Collimators & Collimation
X-Ray Collimators
A collimator is a device that limits the radiation output of an X-ray source. Without a collimator, X-rays would escape which would flood the detector with radiation and prevent a clear image from being attained. An X-ray collimator can be made from multiple materials including lead, tungsten, molybdenum, tin, bismuth, high density plastics and more. Vulcan can produce collimators in a variety of styles – including slit collimators, cone beam collimators, fan beam collimators and pin hole collimators – based on a customers’ needs.
Detector Collimation
Vulcan can offer customers a few options for collimation into detectors. This is typically done to prevent cross talk between detector cards in a detector bank within a medical or security application. This allows the detector to be protected from scatter radiation and only detect the radiation striking the detector straight on. Detector collimation can be done in a variety of ways, but it is commonly done by standing thin tungsten or molybdenum foil on end in a sequence over the detectors to limit scatter. Vulcan GMS can provide such tungsten or molybdenum foil and the related assemblies that hold these shielding plates. Vulcan can also offer other solutions in lead and plastic based on the specific need.
