1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making focused and unfocused grids and collimators which are movable to avoid grid shadows on an imager, and which are adaptable for use in a wide range of electromagnetic radiation applications, such as x-ray and gamma-ray imaging devices and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making focused and unfocused grids, such as air core grids, that can be constructed with a very high aspect ratio, which is defined as the ratio between the height of each absorbing grid wall and the thickness of the absorbing grid wall, and that are capable of permitting large primary radiation transmission therethrough.
2. Description of the Related Art
Anti-scatter grids and collimators can be used to eliminate the scattering of radiation to unintended and undesirable directions. Radiation with wavelengths shorter than or equal to soft x-rays can penetrate materials. The radiation decay length in the material decreases as the atomic number of the grid material increases or as the wavelength of the radiation increases. These grid walls, also called the septa and lamellae, can be used to reduce scattered radiation in ultraviolet, x-ray and gamma ray systems, for example. The grids can also be used as collimators, x-ray masks, and so on.
For scatter reduction applications, the grid walls preferably should be two-dimensional to eliminate scatter from all directions. For many applications, the x-ray source is a point source close to the imager. An anti-scatter grid preferablv should also be focused. Methods for fabricating and assembling focused and unfocused two-dimensional grids are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,850, entitled “A Method and Apparatus for Making Large Area Two-dimensional Grids”, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
When an anti-scatter grid is stationary during the acquisition of the image, the shadow of the anti-scatter grid will be cast on the imager, such as film or electronic digital detector, along with the image of the object. It is undesirable to have the grid shadow show artificial patterns.
The typical solution to eliminating the non-uniform shadow of the grid is to move the grid during the exposure. The ideal anti-scatter grid with motion will produce uniform exposure on the imager in the absence of any objects being imaged.
One-dimensional grids, also known as linear grids and composed of highly absorbing strips and highly transmitting interspaces which are parallel in their longitudinal direction, can be moved in a steady manner in one direction or in an oscillatory manner in the plane of the grid in the direction perpendicular to the parallel strips of highly absorbing lamellae. For two-dimensional grids, the motion can either be in one direction or oscillatory in the plane of the grid, but the grid shape needs to be chosen based on specific criteria.
The following discussion pertains to a two-dimensional grid with regular square patterns in the x-y plane, with the grid walls lined up in the x-direction and y-direction. If the grid is moving at a uniform speed in the x-direction, the film will show unexposed stripes along the x-direction, which also repeat periodically in the y-direction. The width of the unexposed strips is the same or essentially the same as the thickness of the grid walls. This grid pattern and the associated motion are unacceptable.
If the grid is moving at a uniform speed in the plane of the grid, but at a 45 degree angle from the x-axis, the image on the film or imager is significantly improved. However, strips of slightly overexposed film parallel to the direction of the motion at the intersection of the grid walls will still be present. As the grid moves in the x-direction at a uniform speed, the grid walls block the x-rays everywhere, except at the wall intersection, for the fraction of the time
2d/D,
where d is the thickness of the grid walls and D is the periodicity of the grid walls. At the wall intersection, the grid walls blocks the x-rays for the fraction of the time
2d/D<t<d/D,
depending on the location. Thus, stripes of slightly overexposed x-ray film are produced.
Methods for attempting to eliminate the overexposed strips discussed above are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,606,589, 5,729,585 and 5,814,235 to Pellegrino et al., the entire contents of each patent being incorporated herein by reference. These methods attempt to eliminate the overexposed strips by rotating the grid by an angle A, where A=atan (n/m), and m and n are integers. However, these methods are unacceptable or not ideal for many applications.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method and apparatus for eliminating the overexposed strips associated with two-dimensional focused or unfocused grid intersections.
An object of the present invention is to provide a grid where the walls focus to a point, a grid where the walls focus to a line or an unfocused grid with parallel walls that is configured to minimize grid shadow when the grid is moved during imaging.
