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US 2003/0111608 A1Published application
Method of imaging by spect
OwnerAdrianus A. Van Dulmen, Stephan Walrandinventors
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OwnerAdrianus A. Van Dulmen, Stephan Walrandinventors
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to a method of imaging a target organ in a patient by SPECT, by using a gamma camera having a gamma detector, and by computer reconstructing the distribution of the radioactivity inside the patient's body from planar images, acquired along at least one linear orbit performed in a transverse direction, wherein said gamma detector is perpendicularly provided on its outer surface with a plurality of collimator septa in a mutually parallel arrangement and with at least one raised wall, extending in the longitudinal direction of the detector, transversely positioned to said septa and with a substantial portion extending beyond said septa, said wall and said septa together forming a so-called rake collimator. predetermined minimum diameter detector and a rake collimator. The invention also relates to an equipment for performing the above method.
A method of imaging a target organ in a patient by SPECT, by using a gamma camera having a gamma detector, and by computer reconstructing the distribution of the radioactivity inside the patient's body from planar images, acquired along at least one linear orbit performed in a transverse direction, wherein said gamma detector is perpendicularly provided on its outer surface with a plurality of collimator septa in a mutually parallel arrangement,
Method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one raised wall extends beyond said septa over a distance of between approx. 8 and approx. 26 cm, preferably of between 16 and 22 cm, measured perpendicularly with respect to the outer surface of the detector.
Method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one raised wall is manufactured from a high-attenuating material, such as tungsten, lead, gold, tantalum, platinum or iridium, preferably from tungsten.
Method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the images are acquired along four linear orbits performed in mutually transverse directions, i.e. perpendicular to the patient's body.
Method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that during the acquisition the rake collimator remains parallel to its initial position along each orbit.
Method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second gamma detector provided with a rake collimator is used simultaneously with and in a position opposite to the first one, sandwiching the patient in between.
A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that, optionally in addition to certain known iterative algorithms, the following reconstruction algorithm is used:
A collimator to be used in the method of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said so-called rake collimator comprises, in addition to a plurality of collimator septa in a mutually parallel arrangement, at least one raised wall, transversely positioned to said septa and with a substantial portion extending beyond said septa.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.