Multimodal radiation apparatus and methods
Inventors
Bai, Chuanyong • YU, Zhicong • Miao, Chuang
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-11794039-B2
Publication Date
2023-10-24
Expiration Date
Abstract
An imaging apparatus comprises a rotatable gantry system positioned at least partially around a patient support; a first source of radiation coupled to the rotatable gantry system, the first source of radiation configured for imaging radiation; a second source of radiation coupled to the rotatable gantry system; and a first radiation detector coupled to the rotatable gantry system and laterally movable relative to a central beam of the first source of radiation to receive radiation from at least the first source of radiation over various fields of view. Alternative configurations of the imaging apparatus and methods of using the imaging apparatus are also provided.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an imaging apparatus that includes a rotatable gantry system positioned at least partially around a patient support, with a first source of radiation and a second source of radiation coupled to the rotatable gantry system. A first radiation detector coupled to the rotatable gantry system is configured to be laterally movable relative to a central beam of the first source of radiation, and receives radiation from at least the first source of radiation over various fields of view for a particular view angle.
In one aspect, first scan data is acquired during a first scan and second scan data is acquired during a second scan, and the first scan data and the second scan data are combined. The combined dataset corresponds to an effective field of view of the imaging apparatus that is greater than any of the various fields of view individually, and the patient support is moved in a transaxial plane between the first scan and the second scan.
In another aspect, the radiation detector is laterally movable between a first position interacting with the central beam and a second position not interacting with the central beam, where the first position and the second position have lateral overlap. The patient support is moved in a transaxial plane from one position when the radiation detector is in the first position to another position when the radiation detector is in the second position, and a reconstruction processor may generate a reconstructed image based on a dataset comprising the first scan data and second scan data to provide reduced transaxial truncation compared with each of the individual scan data.
The invention also provides a method of using an imaging apparatus by receiving data corresponding to an image of a patient positioned on a patient support and selecting an effective FOV based on received data and first scan data. The effective FOV is selected to minimize transaxial truncation in a projection of the patient, and a second position of at least the patient support with respect to the central axis of the rotatable gantry system is determined based on the selected effective FOV, where the second position is laterally offset from the first position.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three invention categories: an apparatus using first and second helical scans with a laterally movable radiation detector to increase effective field of view; an apparatus using detector lateral positions with lateral overlap, including a detector position that does not interact with the central beam, while moving the patient support in a transaxial plane; and a method that selects an effective FOV to minimize transaxial truncation and determines a laterally offset patient-support position. Across these independent claims, the core inventive themes include lateral detector and patient offset with overlapping positions, combination of first and second scan data to create an effective FOV, and minimizing transaxial truncation.
Rotatable gantry with laterally movable radiation detector and combined scans
An imaging apparatus with a rotatable gantry positioned at least partially around a patient support, first and second sources of radiation coupled to the rotatable gantry system, and a first radiation detector laterally movable relative to a central beam, wherein first and second scan data are acquired during a first helical scan and a second helical scan and the first scan data and second scan data are combined to provide a dataset corresponding to an effective field of view greater than any of the various fields of view individually, with the patient support moved in a transaxial plane between the first scan and the second scan.
Detector moved between first and second lateral positions with central-beam interaction change
An imaging apparatus with a gantry system rotatable about a central axis and at least partially surrounding a patient support, a source of radiation coupled to the gantry system, and a radiation detector coupled to the rotatable gantry system and laterally movable between a first position in which the radiation detector interacts with a central beam and a second position in which the radiation detector does not interact with the central beam, where the first and second positions have lateral overlap and the patient support is moved in a transaxial plane from one position when the radiation detector is in the first position to another position when the radiation detector is in the second position.
Selecting an effective FOV to minimize transaxial truncation and determining a laterally offset second patient-support position
A method of using an imaging apparatus that includes receiving data corresponding to an image of a patient positioned on a patient support, receiving first scan data from a source of radiation at a radiation detector acquired during a first scan while the radiation detector is in a first position relative to a central beam and the patient support is in a first position relative to a central axis of a rotatable gantry system, selecting an effective FOV based on the received data and the first scan data to minimize transaxial truncation in a projection of the patient, and determining a second position of at least the patient support with respect to the central axis based on the selected effective FOV, where the second position is laterally offset from the first position.
Overall claim coverage centers on using lateral detector and/or patient support offset with overlapping positions during paired scans to obtain a dataset with an increased effective field of view and to reduce transaxial truncation, supported by reconstruction processing and effective FOV selection based on received scan data.
Stated Advantages
Provides a dataset corresponding to an effective field of view greater than any of the various fields of view individually.
Minimizes transaxial truncation in a projection of the patient.
Provides reduced transaxial truncation compared with the first scan data and the second scan data.
Provides a dataset with no transaxial truncation (in the context of reduced transaxial truncation or no transaxial truncation limitations stated in dependent claims).
Documented Applications
Integration of the imaging apparatus in an IGRT environment for reference imaging and registration.
Interested in licensing this patent?