Another object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing a focused or unfocused grid which is configured to minimize overexposure at its wall intersections when the grid is moved during imaging.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for moving a focused or unfocused grid so that no perceptible areas of variable density are cast by the grid onto the film or other two-dimensional electronic detectors.
These and other objects of the present invention are substantially achieved by providing a grid, adaptable for use with electromagnetic energy emitting devices. The grid comprises at least one solid metal layer, formed by electroplating. The solid metal layer comprises top and bottom surfaces, and a plurality of solid integrated, intersecting walls, each of which extending from the top to bottom surface and having a plurality of side surfaces. The side surfaces of the walls are arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through the layer, and at least some of the side surfaces have projections extending into respective ones of the openings. The projections can be of various shapes and sizes, and are arranged so that a total amount of wall material intersected by a line propagating in a direction, for example, along an edge of the grid, for each period along the grid is substantially the same and is also substantially the same as another total amount of wall material intersected by another line for each period propagating in another direction substantially parallel to the edge of the grid at any distance from the edge.
These and other objects are further substantially achieved by providing a method for minimizing scattering of electromagnetic energy in an electromagnetic imaging device which is adapted to obtain an image of an object on an imager. The method includes placing a grid between an electromagnetic energy emitting source of the electromagnetic imaging device and the imager. The grid comprises at least one metal layer including top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of solid integrated, intersecting walls, each of which extending from the top to bottom surface and having a plurality of side surfaces, the side surfaces of the walls being arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through the layer, and at least some of the side surface having projections extending into respective ones of the openings. The method further includes moving the grid in a grid moving pattern while the electromagnetic energy emitting source is emitting energy toward the imager.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apprehended from the following detailed description when read in connection with the appended drawings, in which:
a is a schematic of the grid shown in
b is a schematic of the grid shown in
a and 20b illustrate exemplary patterns of x-ray masks used to form the grid pattern shown in
a and 21b show an exposure method according to an embodiment of the present invention which uses sheet x-ray beams, such that
c shows another exposure method according to an embodiment of the present invention which uses sheet x-ray beams to form the focusing effect of the grid;
a and 25b show an example of x-ray masks used to expose the central portion of right-hand-side of a focused grid shown in
c shows an example of an x-ray mask used to expose the grid edge joints of the right-hand-side of a focused grid for a point source shown in
a and 28b show an example of an x-ray masks used to expose the photoresist for the focused grids for a point source shown in
c shows an example of an x-ray mask required to expose the additional grid structure for linear motion according to an embodiment of the present invention;
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for making large area, two-dimensional, high aspect ratio, focused or unfocused x-ray anti-scatter grids, anti-scatter grid/scintillators, x-ray filters, and the like, as well as similar methods and apparatus for ultraviolet and gamma-ray applications. Referring now to the drawings,
The object to be imaged (not shown) is positioned between the x-ray source and the x-ray grid 30. The grid openings 31 which are defined by walls 32 are square in this example. However, the grid openings can be any practical shape as would be appreciated by one skilled in the methods of grid construction. The walls 32 are uniformly thick or substantially uniformly thick around each opening in this figure, but can vary in thickness as desired. The walls 32 are slanted at the same angle as the angle of the x-rays emanating from the point source, in order for the x-rays to propagate through the holes to the imager without significant loss. This angle increases for grid walls further away from the x-ray point source. In other words, an imaginary line extending from each grid wall 32 along the x-axis 40 could intersect the x-ray point source. A similar scenario exists for the grid walls 32 along the y-axis 50.
As shown, the x-ray propagates out of a point source 61 with a conical spread 60. The x-ray imager 62, which may be an electronic detector or x-ray film, for example, is placed adjacent and parallel or substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the x-ray grid 30 with the x-ray grid between the x-ray source 61 and the x-ray imager. Typically, the top surface of the x-ray grid 30 is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the line 63 that extends between the x-ray source and the x-ray grid 30.
