A whole-body PET and CT combined detector, comprising:
- a CT scanning frame and a PET detection cavity, wherein the CT scanning frame and the PET detection cavity are arranged at a front end and a rear end, respectively, along a common central axis;
- wherein:
- the CT scanning frame has a housing and has a cylindrical CT scanning channel perpendicular to the central axis;
- the PET detection cavity is formed by a plurality of PET detection modules arranged adjacent to each other;
- the PET detection cavity is entirely closed;
- each of the plurality of PET detection modules comprises:
- a detector housing,
- a plurality of PET detection crystals arranged in a direction toward an interior of the PET detection cavity,
- a photosensor array, and
- a light guide,
- wherein the photosensor array, the light guide, and the plurality of PET detection crystals are disposed radially inwardly with respect to the common central axis;
- and
- wherein the light guide is coupled with both the photosensor array and the plurality of PET detection crystals;
- the cross-sectional areas of all gaps of the PET detection cavity are each smaller than a detection surface area of the smallest one of the PET detection crystals;
- the CT scanning frame further comprises the following devices:
- an X-ray tube, a filter, a collimator, a reference detector, and a detector;
- the PET detection cavity comprises a first operative configuration, a second operative configuration, a third operative configuration and a fourth operative configuration, wherein the PET detection cavity assumes one of the first operative configuration, the second operative configuration, the third operative configuration and the fourth operative configuration upon complete enclosure of the PET detection cavity, wherein an end of the PET detection cavity that is perpendicular to the common central axis has a first end cap allowing for entry and exit of an entire human body, wherein the first end cap comprises a mechanical structure that is openable and closable with respect to the PET detection cavity;
- in the first operative configuration, the PET detection cavity has a cylindrical shape and comprises a barrel in a middle of the cylindrical shape and two planar end caps at ends of the cylindrical shape respectively;
- in the second operative configuration, the PET detection cavity has a capsule shape and comprises a barrel in a middle of the capsule shape and two concave curved end caps at ends of the capsule shape respectively;
- in the third operative configuration, the PET detection cavity has an ellipsoidal shape with a>b=c;
- and the PET detection cavity comprises:
- two upper and lower hemi-ellipsoids or two left and right hemi-ellipsoids, or two left and right hemi-ellipsoids with a barrel sandwiched therebetween;
- and
- in the fourth operative configuration, the PET detection cavity has a regular polygonal prism shape and comprises a barrel in a middle of the regular polygonal prism shape and two planar end caps at ends of the regular polygonal prism shape respectively.