Transformable gamma cameras
Inventors
Assignees
Publication Number
US-11723608-B2
Publication Date
2023-08-15
Expiration Date
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Abstract
One embodiment provides a gamma camera system, including: a stand, a rotatable gantry supported by the stand, and a transformable gamma camera connected by mechanical supports to the rotatable gantry and comprising groups of tiled arrays of gamma detectors and a collimator for each group of tiled arrays of gamma detectors; the transformable gamma camera being configured to subdivide into a plurality of subdivided gamma cameras, each of the subdivided gamma cameras having at least one of the groups of tiled arrays of gamma detectors and corresponding collimator, wherein the subdivision into a plurality of subdivided gamma cameras facilitates contouring with a region of interest for a spatial resolution. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
Core Innovation
One embodiment provides a gamma camera system comprising a stand, a rotatable gantry supported by the stand, and a transformable gamma camera connected by mechanical supports to the rotatable gantry and comprising groups of tiled arrays of gamma detectors and a collimator for each group of tiled arrays of gamma detectors; the transformable gamma camera being configured to subdivide into a plurality of subdivided gamma cameras, each of the subdivided gamma cameras having at least one of the groups of tiled arrays of gamma detectors and corresponding collimator, wherein the subdivision into a plurality of subdivided gamma cameras facilitates contouring with a region of interest for a spatial resolution and defines an independently positioned field of view of the region of interest for each of the plurality of subdivided cameras.
The background identifies a fundamental problem that general-purpose SPECT systems are designed with compromises to accommodate different clinical applications, requiring a large field-of-view (FOV) about 40 cm (axial)×54 cm (transaxial) for whole-body bone imaging, lung ventilation imaging, and cardiac first-pass bolus imaging, while other clinical applications would be better served by different configurations of smaller FOV gamma cameras.
The invention addresses this problem by a modular design for pixelated gamma cameras that exploits tiled pixelated detectors (illustrated with CZT detector modules) and the absence of a dead edge to enable the large-FOV camera to be transformed by subdividing into multiple smaller-FOV gamma camera modules which can be independently positioned and contoured to the body to increase imaging efficiency and enhance spatial resolution.
Claims Coverage
Overview: 9 inventive features are extracted from three independent claims.
Stand with rotatable gantry
A stand and a rotatable gantry supported by the stand are recited as part of the gamma camera system.
Transformable gamma camera with groups of tiled arrays, per-group collimator, and radiation shielding
A transformable gamma camera connected by mechanical supports to the rotatable gantry and comprising groups of tiled arrays of gamma detectors, a collimator for each group of tiled arrays of gamma detectors, and radiation shielding.
Subdivision at transaxial bisecting point into subdivided gamma cameras with edge shielding and collimators
Configured to subdivide at a point which bisects a transaxial width of the transformable gamma camera into a plurality of subdivided gamma cameras, each of the subdivided gamma cameras having at least one of the groups of tiled arrays of gamma detectors, the radiation shielding configured to cover an exposed edge of the subdivided gamma cameras, and corresponding collimator.
Subdivision facilitates contouring and defines independently positioned field of view
Wherein the subdivision into a plurality of subdivided gamma cameras facilitates contouring with a region of interest for a spatial resolution and the subdivision defines an independently positioned field of view of the region of interest for each of the plurality of subdivided cameras.
Plurality of groups of tiled arrays with per-group collimator and radiation shielding (camera-focused)
A transformable gamma camera comprising a plurality of groups of tiled arrays of gamma detectors, and a collimator for each group of tiled arrays of gamma detectors, and radiation shielding as recited.
Subdivide at transaxial bisecting point (camera-focused)
The transformable gamma camera is configured to subdivide at a point which bisects a transaxial width of the transformable gamma camera into a plurality of subdivided gamma cameras, each having at least one of the groups of tiled arrays and shielding configured to cover an exposed edge.
Contouring by subdividing with edge shielding (method)
A method step of contouring a transformable gamma camera with a region of interest for a spatial resolution by subdividing the transformable gamma camera at a point which bisects a transaxial width of the transformable gamma camera into a plurality of subdivided gamma cameras and covering with radiation shielding an exposed edge of the subdivided gamma cameras.
Method recitation of camera composition
The imaging method recites that the transformable gamma camera comprises groups of tiled arrays of gamma detectors, a collimator for each group of tiled arrays of gamma detectors, and radiation shielding.
Method definition of independently positioned field of view
The method recites that the subdivision defines an independently positioned field of view of the region of interest for each of the plurality of subdivided cameras.
The independent claims cover a transformable gamma camera system that includes a stand and rotatable gantry, a transformable gamma camera composed of groups of tiled arrays each with a collimator and radiation shielding, subdivision at a transaxial bisecting point into multiple subdivided gamma cameras with edge shielding and per-subcamera collimators, and an imaging method of contouring by subdivision that defines independently positioned fields of view.
Stated Advantages
Increased imaging efficiency enabling shorter imaging times, lower injected radiation doses, or a combination of both shorter time and dose.
Improved spatial resolution by placing more of the detector volume closer to the imaged volume of interest through body contouring of smaller FOV cameras.
Approximately doubled acquisition efficiency when subdividing two full-FOV cameras into four half-FOV cameras, resulting in more simultaneous planar projection images.
Smaller and lighter SPECT system gantry due to reduced shielding volume and weight afforded by compact CZT detectors.
Improved image contrast due to better energy resolution of CZT allowing a narrower energy window to discriminate against scattered gamma photons.
Documented Applications
Nuclear medicine molecular imaging using Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) following injection of a radioisotope-labelled tracer.
Whole-body bone imaging using large planar projections with a field-of-view about 40 cm×54 cm.
Lung ventilation imaging and lung perfusion/ventilation imaging.
Cardiac SPECT including myocardial perfusion and cardiac first-pass bolus imaging.
Brain SPECT and brain blood flow imaging.
Breast planar imaging (molecular breast imaging) including imaging both breasts simultaneously with compression between opposed half-FOV cameras.
Monitoring particle beam radiation therapy.
Security detection of radioactive sources.
Astronomical mapping of gamma photon sources.
Small-animal preclinical SPECT systems built using CZT modules.
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