Low-Dose High-Resolution Dental Radiography

描述（由申请人提供）：我们正在开发一种用于口内牙科X射线摄影的高分辨率、低剂量、直接转换数字X射线探测器。该探测器将改善口内牙科成像，降低剂量，高分辨率和低探测器成本。它可以被整合到现有的牙科X射线摄影设备中，取代基于胶片或基于闪烁器的系统。当前的闪烁器-CCD或闪烁器-CMOS光电二极管阵列X射线检测器的剂量效率由于X射线到光的低效转换、光到检测器的传输以及光到电信号的转换而受到损害。我们已经成功地开发了一种新的直接X射线转换材料，多晶碘化汞（HgI 2），这是一种高Z大带隙化合物半导体具有出色的电荷收集性能。建议的探测器是一个薄膜的多晶碘化汞的入射X射线直接转换成电荷，直接生长到CMOS读出。由于碘化汞胶片具有极高的灵敏度，因此可以降低剂量。我们希望将我们的探测器技术出售或授权给现有的口腔内牙科成像设备供应商。 在项目的第一阶段，我们直接在我们的小面积CMOS读出芯片上生长多晶碘化汞，我们专门设计了与碘化汞的兼容性。我们测量了原型设备的成像性能。在第二阶段，我们将把CMOS芯片扩展到牙齿尺寸2，将CMOS读出器放入适合口内使用的封装中，进一步修改HgI 2沉积以提高空间分辨率，并完成和测试完整的产品原型。我们将开发的产品将帮助牙医检测头发丝裂缝和其他高分辨率特征，而患者将受益于减少终身X射线剂量。 公共卫生相关性：我们将生产一种改进的X射线探测器，用于口内牙科放射摄影。该探测器将减少牙科患者在检查期间接受的X射线剂量，同时以低成本为牙医提供高分辨率图像。基于闪烁器的探测器可以被整合到现有的牙科X射线摄影设备中，取代基于胶片或基于闪烁器的系统。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We are developing a high-resolution, low-dose, direct-conversion digital x-ray detector for intraoral dental radiography. The detector will improve intraoral dental imaging with reduced dose, high resolution, and low detector cost. It can be incorporated into existing dental radiography equipment, replacing film-based or scintillator-based systems. The dose efficiency of current scintillator-CCD or scintillator-CMOS photodiode array x-ray detectors is compromised by inefficient conversion of x-rays to light, transport of the light to the detector, and conversion of the light to electric signal. We have successfully developed a new direct x-ray converter material, polycrystalline mercuric iodide (HgI2), which is a high-Z large- bandgap compound semiconductor with outstanding charge collection properties. The proposed detector is a thin film of polycrystalline mercuric iodide for direct conversion of incident x-rays into charge, grown directly onto a CMOS readout. Dose reduction will be achieved due to the very high sensitivity of mercuric iodide films. We expect to sell or license our detector technology to existing intraoral dental imaging equipment vendors. In Phase I of the project, we grew polycrystalline HgI2 directly onto our small- area CMOS readout chip, which we specially designed for compatibility with HgI2. We measured the imaging performance of the prototype device. In this Phase II we will scale the CMOS chip up to dental Size 2, place the CMOS readout into a package suitable for intraoral use, further modify the HgI2 deposition to improve spatial resolution, and complete and test a full product prototype. The product we will develop will help dentists detect hairline cracks and other high-resolution features while patients will benefit from a reduced lifetime x-ray dose. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: We will produce an improved x-ray detector for intraoral dental radiography. The detector will reduce the x-ray dose that dental patients receive during their exam while providing dentists with high resolution images at a low cost. The semiconductor-based detector can be incorporated into existing dental radiography equipment, replacing film-based or scintillator-based systems.