CASTOR a VLSI CMOS mixed analog—digital circuit for low noise multichannel counting applications

Comes, G.; Loddo, F.; Hu, Yongcai; Kapłon, J.; Ly, Florence; Turchetta, R.; Bonvicini, V.; Vacchi, A.

doi:10.1016/0168-9002(96)00031-9

Cited by 33 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…If the slit technique is applied, and the acquisition time is longer than in conventional mammography, the problem of the tube load has to be taken into account. In order to decrease the acquisition time a new fast read-out chip has been developed and is now under testing (Comes et al 1996). To find a reasonable compromise between scatter suppression and acquisition time a multiline detector will be assembled by stacking single elements, forming a 'brick', to obtain an active surface of 150 × 4 mm 2 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A linear array silicon pixel detector: images of a mammographic test object and evaluation of delivered doses

et al. 1997

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We present images of a mammographic test object obtained using a linear array silicon pixel detector capable of single-photon counting. The detector pixel size was 200 x 300 microns2 and images were acquired by scanning the test object between the laminar detector and the x-ray source with a scanning step of 100 microns. A molybdenum anode tube was used with two different filtrations: 2 mm aluminium and 25 microns molybdenum. Conventional film-screen images were also obtained in order to compare spatial and contrast resolution. In our digital images it is possible to recognize low-contrast details having dimensions smaller than or equal to the dimensions of details visible by means of a clinical mammographic unit. The detection of microcalcifications smaller than 150 microns was possible only when using the Mo filtration. However a copper wire of 50 microns diameter was detectable when embedded in a simulated tissue. We discuss in detail the mean glandular doses (MGDs) delivered during the image acquisition. The MGDs necessary to obtain good-quality images are always smaller than at a conventional mammographic unit. Since MGDs depend on the x-ray spectrum, the dose reduction becomes larger when the applied spectrum is harder than in film-screen acquisition (Al filtration and 35 kVp).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A linear array silicon pixel detector: images of a mammographic test object and evaluation of delivered doses

et al. 1997

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“…The electronics consists of a series of 32-channel analog-digital CASTOR VLSI chips [6,7] which have been developed especially for the SYRMEP project by LEPSI, Strasbourg, France. Each CASTOR (Counting and Amplifying System f o r Radiation detection) chip contains 32 identical channels equipped with a low-noise charge preamplifier, a shaping circuit, a buffer, a discriminator and a 16-bit counter.…”

Section: A the Detectormentioning

confidence: 99%

The digital mammography program at the SR light source in Trieste

Arfelli

Barbiellini

Bonvicini

et al. 1997

IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.

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A synchrotron radiation beamline devoted to medical imaging has been built by the SYRMEP collaboration at Elettra in Trieste, Italy, and is now in operation. The SYRMEP imaging system is based on the combination of a monochromatic, laminar X-ray beam, with a laminar, high-efficiency pixel silicon detector. To image soft tissue, including small, low-contrast details, as in mammography, beam energies should be chosen in the range from 15 keV to 30 keV and the detector should be capable of single-photon counting. The SYRMEP beamline originates from a bending magnet light port and consists basically of a Be window, a slit system and a Si(1,1,1) crystal monochromator. The experimental area is equipped with a radiation flux monitor, a sample movement stage, and a positioning system holding the silicon detector. Images are obtained by keeping the detector stationary with respect to the beam and by scanning the sample through the beam itself. The current detector is a linear array of 200x300 mu m(2) pixels, each coupled to its electronic counting chain on a custom VLSI read-out chip. We present a summary of beam studies, and digital images of standard RMI 160 and RMI 180 Ackermann Mammographic phantoms. Results show the high contrast resolution and the large dynamic range which constitute the defining characteristics of the SYRMEP imaging system

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“…In the case of x-ray imaging the photons from the x-ray tube generate the signals in the SSD, which appear stochastic in time at the input of the front-end electronics. Both aspects mentioned above are critical for position sensitive detection of low energy x-ray photons and nowadays many groups work on ASICs for similar applications [6][7][8][9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fast binary readout front-end electronics for silicon strip detectors for low energy x-ray imaging applications

Gryboś¹

2007

Meas. Sci. Technol.

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A binary readout architecture of multichannel front-end electronics used in a position-sensitive measurement system provides fully parallel signal processing, including data storage, and is the best one to cope with high intensity x-ray radiation. However, for low x-ray energy applications, the noise and matching performance of multichannel ASIC impose contradictory requirements on the high rate capability of the front-end electronics. These important aspects of ASIC design are analysed in this paper for two different generations of multichannel ASICs produced in CMOS technology and dedicated to low energy x-ray imaging applications using a silicon strip detector.

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CASTOR a VLSI CMOS mixed analog—digital circuit for low noise multichannel counting applications

Cited by 33 publications

References 8 publications

A linear array silicon pixel detector: images of a mammographic test object and evaluation of delivered doses

A linear array silicon pixel detector: images of a mammographic test object and evaluation of delivered doses

The digital mammography program at the SR light source in Trieste

Fast binary readout front-end electronics for silicon strip detectors for low energy x-ray imaging applications

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