Correcting transverse scattering in a multi-emitter CT scanner

Abstract

A multi-emitter computed tomography scanner is disclosed, including a plurality of x-ray emitter/detector arrangement pairs arranged offset at an angle to one another. In at least one embodiment, the detector arrangements of the pairs are designed to be energy selective.

1 . A multi-emitter computed tomography scanner comprising:
 a plurality of x-ray emitter/detector arrangement pairs arranged offset at an angle to one another, detector arrangements of the pairs being designed to be energy selective.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the detector arrangements are useable to filter out certain energy bins of the incident x-ray radiation. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a filter is part of the detector arrangements and is arranged upstream in an incident beam paths of the detector arrangements. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the filter comprises at least one of a part-permeable layer of tin, a tin foil and a tin plate, to mostly absorb low energy x-ray quanta. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein detectors of the detector arrangements are directly converting, quanta-counting semiconductor detectors which convert the x-ray beams into an electron flow which is linear with respect to the number of incident quanta and which is detected in an energy-resolved manner by downstream measurement electronics. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the electron flow is detected in a number of energy bins. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of x-ray emitter/detector arrangement pairs includes only two x-ray emitter detector arrangement pairs, arranged offset at an angle of 90° with respect to one another. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein, in further processing of the detector signals in the evaluation circuits downstream of the detectors in the detector arrangements, signals, identified as transverse scattered signals, in the low-energy energy bins are not taken into account. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein detectors of the detector arrangements have a cadmium telluride layer for detecting x-ray quanta. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein detectors of the detector arrangements are directly converting, quanta-counting semiconductor detectors which convert the x-ray beams into an electron flow which is linear with respect to the number of incident quanta and which is detected in an energy-resolved manner by downstream measurement electronics. 
     
     
         11 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the electron flow is detected in a number of energy bins. 
     
     
         12 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein, in further processing of the detector signals in the evaluation circuits downstream of the detectors in the detector arrangements, signals, identified as transverse scattered signals, in the low-energy energy bins are not taken into account. 
     
     
         13 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein detectors of the detector arrangements have a cadmium telluride layer for detecting x-ray quanta. 
     
     
         14 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of x-ray emitter/detector arrangement pairs includes only two x-ray emitter detector arrangement pairs, arranged offset at an angle of 90° with respect to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The multi-emitter computed tomography scanner as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of x-ray emitter/detector arrangement pairs includes only two x-ray emitter detector arrangement pairs, arranged offset at an angle of 90° with respect to one another.