SOLID STATE DETECTOR FOR COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) IS A NONINVASIVE MEDICAL IMAGING TECHNIQUE WHICH PROVIDES A COMPLETE THREE DIMENSIONAL IMAGE OF THE BODY. AT THE PRESENT TIME THE PERFORMANCE OF CT MACHINES ARE LIMITED BY THE X-RAY SENSORS USED. THE RESEARCH EFFORT WILL INVESTIGATE THE USE OF IMPROVED CADMIUM TELLURIDE (CDTE) DETECTORS WHICH WOULD OFFER SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO IN THIS APPLICATION. IN ADDITION, CDTE DETECTORS ARE SIMPLER IN CONSTRUCTION THAN THE PHOTODIODE/SCINTILLATOR COMBINATIONS IN CURRENT USE. THE GOAL OF PHASE I OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING CDTE DETECTORS TO PRODUCE A CT SYSTEM WITH IMPROVED PERFORMANCE. IF SUCCESSFUL THIS PROGRAM WOULD PROVIDE DETECTORS FOR A NEW GENERATION OF IMPROVED CT MACHINES WHICH WILL PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY DATA WITH REDUCED PATIENT DOSE.