To facilitate the description below. a coordinate system in which the grid 30 is omitted will now be defined. The z-axis is line 63. which is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the anti-scatter grid, and intersects the point x-ray source 61. The z=0 coordinate is defined as the top surface of the anti-scatter grid.
As further shown, the central ray 63 propagates to the center of the grid 30, which is marked by a virtual “+” sign 64.
a and 2b show schematics of two air-core x-ray anti-scatter grids. such as grid 30 shown in
The central ray 63 from the x-ray source 61 is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the top grid 30. For mammographic applications. the central ray 63 propagates to the top grid 30 next to the chest wall at the edge or close to the edge of the grid on the x-axis 40, which is marked as location 65 in
Two categories of grid patterns can be used with linear grid motion to eliminate non-uniform shadow of the grid. The description below pertains to portions of the grid not at the edges of the grid, so the border is not shown. For illustration purposes only, the dimensions of the drawings are not to scale, nor have they been optimized for specific applications.
I. Grid Design Art Type I for Linear Motion
As discussed above, the present invention provides a two-dimensional grid design and a method for moving the grid so that the image taken will leave no substantial artificial images for either focused or unfocused grids for some applications. In particular, as will now be described, the present invention provides methods for constructing grid designs that do not have square patterns. The rules of construction for these grids are discussed below.
Essentially, Type 1 methods for eliminating grid shadows produced by the intersection of the grid walls are based on the assumptions that: (1) there is image blurring during the conversion of x-rays to visible photons or to electrical charge; and/or (2) the resolution of the imaging device is low. A general method of grid design provides a grid pattern that is periodic in both parallel and perpendicular (or substantially parallel and perpendicular) directions to the direction of motion. The construction rules for the different grid variations are discussed below.
Grid Design Variation I. 1: A Set of Parallel Grid Walls Perpendicular to the Line of Motion
The periodicity of the grid pattern in the x-direction is Px MDx, where M is a positive integer greater than 1. The periodicity of the grid pattern in the y-direction is Py=M(DY/N), where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, M≠N and Py=|tan(θ)|Px. For linear motion, the grid pattern can be generated given Dx, (θ or Dy), (M or Px) and (N or Py). The parameter range for the angle θ is 0°<|θ|<90°. The best values for the angle θ are away from the two end limits, 0° and 90°. The grid intersections are spaced at intervals of Py/M in the y-direction.
If Dx, θ, M and N are given, the parameters Px, Py, and Dy can be calculated
If the parameters Dx, Dy, M and N are chosen, the angle θ , Px and Py can be calculated: Px=MDx, Py=NDy and θ=±a tan(Py/Px).
Grid Design Variation I.2: Grid Walls Not Perpendicular to the Line of Motion
Comments on the Grid Motion Associated with Grid Design I
For all grid layout methods, the range of parameters for the grid can vary depending on many factors, such as film versus digital detectors, the type of phosphor used in film, the type of application, and whether there is direct x-ray conversion or indirect x-ray conversion, etc. The ultimate criteria are that the overexposed strip caused by grid intersections is close enough to each other so that they do not appear in the imaging system.
Some general conditions can be given for the range of parameters for Grid Design Type I and associated motion. It is better for grid openings to be greater than the grid wall thicknesses a and b. For film, Py/M should be smaller than the x-ray to optical radiation conversion blurring effect produced by the phosphor. For digital imagers with direct x-ray conversion, it is preferable that pixel pitch in the y-direction is an integer multiple of the spacing, Py/M. Otherwise, the grid shadows will be unevenly distributed on the pixels.
