAL CERAMIC SCINTILLATORS FOR DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY

用于数字放射摄影的光学陶瓷闪烁体

• 批准号: 6141358
• 负责人: ALEXANDER LEMPICKI
• 金额: $ 37.5万
• 依托单位: ALEM ASSOCIATES, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 1998
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1998-05-01 至 2002-09-14
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6141358
• 关键词: X ray; biomedical equipment development; ceramics; chemical synthesis; dental radiography; digital imaging; europium; optics; rare earth element

The objective of this program is to develop a superior X-ray detector for digital dental radiography, based on the technology of activated transparent optical ceramics. Progress has far exceeded our Phase I goals, producing a fully dense TOC whose light output as measured by CCDs is on a par with CsI:Tl. We have also developed a laser technique for pixelating this material, achieving an MTF at 12 1p/mm of 20%, a resolution twice as good as a Gd2O2S:Tb screen. Phase II will address three critical areas: We will maximize the light output by defining the optimal ceramic composition and treatment, with special attention to developing a commercially viable synthesis technique. We will improve the pixelization process so as to etch an array of 50 microm square pixels separated by grooves no more than 2.5 microm wide and an aspect ratio of at least 50:1, so as to reach a screen fill factor of at least 90%, and develop a system for achieving this at a speed appropriate for large-scale production. And we will fabricate, test, and evaluate prototype units under real life conditions. These results will form a solid foundation for Phase II industrial exploitation. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Because currently available X-ray phosphor screens cannot provide the necessary spatial resolution, medical radiography has been unable to tap the full potential of digital techniques for data acquisition and processing. The development of a material that can fill this need will revolutionize radiological techniques and greatly enhance their diagnostic power. The immediate market includes not only the entire dental community, but also other radiographic imaging such as tomography, and potentially extends to virtually every X-ray machine now in use.

该程序的目的是基于激活的透明光学陶瓷技术开发用于数字牙科射线照相的优质X射线检测器。 进度远远超过了我们的I阶段目标，产生了完全致密的TOC，其光输出由CCD衡量与CSI：TL相当。 我们还开发了一种激光技术来像素化该材料，以12 1p/mm的20％的MTF达到MTF，分辨率是GD2O2S：TB屏幕的两倍。 第二阶段将解决三个关键领域：我们将通过定义最佳陶瓷组成和处理来最大化光输出，并特别注意开发商业上可行的合成技术。 我们将改进像素化过程，以蚀刻50 microm平方像素的阵列，该阵列被凹槽分隔不超过2.5 microM宽，长宽比至少为50：1，以便达到至少90％的屏幕填充系数，并开发以适合大型生产的速度实现的系统。 我们将在现实生活条件下制造，测试和评估原型单元。 这些结果将为II期工业开发构成坚实的基础。拟议的商业应用：由于当前可用的X射线磷光屏幕无法提供必要的空间分辨率，因此医学射线照相无法利用数字技术的全部潜力进行数据获取和处理。可以满足这种需求的材料的开发将彻底改变放射学技术，并大大增强其诊断能力。 直接市场不仅包括整个牙科界，还包括其他X线摄影成像，例如层析成像，并且可能会扩展到现在使用的所有X射线机器。