Non-orbiting tomographic imaging system

An imaging system for acquisition of tomographic imaging information from a radiation emission source, the imaging system comprising radiation detection means, positioning means, information management means, and a radiation emission source wherein

• said radiation detection means comprises a plurality of detector modules, each of said detector modules comprising a radiation detector, a collimator, and a photon-event locator means,
• said positioning means is used to adjust the angular orientation and linear position of each of said detector modules in space, wherein each of said detector modules is capable of movements which are independent of the remaining detector modules, and
• said information management means provides repositioning information to the positioning means and further receives information from said positioning means and from said photon event locator means for use in tomographic image reconstruction,
• wherein during acquisition of tomographic imaging information from the radiation emission source, each of said detector modules moves independently, oscillating through a plurality of linear positions and angular orientations so as to optimize information sampling without orbiting said radiation source.

An imaging system for acquisition of tomographic emission data from an emission source, the imaging system comprising an imaging device and an emission source, the imaging device comprising a plurality of detector modules, module positioning means, and a means for acquiring data, wherein

• each detector module comprises a radiation detector and a collimator,
• a plurality of said detector modules and the emission source lie within a single plane and the plurality of detector modules are positioned and oriented such that the emission source is surrounded by and viewed by the plurality of detector modules,
• the module positioning means providing means for adjusting the position and orientation of each detector module during said acquisition of tomographic emission data so that the position of each detector module can be varied by a combination of translational and rotational motions such that each detector module has the ability to view the radiation source from a plurality of positions and directions and the ability to move independently of other detector modules without orbiting said radiation source, and
• the data comprises radiation emission data and information regarding the position and orientation of each detector module.

An imaging system for acquisition of tomographic emission data from an emission source, the imaging system comprising an imaging device and an emission source, the imaging device comprising a plurality of detector modules, module positioning means, and means for acquiring data, wherein

• each detector module comprises a radiation detector and a collimator,
• the plurality of detector modules lies in a first plane and the emission source does not lie within said first plane, and wherein the plurality of detector modules are positioned and oriented within the first plane such that the emission source is surrounded by and viewed by the plurality of detector modules,
• the module positioning means provides a means for independently adjusting the position and orientation of each detector module during said acquisition of tomographic emission data so that the position and orientation of each of the detector modules can be varied by a combination of translational motions within the first plane and by rotational motions about any of three orthogonal axes defined by the first plane and a normal to the first plane such that the detector module has the ability to view the radiation source from a plurality of positions and directions without orbiting said radiation source and the ability to move independently of other detector modules, and
• the data comprises radiation emission data and information regarding the position and orientation of each detector module.

An imaging system for acquisition of tomographic emission data from an emission source, the imaging system comprising an imaging device and an emission source, the imaging device comprising a plurality of detector modules, module positioning means, and means for acquiring data, wherein

• each detector module comprises a radiation detector and a collimator,
• the plurality of detector modules lies within a first non planar surface and the emission source lies at a location which does not intersect first non planar surface, wherein the plurality of detector modules are positioned and oriented within the first non planar surface such that the emission source is surrounded by and viewed by the plurality of detector modules,
• the module positioning means providing means for adjusting the position and orientation of each detector module during said acquisition of tomographic emission data so that during said acquisition of tomographic emission data each detector module has the ability to view the radiation source from a plurality of positions and directions without orbiting said radiation and the ability to move independently of other detector modules, and so that the position and orientation of each of the detector modules can be independently varied by
• a) translational motions within the first non planar surface,
• b) by rotational motions about any of three orthogonal axes, the three orthogonal axes intersecting at the location of a detector module and defined by a normal to the first non planar surface and a plane which is tangent to the non planar surface at a point coincident with a detector module, and
• c) by a combination of said translational and rotational motions,
• wherein the data comprises radiation emission data and information regarding the position and orientation of each detector module.

An imaging system to acquire tomographic emission data, the system comprising an imaging device and a radiation emission source, the imaging system comprising a plurality of detector modules, module positioning means, module position sensing means and data acquisition means, wherein

• the detector modules comprise a radiation detector and a collimator,
• the detector modules are arranged to form a tubular array by providing a plurality of sets of detector modules, each set of detector modules of said plurality of sets arranged to form a planar closed curve, the planar closed curves being stacked to form the tubular array, the tubular array having a longitudinal axis, an interior side, and an exterior side,
• the module positioning means being attached to the tubular array on said exterior side, and enabling multiple degrees of rotation and translation of each of the detector modules, wherein during acquisition of tomographic emission data from the radiation emission source, each of said detector modules moves independently through a plurality of translations and rotations so as to achieve optimum data acquisition without orbiting said radiation source,
• the radiation detector and collimator being oriented on the detector modules such that they reside on the interior side of the tubular array;
• and
• the emission source placed within the interior side of the tubular array.

