Pet imaging system cooling
AssigneesKoninklijke Philips N.V., The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
InventorsAMY PERKINS, JOEL KARP, MICHAEL GEAGAN
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Abstract
A positron emission tomography, PET, imaging system (100) includes a plurality of detector modules (1301 . . . i). Each detector module (1301 . . . i) includes a cooling unit (130c1 . . . i) with a heat-transfer region (170). The heat transfer region (170) of each cooling unit (130c1 . . . i) is thermally coupled to a photodetector array (130b1 . . . i) of the corresponding detector module for cooling the photodetector array. The cooling units are configured to be fluidically coupled in parallel to at least one cooling fluid source.
Claims17
A positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system, comprising:
- a bore for receiving a subject, the bore comprising an axis;
- and
- a plurality of detector modules;
- wherein each detector module comprises a scintillator array coupled to a photodetector array, and wherein the detector module is configured to generate event data in response to received gamma quanta;
- wherein the detector modules are arranged around the axis of the bore such that the detector modules generate the event data in response to gamma quanta received from within the bore;
- wherein each detector module further comprises a cooling unit, the cooling unit including a cooling fluid inlet, a cooling fluid outlet, a heat transfer region, and a passageway arranged between the cooling fluid inlet and the cooling fluid outlet for transferring heat from the heat transfer region via a cooling fluid inputted into the cooling fluid inlet;
- wherein the heat transfer region of each cooling unit is thermally coupled to the photodetector array of the corresponding detector module for cooling the photodetector array;
- and
- wherein the cooling units are configured to be fluidically coupled in parallel to at least one cooling fluid source;
- and
- wherein within the heat transfer region, at least a portion of the passageway extends in a direction parallel to the axis of the bore and returns in an opposing direction such that a cooling fluid inputted to the cooling fluid inlet of the cooling unit flows in opposing directions within the heat transfer region before being outputted from the cooling fluid outlet of the cooling unit.
A detector module for a PET imaging system comprising a bore for receiving a subject, the bore comprising an axis, the detector module comprising:
- a scintillator array coupled to a photodetector array;
- and
- a cooling unit, the cooling unit including a cooling fluid inlet, a cooling fluid outlet, a heat transfer region, and a passageway arranged between the cooling fluid inlet and the cooling fluid outlet for transferring heat from the heat transfer region via the cooling fluid;
- wherein the heat transfer region of each cooling unit is thermally coupled to the photodetector array for cooling the photodetector array;
- and
- wherein the cooling unit is arranged such that when the detector module is arranged within the PET imaging system, the cooling unit is located on a trajectory extending radially outwards from the photodetector array with respect to the axis of the bore of the PET imaging system;
- and
- wherein within the heat transfer region, at least a portion of the passageway extends in a direction parallel to the axis of the bore and returns in an opposing direction such that a cooling fluid inputted to the cooling fluid inlet of the cooling unit flows in opposing directions within the heat transfer region before being outputted from the cooling fluid outlet of the cooling unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.