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US 9,398,886 B2Granted
Systems and methods for imaging large field-of-view objects
AssigneeMedtronic Navigation, Inc.
InventorsEugene A. Gregerson, Richard K. Grant, Norbert Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An imaging apparatus and related method comprising a detector located a distance from a source and positioned to receive a beam of radiation in a trajectory; a detector positioner that translates the detector to an alternate position in a direction that is substantially normal to the trajectory; and a beam positioner that alters the trajectory of the radiation beam to direct the beam onto the detector located at the alternate position.
Claims17
An image apparatus, comprising:
- a source;
- a detector configured to detect an emission from the source;
- a detector positioning system, having:
- a detector carriage to hold the detector;
- a detector frame having at least two separated walls and a series of lateral members extending between the at least two separated walls;
- at least one rail having a curve that is defined by a radius extending from a center of the source;
- a rotor to which both the source and detector are coupled;
- and
- a gantry housing the rotor.
6 more elements
An image apparatus, comprising:
- a source;
- a detector configured to detect an emission from the source;
- a source positioning system, having:
- a source frame having at least two separated walls and a series of lateral members extending between the at least two separated walls;
- a swiveling source mount to pivotally hold the source relative to the source frame;
- a drive to pivotally move the source on the swiveling source mount;
- a rotor to which both the source and detector are coupled;
- and
- a gantry housing the rotor.
6 more elements
A method of operating an image apparatus, comprising:
- positioning a detector to image at least a portion of a volume configured to hold an object larger than a field-of-view of the detector;
- utilizing a detector positioner to translate the detector to multiple positions relative to the volume;
- positioning a beam such that a trajectory of the beam follows the path of the translating detector, wherein positioning a beam includes using a beam source that is mounted to a source frame having at least two separated walls and a swiveling source mount to pivotally hold the beam source relative to the source frame and driving the beam source with a drive motor to pivotally move the beam source on the swiveling source mount;
- and
- positioning a rotor to which the detector and beam source are coupled to a gantry that houses the rotor.
2 more elements
An image apparatus, comprising:
- a source;
- a detector configured to detect an emission from the source;
- a source positioning system, having:
- a source frame;
- a swiveling source mount to pivotably hold the source relative to the source frame;
- and
- a drive to pivotably move the source on the swiveling source mount;
- a detector positioning system, having:
- a detector carriage to hold the detector;
- a detector frame;
- and
- at least one rail having a curve;
- a rotor to which both the source and the detector are coupled;
- and
- a gantry housing the rotor.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.