A method for using an imaging system for imaging a radiation emitting source located within a human being,

• the imaging system comprising an imaging device and a radiation emission source,
• the imaging device comprising a plurality of radiation detector modules, module positioning means, and means for acquiring data, wherein
• each detector module contains a radiation detector and a collimator,
• the module positioning means providing means for adjusting the position and viewing angle of each detector module so that each detector module has the ability to view the radiation source from a plurality of positions and angular directions and the ability to move independently of other detector modules, and
• wherein data comprises radiation emission data and information regarding the position and orientation of each detector module,
• the method steps comprising,
• 1 placement of a radiation emitting source within a human being,
• 2 arrangement of said radiation detector modules about said radiation emitting source such that the geometry of the arrangement is known,
• 3 adjusting the position and viewing angle of each detector module without orbiting, said radiation emission source while concurrently acquiring data,
• 4 reconstruction of an image of the radiation emission source using the acquired data.

An imaging system for detection and analysis of tomographic emission data from a radiation source, the imaging system comprising

• a plurality of individual detector modules, each individual detector module of said plurality of individual detector modules comprising a radiation detector and a collimator,
• module mounting means, and
• means for acquiring tomographic emission data, wherein data comprises radiation emission data and information regarding the position and orientation of each individual detector module of said plurality of detector modules,
• wherein module mounting means comprises means for controlling the translational position and angular orientation of each individual detector module of said plurality of individual detector modules, such that each individual detector module of said plurality of individual detector modules has a translational position and an angular orientation which is independently movable relative to the remaining individual detector modules,
• wherein module mounting means further comprises means for supporting the plurality of individual detector modules in space,
• wherein during the collection of tomographic emission data from a radiation source said module mounting means does not orbit about said radiation source, and
• wherein during the collection of tomographic emission data from a radiation source each individual detector module translates and angulates through a range of localized positions so as to be able to produce a computed tomographical image of the radiation source.

A non-orbiting data acquisition and imaging system for the collection and display tomographic emission data from a radiation source,

• said radiation source being located in and surrounded by a first reference volume, said reference volume having a first reference frame which is fixed and non-moving,
• said non-orbiting data acquisition and imaging system comprising a plurality of individual detector modules, each individual detector module of said plurality of individual detector modules comprising a radiation detector, a collimator, and a module mounting means,
• said non-orbiting data acquisition and imaging system comprising further comprising means for acquiring tomographic emission data, wherein tomographic emission data comprises radiation emission data and information regarding the position and orientation of each individual detector module of said plurality of detector modules,
• said module mounting means comprising a plurality of second reference frames, each of said second reference frames beings fixed relative to said module mounting means and being movable relative to said first reference frame,
• each individual detector module of said plurality of individual detector modules comprising a plurality of third reference frames, one of said plurality of third reference frames being fixed relative each individual detector module such that each individual detector module has an associated third reference frame, each of said plurality of third reference frames being moveable relative to said first reference frame and each of said plurality of second reference frames,
• wherein during acquisition of tomographic emission data by said non-orbiting data acquisition and imaging system, each of said plurality of second reference frames is moveable relative to said first reference frame such that the relative locations of each individual detector module of said plurality of detector modules may be moved with respect to other individual detector modules, and said plurality of second reference frames does not orbit said first reference volume,
• wherein during acquisition of tomographic emission data by said non-orbiting data acquisition and imaging system, said plurality of third reference frames are not fixed relative to said plurality of second reference frames such that each individual detector module of said plurality of detector modules is capable of independent translations and angulations relative to said mounting means and said plurality of third reference frames do not orbit said first reference volume.

An imaging system to acquire tomographic emission data, the system comprising an imaging device and a radiation emission source, the imaging device comprising a plurality of independent detector modules, each independent detector module having module positioning means module position sensing means, and data acquisition means, wherein

• each independent detector module comprises a radiation detector and a collimator,
• the plurality of independent detector modules are arranged by providing a plurality of sets of detector modules, each set of detector modules of said plurality of sets of detector modules arranged to form a closed curve, each closed curve having a centroid, the centroid of each closed curve being contained in an axial centroid line, the closed curves forming a surface having an interior surface and an exterior surface,
• the module positioning means being attached to each closed curve on said exterior surface, and enabling multiple degrees of rotation and translation of each of the detector modules, wherein during acquisition of tomographic emission data from the radiation emission source, each of said detector modules moves independently through a plurality of translations and rotations so as to achieve optimum data acquisition without orbiting said radiation source,
• the radiation detector and collimator being oriented on the detector modules such that they reside on the interior surface, and the emission source residing within the interior surface.

An imaging system to acquire tomographic emission data, the system comprising an imaging device and a radiation emission source, the imaging device comprising a plurality of independent detector modules, each independent detector module having module positioning means, module positioning means, and data acquisition means, wherein

• each independent detector module comprises a radiation detector and a collimator,
• the plurality of independent detector modules are arranged by providing a plurality of sets of detector modules, each set of detector modules of said plurality of sets of detector modules arranged to form a closed curve, each closed curve having a centroid, the centroid of each closed curve being contained in a centroid surface, the centroid surface having an inferior side and a superior side,
• the module positioning means being attached to each independent detector module on said superior side and enabling multiple degrees of rotation and translation of each of the independent detector modules, wherein during acquisition of tomographic emission data from the radiation emission source, each of said independent detector modules moves independently through a plurality of translations and rotations so as to achieve optimum data acquisition without orbiting said radiation source,
• the radiation detector and collimator being oriented on the independent detector modules such that they reside on the inferior side of said centroid surface, and
• the emission source residing below the inferior side of said centroid surface.