Endorectal prostate probe with combined PET and US modalities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10568560-B2
Application number	US-201313826574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

A dual modality probe is disclosed having both a positron emission tomography sensor and a ultrasound sensor. A dual imaging system is provided having the probe and at least one external positron emission tomography detector and a data acquisition computer system for collecting data simultaneously from the positron emission sensor and the ultrasound sensor of the probe and the positron emission tomography detector. A method for evaluating a target organ of a patient utilizing the probe and imaging system, and performing a biopsy of the organ is disclosed.

First claim

We claim:

1. A dual modality probe comprising:
a housing having an external shell and an interior space, said housing having a first end, a middle section, and a second end, wherein said middle section is disposed between said first and said second ends, and wherein said second end is opposite said first end;
an ultrasound sensor located within the first end of said interior of said housing wherein said ultrasound sensor provides a 3D ultrasound image;
a positron emission tomography sensor located within said first end of said interior of said housing and wherein said positron emission tomography sensor is located in juxtaposition to said ultrasound sensor within said interior of said housing, wherein said positron emission tomography sensor consisting essentially of an array of multipixel photon counters and a rare earth scintillator lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate array having a 1 millimeter resolution with septa for depth of interaction operation wherein said rare earth scintillator lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate array is coupled to said array of multipixel photon counters for three-dimensional spatial resolution, wherein said positron emission tomography sensor provides a 3D positron emission tomography image, and a software module configured to implement a fusion algorithm to fuse said 3D ultrasound image with said 3D positron emission tomography image; and
a temperature probe comprising one or more temperature sensors with bias voltage feedback to compensate for temperature sensitivity of said positron emission tomography sensor, and
wherein said ultrasound sensor is disposed within said interior of said housing such that it is rotatable about a first axis of rotation within said housing, and wherein said positron emission tomography sensor is disposed within said interior of said housing such that it is rotatable about a second axis of rotation within said housing.

2. The dual modality probe of claim 1 further comprising an electronic sensor positioning system having at least one first electronic sensor, at least one second electronic sensor, and a positron emission tomography imager with one or more positron emission tomography detector heads, wherein said at least one first electronic sensor is located either on said external shell of said housing of said probe or within said interior of said housing, wherein said at least one first electronic sensor is configured to be in communication with said at last one second electronic sensor, wherein said at least one second electronic sensor is located on or within said one or more positron emission tomography detector heads, wherein said electronic sensor positioning system is configured to spatially co-register said probe to each positron emission tomography detector head.

3. The dual modality probe of claim 1 including an external shield that has a first end and a second end that is disposed opposite said first end, said external shield having an interior section, said interior section having a diameter that accommodates said probe to be inserted into the interior section of said external shield, and wherein at least one of said first end or second end of said shield is open such that said housing of said probe is movable within and outside of at least a portion of said external shield.

4. The dual modality probe of claim 3 wherein said housing of said probe is movable for at least one of a lateral movement, a longitudinal movement, or a transverse movement relative to a lateral plane of said external shield.

5. The dual modality probe of claim 4 further comprising a movement element in communication with said probe, said movement element configured to control said lateral, or longitudinal, or transverse movements of said probe relative to said lateral plane of said external shield and within and outside at least a portion of said external shield.

6. The dual modality probe of claim 1 wherein said ultrasound sensor is disposed more proximally within said housing than is said positron emission tomography sensor.

7. The dual modality probe of claim 1 wherein said ultrasound sensor is disposed within said housing to be more proximal to said second end of said housing than is said positron emission tomography sensor.

8. The dual modality probe of claim 7 , including an isolation compartment located within said housing for enclosing either partially or completely said ultrasound sensor within said housing from said positron emission tomography sensor.

9. The dual modality probe of claim 8 wherein a support board is disposed within said housing and wherein said ultrasound sensor, said positron emission tomography sensor, and said isolation compartment are positioned on said support board within said housing.

10. The dual modality probe of claim 1 wherein a support board is disposed within said housing and wherein said ultrasound sensor and said positron emission tomography sensor are positioned on said support board within said housing.

11. The dual modality probe of claim 1 including a biopsy gun attached to the external shell of said housing of said probe, said biopsy gun equipped with a biopsy needle.

12. A mobile dual modality imaging system comprising:
a bed for accommodating a patient;
an open rotating gantry mounted around said bed and mobile with respect to said bed;
a positron emission tomography imager having at least one positron emission tomography detector head secured to said rotating gantry above said bed and at least one positron emission tomography detector head secured to said rotating gantry below said bed, wherein each of said detector heads is capable of angular rotation with respect to said bed;
a probe comprising a housing having an external shell and an interior space, said housing having a first end, a middle section, and a second end, wherein said middle section is disposed between said first and said second ends, and wherein said second end is opposite said first end, an ultrasound sensor located within the first end of said interior of said housing wherein said ultrasound sensor provides a 3D ultrasound image, and a positron emission tomography sensor located within said first end of said interior of said housing and wherein said positron emission tomography sensor is located in juxtaposition to said ultrasound sensor within said interior of said housing, wherein said positron emission tomography sensor consisting essentially of an array of multipixel photon counters and a rare earth scintillator lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate array having a 1 millimeter resolution with septa for depth of interaction operation wherein said rare earth scintillator lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate array is coupled to said array of multipixel photon counters for three-dimensional spatial resolution, wherein said positron emission tomography sensor provides a 3D positron emission tomography image, and a software module configured to implement a fusion algorithm to fuse said 3D ultrasound image with said 3D positron emission tomography image, said positron emission tomography sensor having a first diameter and said ultrasound sensor having a second diameter, and said external shell of said housing having a third diameter, wherein each of said first diameter of said positron emission tomography sensor and said second diameter of said ultrasound sensor is less than said third diameter of said external shell of said housing, and wherein said ultrasound sensor of said probe is disposed within said interior of said housing such that it is rotatable about a first axis of rotation within said housing and wherein said positron emission tomography sensor of said probe is disposed within said interior of said housing such that it

Assignees

• Mukdadi Osama
• Salkini Mohamad W
• Majewski Stanislaw
• Proffitt James
• Univ West Virginia

Inventors

• Mukdadi Osama
• Salkini Mohamad W
• Majewski Stanislaw
• Proffitt James

Classifications

• A61B6/4208

  characterised by using a particular type of detector · CPC title

• A61B5/4381 Primary

  Prostate evaluation or disorder diagnosis · CPC title

• A61B8/12

  in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters · CPC title

• A61B8/445

  Details of catheter construction · CPC title

• A61B6/037

  Emission tomography · CPC title