Adjustable-Focal-Length Collimators Method and System
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJames William Hugg, Jorge Uribe, Floribertus P.M. Heukensfeldt Jansen
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Abstract
Embodiments relate to an imaging system that includes a collimator assembly having one or more pinhole apertures therein. The imaging system is configured so that one or more of the pinhole apertures has an adjustable focal length. The imaging system further includes a detector assembly configured to generate one or more signals in response to gamma rays that pass through the one or more pinhole apertures. Embodiments also relate to methods of changing collimator performance and methods of imaging a volume.
Claims28
An imaging system, comprising:
- a collimator assembly having one or more apertures therein;
- and
- a detector assembly configured to generate one or more signals in response to gamma rays that pass through the one or more apertures;
- wherein the imaging system is configured so that at least one of the one or more apertures has an adjustable focal length.
An imaging system, comprising:
- one or more pinhole-detector modules, each pinhole-detector module comprising:
- a collimator having one or more pinhole apertures therein, wherein at least one of the pinhole-detector modules is configured so that at least one of the one or more pinhole apertures therein has an adjustable focal length;
- and
- a detector assembly configured to generate one or more signals in response to gamma rays that pass through the one or more pinhole apertures.
A method of changing collimator performance, comprising:
- adjusting a focal length between a detector assembly and a pinhole aperture in a collimator assembly.
A method of imaging a volume, comprising:
- positioning at least a portion of a subject in a field of view of a single photon emission computed tomography system;
- collimating gamma rays emitted from the subject using one or more pinhole-detector modules, each pinhole-detector module comprising a collimator having one or more pinhole apertures and a detector assembly;
- detecting gamma rays that pass through the one or more pinhole apertures with the corresponding detector assembly;
- generating one or more signals in response to the detected gamma rays;
- and
- adjusting a focal length for at least one of the pinhole-detector modules based on the one or more generated signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.