Light weight positron emission tomography phantom

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10682115-B1
Application number	US-201916401479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 2, 2019
Priority date	May 2, 2019
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

A novel PET calibration phantom structure is disclosed that has reduced overall weight and reduced radiation shielding requirement while still enabling safe handling. Furthermore, when the phantom is not being used, the β+ radiation source can be turned off or removed from the phantom, thus, lowering the radiation exposure risk to those handling the phantom.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positron emission tomography (PET) calibration phantom comprising:
a hollow body having two ends and defining an interior space therein;
a housing provided at least at one of the two ends; and
a positron-emitting radiation source provided in the housing;
wherein the housing is comprised of a radiation absorbing material;
wherein the housing is configured to be switched between an ON configuration and an OFF configuration,
wherein when in the ON configuration, the positrons emitted from the radiation source that are traveling in the direction toward the interior of the hollow body exit the housing and enter the interior space, and the remaining positron emissions are absorbed by the housing, and when in the OFF configuration, all positron emission from the radiation source are absorbed by the housing,
whereby the positrons entering the hollow body strike the wall of the hollow body, and 511-keV annihilation gamma photons are created in the wall of the hollow body.

2. The PET calibration phantom of claim 1 , wherein a housing is provided at each of the two ends of the hollow body and a positron-emitting radiation source is provided in each of the two housings.

3. The PET calibration phantom of claim 1 , wherein the hollow body has a cylindrical shape.

4. The PET calibration phantom of claim 1 , wherein the radiation absorbing material enclosing the source is a high atomic number material sufficient to stop positrons emitted from the radiation source.

5. The PET calibration phantom of claim 4 , wherein the high atomic number material comprises at least one of gold, tungsten, tantalum, thorium, lead, stainless steel, bismuth, or uranium.

6. The PET calibration phantom of claim 1 , wherein the positron-emitting radiation source comprises 68 Ge.

7. The PET calibration phantom of claim 6 , wherein the positron-emitting radiation source has a thickness that is sufficiently thin allowing as much of the positrons emitted in a direction toward the interior space of the hollow body to escape the positron-emitting source without being absorbed within the radiation source.

8. The PET calibration phantom of claim 1 , wherein the hollow body is made of a material that has a thickness sufficient to stop the positrons.

9. The PET calibration phantom of claim 8 , wherein the hollow body is made from aluminum, copper, stainless steel, tantalum, or polyethylene.

10. The PET calibration phantom of claim 8 , wherein the hollow body is made from stainless steel.

11. The PET calibration phantom of claim 1 , wherein the interior of the hollow body is vacuum, filled with air, or filled with a low-density foam.

12. The PET calibration phantom of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises one or more positron lenses to direct more positrons toward the interior of the hollow body.

13. A positron emission tomography (PET) calibration phantom shell comprising:
a hollow body having two ends and defining an interior space therein;
a housing provided at least at one of the two ends, wherein the housing is configured to hold a positron-emitting radiation source;
wherein the housing is comprised of a radiation absorbing material;
wherein the housing is configured to be switched between an ON configuration and an OFF configuration, wherein when the housing is holding a positron-emitting radiation source and the housing is in the ON configuration, the positrons emitted from the radiation source that are traveling in the direction toward the interior of the hollow body exit the housing and enter the interior space and the remaining positron emissions are absorbed by the housing; and
when the housing is holding a positron-emitting radiation source and the housing is in the OFF configuration, all positron emission from the radiation source are absorbed by the housing.

14. The PET calibration phantom shell of claim 1 , wherein a housing is provided at each of the two ends of the hollow body.

15. The PET calibration phantom shell of claim 13 , wherein the hollow body has a cylindrical shape.

16. The PET calibration phantom shell of claim 13 , wherein the radiation absorbing material is a high atomic number material sufficient to stop positrons emitted from the radiation source.

17. The PET calibration phantom shell of claim 16 , wherein the high atomic number material comprises at least one of gold, tungsten, tantalum, thorium, lead, stainless steel, bismuth, or uranium.

18. The PET calibration phantom shell of claim 13 , wherein the hollow body is made of a material that has a thickness sufficient to stop the positrons.

19. The PET calibration phantom shell of claim 13 , wherein the hollow body is made from aluminum, copper, stainless steel, tantalum, or polyethylene.

20. The PET calibration phantom shell of claim 13 , wherein the hollow body is made from stainless steel.

21. The PET calibration phantom shell of claim 13 , wherein the interior of the hollow body is vacuum, filled with air, or filled with a low-density foam.

22. The PET calibration phantom shell of claim 13 , wherein the housing comprises one or more positron lenses that can direct positrons toward the interior of the hollow body when the housing is holding a positron-emitting radiation source.

Assignees

• Siemens Medical Solutions Usa Inc

Inventors

• Hamill James J
• Siegel Stefan B

Classifications

• G01T1/169

  Exploration, location of contaminated surface areas · CPC title

• A61B6/586 Primary

  Detection of faults or malfunction of the device · CPC title

• A61B6/582

  Calibration · CPC title

• A61B6/037

  Emission tomography · CPC title

• A61B6/583 Primary

  using calibration phantoms · CPC title