Energy resolution of a photon-counting silicon strip detector

• A photon-counting silicon strip detector with two energy thresholds was investigated for spectral X-ray imaging in a mammography system. Preliminary studies already indicate clinical benefit of the detector, and the purpose of the present study is optimization with respect to energy resolution. Factors relevant for the energy response were measured, simulated, or gathered from previous studies, and used as input parameters to a cascaded detector model. Threshold scans over several X-ray spectra were used to calibrate threshold levels to energy, and to validate the model. The energy resolution of the detector assembly was assessed to range over ΔE/E=0.12–0.26 in the mammography region. Electronic noise dominated the peak broadening, followed by charge sharing between adjacent detector strips, and a channel-to-channel threshold spread. The energy resolution may be improved substantially if these effects are reduced to a minimum. Anti-coincidence logic mitigated double counting from charge sharing, but erased the energy resolution of all detected events, and optimization of the logic is desirable. Pile-up was found to be of minor importance at typical mammography rates.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Radiologi och bildbehandling (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Spectral X-ray imaging

Mammography; Silicon strip detector

Photon counting

Energy resolution

Cascaded detector model

Electrical engineering, electronics and photonics

Elektroteknik, elektronik och fotonik

Medical engineering

Medicinsk teknik

Other engineering physics

Övrig teknisk fysik

Radiological research

Radiologisk forskning

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)