Integrated CT-PET system
AssigneeGE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
InventorsMark Kenneth Limkeman, Alexander Ganin, Charles William Stearns, David Leo McDaniel, Robert Franklin Senzig
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Abstract
A combined emission-transmission imaging apparatus, the apparatus comprising oppositely facing first and second photon detector segments disposed on opposite sides of an imaging area and defining the imaging area there between and a radiation source disposed adjacent and outside the imaging area and adjacent at least one of the detector segments, the source generating a fan beam of radiation that emanates from a focal point and juxtaposed such that the fan beam is directed along a trajectory through the imaging area and toward the other of the detector segments, wherein the segments collect both emission and transmission radiation.
Claims20
A photon imaging apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
- oppositely facing first and second emission/transmission detector segments disposed on opposite sides of an imaging area and defining the imaging area there between;
- and a radiation source disposed adjacent and outside the imaging area and adjacent at least one of the detector segments, the source generating a fan beam of radiation that emanates from a focal point and juxtaposed such that the fan beam is directed along a trajectory through the imaging area and toward the other of the detector segments;
- wherein the segments collect both emission and transmission radiation.
A method for collecting both emission and transmission imaging data corresponding to a region of interest within a patient where a radio pharmaceutical has accumulated within the region of interest and is generating emission radiation, the method comprising the steps of:
- placing the region of interest within an imaging area between first and second photon detector segments;
- directing a fan beam of transmission radiation from a focal spot adjacent and outside the imaging area along a trajectory through the imaging area and toward at least one of the detector segments;
- and collecting both the emission and transmission radiation via the first and second detector segments.
A combined emission-transmission imaging apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
- a full ring photon detector assembly including detector segments that are arranged to form an annular detector surface about an imaging area, and a radiation source disposed adjacent and outside the imaging area and adjacent a first side of the detector assembly, the source generating a fan beam of radiation that emanates from a focal point and juxtaposed such that the fan beam is directed along a trajectory through the imaging area and toward the detector surface on an opposite side of the imaging area, the source controllable to alter the position of the focal point and hence the trajectory of the fan beam such that the fan beam is directable across the imaging area along various trajectories and toward various segments of the detector surface;
- wherein the segments collect both emission and transmission radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.