Data binning method and apparatus for PET tomography
AssigneeGE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
InventorsCharles W. Stearns, William J. Bridge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for reducing required memory in a PET acquisition system processor wherein imaging data is collected and binned in a two dimensional histogram of coincident counts, the two dimensions being a flight path angle θ and a distance R from the center of an imaging area, the method including the steps of determining when data acquired at a current acquisition angle will not include data corresponding to a specific flight angle and, when this is the case, storing the data corresponding to the specific flight angle on a secondary memory storage device independent of the processor memory. The method also includes a back projection method for using the stored data to construct an image and the invention includes an apparatus for performing the method.
Claims17
A method to be used with an imaging system, the system including two opposed cameras mounted for rotation among a plurality of acquisition angles about an imaging axis for acquiring imaging data throughout an arc about the axis, the cameras collecting data corresponding to an acquisition angle range including a plurality of flight path angles at each acquisition angle, the system also including a processor having a processor memory and a secondary memory, the method for reducing the amount of processor memory required to acquire imaging data, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) after gathering imaging information at an acquisition angle, for each flight path angle within the acquisition angle range, determining if additional data will be collected during acquisition at the next consecutive Q acquisition angles;
- (b) where imaging data for a flight path angle will be collected during data acquisition at least one of the next Q acquisition angles, maintaining imaging data for the flight path angle in the processor memory;
- and
- (c) where imaging data for a flight path angle will not be collected during data acquisition at least one of the next Q acquisition angles, storing the imaging data in the processor memory for the flight path angle in the secondary memory.
An apparatus for use with an imaging system including two opposed cameras mounted for rotation among a plurality of acquisition angles about an imaging axis for acquiring imaging data throughout an arc about the axis, the cameras collecting data corresponding to an acquisition angle range including a plurality of flight path angles at each acquisition angle, the system also including a processor having a processor memory and a secondary memory, the apparatus for reducing the amount of processor memory required to acquire imaging data, the apparatus comprising:
- a programmed data processor for:
- (a) after gathering imaging information at an acquisition angle, for each flight path angle within the acquisition angle range, determining if additional data will be collected during acquisition at the next consecutive Q acquisition angles;
- (b) where imaging data for a flight path angle will be collected during data acquisition at least one of the next Q acquisition angles, maintaining imaging data for the flight path angle in the processor memory;
- and
- (c) where imaging data for a flight path angle will not be collected during data acquisition at least one of the next Q acquisition angles, storing the imaging data in the processor memory for the flight path angle in the secondary memory.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.