US 5,155,365 A · Emission-transmission imaging system using single energy and dual energy transmission and radionuclide emission data

Abstract

Radionuclide emission imaging is improved by correcting emission transmission data for attenuation along calculated path lengths and through calculated basis material. Single or dual energy projector data can be simultaneously obtained with radionuclide emission data to improve localization of radionuclide uptake. Dual energy x-ray projection techniques are used to calculate the path lengths and basis material (bone, tissue, fat). The radionuclide emission data and the transmitted x-ray data are simultaneously obtained using an energy selective photon detector whereby problems of misregistration are overcome. The dual-energy x-ray projection data are utilized to determine material-specific properties and are recombined into an effectively monoenergetic image, eliminating inaccuracies in material property estimation due to beam hardening. Use of a single instrument for simultaneous data collection also reduces technician time and floor space in a hospital.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An emission-transmission imaging system comprising

a) an x-ray source for emitting a low energy x-ray spectrum and a high energy x-ray spectrum,
b) detector means for simultaneously and selectively detecting photons corresponding to said low energy x-ray spectrum and said high energy x-ray spectrum and photons corresponding to radionuclide emission,
c) means for positioning said x-ray source facing said detector means with an object positionable therebetween, said object having a radionuclide therein,
d) data acquisition means connected with said detector means for receiving signals from said detector means representative of detected low energy x-ray spectrum photons, high energy x-ray spectrum photons, and radionuclide emission photons,
e) computer means for receiving and processing said signals and producing image signals of distribution of a radionuclide in said object based on emission photon data as corrected for material-specific attenuation derived from dual energy x-ray transmission data, and
f) display means responsive to said image signals.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Emission-transmission imaging system using single energy and dual energy transmission and radionuclide emission data

Life of this patent

Emission-transmission imaging system using single energy and dual energy transmission and radionuclide emission data

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15