# US 8,785,869 B2 · System and method for providing emission mammography > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,869 B2 - Document ID: US8785869B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/264,454 - Filed: 2005-11-01 - Published: 2007-05-03 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2005-11-01 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: Brian James McParland - Inventors: Brian James McParland - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785869B2 ## CPC - G01T 1/1615: {using both transmission and emission sources simultaneously (SPECT imaging G01T1/1642; PET imaging G01T1/2985; detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objects G01V5/20)} - A61B 6/4258: {for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation (A61B6/037 takes precedence)} - A61B 6/502: {for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography} - 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)} - G01T 1/1642: {using a scintillation crystal and position sensing photodetector arrays, e.g. ANGER cameras} - 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) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A system and method for providing emission mammography are provided. The system includes a first gamma emission detector and a second gamma emission detector. The first and second gamma emission detectors are configured to compress an object therebetween. The system further includes a radioactive transmission source. At least one of the first and second gamma emission detectors is configured to detect gamma ray photons from the radioactive transmission source. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A medical imaging system comprising: a first cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) gamma detector; a second CZT gamma detector, the first and second CZT gamma detectors configured to compress an object therebetween to immobilize the object and detect emission photons; and a gantry configured for rotation, the gantry further configured to support the first CZT gamma detector, the second CZT gamma detector and a transmission source, the gantry providing variable positioning of the first CZT gamma detector, wherein the first CZT gamma detector is coupled to the gantry and configured for movement along the gantry and the second CZT gamma detector is fixedly held to the gantry. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the transmission source comprises a line source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the transmission source is a line source that is translatable across a face of one of the first gamma detector and second gamma detector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the transmission source is a flood source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a receptacle configured to store the transmission source therein. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a calibration source. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the gantry is configured to rotate to provide medio-lateral and cranio-caudad imaging. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first and second gamma detectors comprise gamma cameras. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the object is a human breast and the first and second gamma detectors are configured to provide mammography imaging. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a memory and wherein a compression position of the first gamma detector is stored in the memory. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of the first CZT gamma detector and the second CZT gamma detector having a substantially rectangular polyhedrally shaped body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the emission photons comprise one of photon pairs for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and single photons for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first and second CZT gamma detectors are configured to compress the object therebetween without a compression plate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the second CZT gamma detector is not capable of movement with respect to the first CZT gamma detector. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the second CZT gamma detector is not capable of translating along the gantry towards or away from the first CZT gamma detector. ### Claim 16 A quantitative emission mammography conjugate-view imaging system comprising: a first gamma detector coupled to a gantry and configured for movement along the gantry; a second gamma detector fixedly held to the gantry, the first gamma camera variably positionable with the movement to compress a breast between the first gamma detector and the second gamma detector to immobilize the breast therebetween; a translatable radioactive transmission source, at least one of the first and second gamma detectors configured to detect gamma ray photons from the radioactive transmission source; a shielded receptacle for storing the translatable radioactive transmission source; and a calibration source coupled generally along an end of a field of view of the first and second gamma cameras. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A quantitative emission mammography conjugate-view imaging system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the transmission source is one of a line source and a flood source. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A quantitative emission mammography conjugate-view imaging system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the first and second gamma detectors comprise solid-state detectors. ### Claim 19 A method for performing diagnostic imaging, the method comprising: detecting emission photons utilizing a first cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) gamma detector and a second CZT gamma detector, the first and second CZT gamma detectors configured to compress an object therebetween to immobilize the object, wherein the first CZT detector is movable relative to a gantry and the second CZT gamma detector is fixedly held to the gantry; and detecting transmission photons from a radioactive transmission source utilizing the first and second CZT gamma detectors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A method in accordance with claim 19 further comprising translating the radioactive transmission source. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) A method in accordance with claim 19 further comprising configuring a gantry for rotation and to support the first CZT gamma detector, the second CZT gamma detector and the transmission source, the gantry providing variable positioning of the first CZT gamma detector. ### Claim 22 A quantitative emission mammography conjugate-view imaging system comprising: a first gamma camera coupled to a gantry and configured for translation relative to the gantry; a second gamma camera fixedly held to the gantry, the first gamma camera variably positionable with the translation to compress a breast between the first gamma camera and the second gamma camera; and a processor, configured to receive a first emission image from the first gamma camera and a second emission image from the second gamma camera and calculate quantitative distribution of radiopharmaceutical isotope in the breast based on the received first and second images and the thickness of the lightly compressed breast. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A quantitative emission mammography system in accordance with claim 22 wherein the calculation of in vivo activity for a quantitative distribution A of radiopharmaceutical isotope in the breast comprises using the equation: A=(C1*C2)1/2/(x*T*F1/2) wherein, C1 and C2 are the photon counts in the first and second images respectively, x is a calibration factor converting from a measured count rate to activity measured in air, T is a photon acquisition time and F is a fraction of photons transmitted through the imaged breast region containing a lesion. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A quantitative emission mammography system in accordance with claim 23 further comprising a transmission source and wherein the fraction F of photons transmitted through the imaged breast region containing the lesion is measured using the transmission source. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) A quantitative emission mammography system in accordance with claim 23 wherein the fraction F is calculated from the attenuation coefficient of the breast and the thickness of the lightly compressed breast. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) A quantitative emission mammography system in accordance with claim 23 further comprising a calibration source and wherein the calibration factor x is measured using the calibration source. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) A quantitative emission mammography system in accordance with claim 23 wherein the quantitative distribution of radiopharmaceutical isotope in the lesion is corrected for self absorption using the equation: A′=A*(Sin h[u*t/2])/(u*t/2) wherein u is an attenuation coefficient of the breast and t is the thickness of a lesion within the breast.