The distance of linear travel, L, of the grid during the exposure should be many times the distance Px, where kPx>L>(kPx−δL), Dx>δL>α sin(φ), Dx>δL>b/sin(θ), δL/Px<<1, k>>1, and k is an integer. The ratio of δL/L should be small to minimize the effect of shadows caused by the start and stop. The distance L can be traversed in a steady motion in one direction if it is not too long to affect the transmission of primary radiation. Assuming that the x-ray beam is uniform over time, the speed the grid traverses the distance L should be constant, but the direction can change. In general, the speed at which the grid moves should be proportional to the power of the x-ray source. If the distance L to be traveled in any one direction at the desired speed is too long, causing reduction of primary radiation, then it can be traversed by steady linear motion that reverses direction.
II. Grid Design Type II for Linear Motion
The present invention provides other two-dimensional grid designs and methods of moving the grid such that the x-ray image will have no overexposed strips at the intersection of the grid walls A and B. The principle is based on adding additional cross-sectional areas to the grid to adjust for the increase of the primary radiation caused by the overlapping of the grid walls. These additional cross sectional areas added to the grid, as described in this paragraph and herein, may be referred to as “projections.” This grid design and construction provides uniform x-ray exposure.
Two illustrations of the concept are given below, followed by the generalized construction rules. This grid design is feasible for the SLIGA fabrication method described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,850 referenced above, because x-ray lithography is accurate to a fraction of a micron even for a thick photoresist.
Grid Design Variation II. 1: Square Grid Shape with an Additional Square Piece
Grid Design Variation II.2: Square Grid Shape with Two Additional Triangular Pieces
With these modified corners added to the grid, there will not be any artificial patterns as the grid is moved in a straight line as indicated by 70 for a distance L, where kDx>L≧(kDx−δL), Dx>>δL>s, δL<<L, k>>1 and k is an integer. Along the x-axis, the grid wall thickness is s and the periodicity of the grid is Px=Dx. The distance of linear travel L should be as large as it can be while keeping the maximum transmission of primary radiation. The condition for linear grid motion in just one direction is easier for grid Design Type II to achieve than grid Design Type I or the designs in U.S. Patents by Pellegrino et al., because Px>Dx for grid Design Type I.
General Construction Methods for Quadrilateral Grid Design Type II for Linear Motion
The exact technique for eliminating the effect of slight overexposure caused by the intersection of the grid walls with linear motion is to add additional grid area at each corner. Two special examples are shown in
This concept can be applied to any grid layout that is constructed with intersecting grid walls A and B. The widths of the intersecting grid walls do not have to be the same and the intersections do not have to be at 90°, but grid lines cannot be parallel to the x-axis. The width of the parallel walls B do not have to be identical to each other, nor do they need to be equidistant from one another, but they do have to be periodic along the x-axis with period Px. The widths of the parallel lines A do not have to be identical to each other, nor do they need to be equidistant from one another, but they do have to be periodic along the y-axis with period Py.
The generalized construction rules are described using a single intersecting corner of walls A and B for illustration as shown in
There are an unlimited variety of shapes that would produce uniform exposure for linear motion. Samples of three other alternatives are shown in
General Construction Methods for Grid Design Type II for Linear Grid Motion
It should be first noted that this concept does not limit grid openings to quadrilaterals. Rather, the grid opening shapes could be a wide range of shapes, as long as they are periodic in both x and y directions. The grid wall intercepts do not have to be defined by four straight line segments. Artificial non-uniform shadow will not be introduced as long as the length of the lines through the grid in the x-direction are identical through any y coordinate. In addition to adding the corner pieces, the width of some sections of the grid walls would have to be adjusted for generalized grid openings.
However, not every grid shape that is combined with steady linear motion produces uniform exposure without artificial images. The desirable grid patterns that produce uniform exposure have to satisfy, at a minimum, the following criteria:
The additional grid area at the grid wall intersections can be implemented in a number of ways for focused or unfocused grids to obtain uniform exposure. The discussion will use
Examples of the parameter range for mammography application and definitions are given below. Grid Pitch is Px. Aspect Ratio is the ratio between the height of the absorbing grid wall and the thickness of the absorbing grid wall. Grid Ratio is the ratio between the height of the absorbing wall including all layers and the distance between the absorbing walls.
