Challenge
Computed tomography (CT) is an imaging method used by the medical diagnostic community to detect injuries and abnormalities in the brain, lungs, heart, and other regions of the body. Those administering CT scans are concerned with obtaining high-quality images at the fastest speeds possible, providing them with better diagnostic tools and with reducing the x-ray dosage to their patients.
TOMOSM Application
As multi-slice scanners with large-area detectors have advanced, so has the need to reduce x-ray scatter through the use of improved anti-scatter grids. While today’s scanners use one-dimensional grids, Mikro has developed a process for casting focused, two-dimensional (2D) anti-scatter grids with design configurations that cannot be duplicated with any other fabrication process.
TOMO-produced grid have many advantages over other grids, including:
- Tungsten-polymer casting composite that can withstand high gravitational forces during CT operation.
- Tungsten composite is environmentally clean (no lead) and has excellent x-ray absorption performance.
- Fine grid walls (less than 100 microns) can be made precisely and are focused to the x-ray tube in two dimensions.
- Grids are monolithic and accurate, thus improving the alignment of the grid with downstream detector components.
- Grids can be dimensionally scaled up to provide greater coverage area with fewer parts.
- The manufacturing process can be scaled up to produce tens of thousands of anti-scatter grids per year at a competitive price.
- Rapid tooling process allows developers to quickly design, build, and empirically test new imaging systems.
Mikro’s anti-scatter grids have been installed in new systems produced by major medical imaging companies, and those systems have undergone field testing. Our anti-scatter grids have also been used in a number of security systems that use radiation imaging technology.
