Dual screen sandwich configurations for digital radiography

Abstract

Motivated by recent advances in TFT array technology for display, this study develops a theoretical treatment of dual granular scintillating screens sandwiched around a light detector and applies this to investigate possible improvements in imaging performance of indirect active-matrix flat-panel imagers (AMFPI’s) for x-ray applications, when dual intensifying screen configurations are used. Theoretical methods, based on previous studies of granular intensifying screens, are developed and applied to calculate modulation transfer function (MTF), normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS), Swank factor (As), Lubberts function L(f), and spatial frequency-dependent detective quantum efficiency (DQE(f)) for a variety of detector configurations in which a pair of screens are sandwiched around a light sensing array. Single-screen front illuminated (FI) and back illuminated (BI) configurations are also included in the analysis. DQE(f) is used as a performance metric to optimize and compare the performance of the various configurations. Large improvements in performance in MTF and DQE(f) are found possible, when the substrate layer between the light sensing array and the intensifying screen is optically thin. The ratio of the thicknesses of the two screens which optimizes DQE performance is generally asymmetric with the thinner screen facing the incident flux, and the ratio depends on the x-ray attenuation length in the phosphor material.