# US 7,467,008 B2 · Ectography multimodality imaging system for diagnosis and treatment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,467,008 B2 - Document ID: US7467008B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/526,480 - Filed: 2006-09-25 - Published: 2007-04-05 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2005-09-30 - Assignees: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. - Inventors: A Hans Vija - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7467008B2 ## CPC - A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]} - A61B 6/037: {Emission tomography} - A61B 6/5235: {combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT} - A61B 6/5247: {combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound} - G01T 1/1603: {with a combination of at least two different types of detectors} - G01T 1/1611: {using both transmission and emission sources sequentially (SPECT imaging G01T1/1642; PET imaging G01T1/2985; detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objects G01V5/20)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00) ## Abstract A system and method of integrating a nuclear medicine imaging device such as a gamma camera with a patient handling system where the nuclear medicine imaging system does not prevent full access to the patient and does not interfere with the field of view of accompanying modalities accommodated by use of the patient handling system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A multimodality imaging system comprising: an anatomical imaging device having a field of view (FOV); a Patient Handling System (PHS), wherein said PHS has a bed and a support for said bed, for positioning a patient to be imaged by said anatomical imaging device; a nuclear medicine imaging device, having a radiation detector and a collimator being integrated and movable with said PHS such that imaging of a patient on said bed can be conducted without said nuclear medicine imaging device interfering with the field of view of said anatomical imaging device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The multimodality imaging system of claim 1, wherein said bed is movable in the longitudinal axis of the bed so that a target patient contained on said bed may be translated with respect to said anatomical imaging device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The multimodality imaging system of claim 2, wherein the nuclear medicine imaging device is integrated with said PHS such that scanning of a target patient can be conducted without impeding full access to the target patient by medical personnel during scanning. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The multimodality imaging system of claim 3, wherein the target patient is scanned by the nuclear medicine device and thereafter translated into the FOV of one or more accompanying imaging modalities for scanning or treatment by said modalities. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The multimodality imaging system of claim 3, wherein the nuclear medicine imaging device is enclosed in a protective sealed casing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The multimodality imaging system of claim 5, wherein said casing is a movable shield, and comprised of low attenuation, low Z material; and wherein said movable shield closes during use of accompanying modalities. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The multimodality imaging system of claim 5, wherein the casing is constructed of lead or copper. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The multimodality imaging system of claim 3, wherein the target subject is translated into the FOV of one or more other accompanying modalities after target subject is scanned by said nuclear medicine imaging device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The multimodality imaging system of claim 2, wherein the target patient is scanned by the nuclear medicine imaging device while the target patient is translated on the bed for imaging by said anatomical imaging device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The multimodality imaging system of claim 1, wherein the collimator is a rotating acceptance angle collimator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The multimodality imaging system of claim 1, wherein the collimator is a rotating slat collimator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The multimodality imaging system of claim 1, wherein the nuclear medicine imaging device is located beneath the bed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The multimodality imaging system of claim 1, wherein a substantial amount of the nuclear medicine imaging device is located beneath the bed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The multimodality imaging system of claim 1, wherein the nuclear medicine imaging device is not fixed or attached to a gantry. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The multimodality imaging system of claim 1, wherein the target patient is scanned while the target subject is held stationary on the bed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The multimodality imaging system of claim 1, wherein said anatomical imaging device contains at least two accompanying modalities. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The multimodality imaging system of claim 16, wherein said accompanying modalities are selected from the group of CT, MRI, PET, IMRT, or any combination of two of such modalities, thereby enabling a dual or triple modality system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The multimodality imaging system of claim 1, wherein said nuclear medicine scanning device is a planar gamma camera. ### Claim 19 A method for multimodality scanning of a patient comprising: integrating a nuclear medicine scanning device with a Patient Handling System (PHS) that is used to position a patient for imaging by an accompanying imaging modality having a field of view (FOV), such that the scanning device is movable with the PHS and does not interfere with the field of view of said accompanying imaging modality, wherein said PHS has a bed and a support for said bed, and wherein the nuclear medicine scanning device has a detector and a collimator; and scanning the patient by the nuclear medicine scanning device such that the scanning device does not prevent full access to the patient during scanning. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A method for multimodality scanning as in claim 19 wherein the nuclear medicine scanning device is outside the field of view of any accompanying modalities. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A method for multimodality scanning as in claim 20 wherein said accompanying modality is a choice of CT, MRI, PET, IMRT and a combination thereof, thereby enabling a dual or triple modality system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A method for multimodality scanning as in claim 21 further comprising translating the patient into the FOV of any accompanying modalities. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A method for multimodality scanning as in claim 22 wherein images from the scanning of the nuclear medicine device and scanning of the accompanying modalities are combined for a multimodality image of the patient. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) A method for multimodality scanning as in claim 19 wherein the collimator is a rotating acceptance angle collimator. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) A method for multimodality scanning as in claim 19 wherein the collimator is a rotating slat collimator. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) A method for multimodality scanning as in claim 19 wherein the nuclear medicine device is located beneath the bed.