2-7
5-8
However, it should be noted that different parameter ranges are used for different applications, and for different radiation wavelengths.
III. Grid Joint Design
Designs of grid joints were described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,850, referenced.
IV. Grid Fabrication
Unfocused grids of any design can be easily fabricated with one mask and a sheet x-ray beam.
When grid size is too large to be made in one piece, sections of grid parts can be made and assembled from a collection of grid pieces. Grids with high grid ratios can be obtained by stacking if they cannot be made the desired thickness in one layer.
Focused grids of any pattern can be fabricated by the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,850, referenced above. For focused grids for point source, methods for exposing the photoresist using a sheet of parallel x-ray beams are described below.
Grid Design Type I For Linear Motion and Single Piece
If the pattern of the grid in the x-y plane can be made in one piece (not including the border and other assembly parts), the easiest method is to expose the photoresist twice with two masks. The pattern of
There are situations that one would like to produce a layer of the grid with that are focused to a virtual point below the substrate as shown in
If two or more pieces of the grid are required to make a large grid, the grid exposure becomes more complicated. In that case, at least three masks will be required to obtain precise alignment of grid pieces.
The desired exposure of the photoresist is shown in
Although the procedures discussed above with regard to
At least three x-ray masks are required to alleviate this problem and obtain the correct exposure. Each edge joint boundary needs a mask of its own. These are shown in
The exposures of the photoresist 710 by all three masks shown in
If this pattern is next to the border of the grid as shown in
Grid Design Type II For Linear Motion
The exposure of the photoresist for a “tall” type II grid pattern design for linear grid motion, such as those grid patterns illustrated in
H sin(Φmax)>>s,
where H is the height of a single layer of the grid, Φmax is the maximum angle for a grid as shown in
As described in an earlier section, the grid shape shown in
V. Packaging
The grids have to be assembled, and sealed for protection and made rigid for sturdiness, as will now be described.
The frame 400 can be made by the SLIGA process as known in the art.
The grid is assembled by fitting grid layers 401 and 402 into the frame. If grid layer 401 is attached to the substrate but the photoresist is removed, the frame 400 can be fitted over grid layer 401, and the grid layers 402 can then be fit into the frame. Since the frame 400 provides structural support and alignment of the openings in the grid layers 400 and 401, the joints of the grid pieces as shown in
Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/459,597, filed on Dec. 13, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,252,938, the entire contents of which being expressly incorporated herein by reference.
The invention was made with Government support under Grant Number 1 R43 CA76752-01 awarded by the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4433427 | Barnea | Feb 1984 | A |
4688242 | Ema | Aug 1987 | A |
5190637 | Guckel | Mar 1993 | A |
5206983 | Guckel et al. | May 1993 | A |
5231654 | Kwasnick et al. | Jul 1993 | A |
5263075 | McGann et al. | Nov 1993 | A |
5378583 | Guckel et al. | Jan 1995 | A |
5379336 | Kramer et al. | Jan 1995 | A |
5418833 | Logan | May 1995 | A |
5496668 | Guckel et al. | Mar 1996 | A |
5524041 | Grenier | Jun 1996 | A |
5576147 | Guckel et al. | Nov 1996 | A |
5606589 | Pellegrino et al. | Feb 1997 | A |
5625192 | Oda et al. | Apr 1997 | A |
5729585 | Pellegrino et al. | Mar 1998 | A |
5814235 | Pellegrino et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5847398 | Shahar et al. | Dec 1998 | A |
5949850 | Tang | Sep 1999 | A |
5966424 | Liu | Oct 1999 | A |
5970118 | Sokolov | Oct 1999 | A |
6252938 | Tang | Jun 2001 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20020037070 A1 | Mar 2002 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 09459597 | Dec 1999 | US |
Child | 09734761 | US |