Method and apparatus for temperature control in a pet detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018035957-A1
Application number	US-201615101494-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 29, 2016
Publication date	Feb 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a PET detector module suitable for using in a PET/MR hybrid system. The PET detector module comprises a scintillator, a set of frontend electronics and a positioning means configured to securing relative position between the scintillator and the frontend electronics. The PET detector module may further comprise a temperature control system, such as an air-cooling system or a heat exchange plate. The present disclosure also relates to a heat exchange plate, which comprises a fluidic passage for containing a flow of a heat exchange media. The heat exchange plate is suitable for use in the magnetic field environment of a MRI system.

First claim

1 . A heat exchange plate comprising a fluidic passage and a plate having two opposing ends,
wherein the fluidic passage is configured to contain a flow of a heat exchange media; and wherein the plate comprises at least one slot each having at least one open end.

2 . The heat exchange plate of claim 1 , wherein the at least one slot each comprises a pair of open and closed ends locating at the opposing ends of the plate.

3 . The heat exchange plate of claim 2 , wherein the open ends of two adjacent slots of the at least one slot locate at the opposing ends of the plate.

4 . The heat exchange plate of claim 2 , wherein the open ends of two adjacent slots of the at least one slot locate at a same end of the two opposing ends of the plate.

5 . The heat exchange plate of claim 2 , wherein the fluidic passage is alongside each of the at least one slot; and wherein the fluidic passage turns 180 degrees around each close end.

6 . The heat exchange plate of claim 1 , wherein the at least one slot each comprises a pair of open ends locating at the opposing ends of the plate.

7 . The heat exchange plate of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic passage is a tubing embedded within the plate.

8 . The heat exchange plate of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic passage is a channel internal to the plate.

9 . The heat exchange plate of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic passage is a tubing having a first portion, a second portion and a third portion; wherein the first and second portions are embedded within the plate, the first and second portions being alongside at least one of the slots; wherein the third portion is external to the plate, the third portion connecting the first and second portions into fluidic communication.

10 . The heat exchange plate of claim 1 , wherein the plate is made of an electrical conductive material; and wherein one or more of the slots are filled with an electrical insulating material.

11 . A heat exchange plate comprising
a fluidic passage and a plate, wherein the plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, said first surface and second surface respectively extending from a front end to a rear end of the plate; a slot extending along a direction from the front end to the rear end, said the slot penetrating the first surface and the second surface, and blocked by the front end or the rear end; wherein the fluidic passage is attached to the plate.

12 . A PET detector module comprising a temperature control means for controlling temperature at one or more target locations of the PET detector module, wherein the temperature control means comprises the heat exchange plate according to claim 11 .

13 . A PET detector module comprising a temperature control means for controlling temperature at one or more target locations of the PET detector module, wherein the temperature control means is configured to establish at least one fluid passage near the one or more target locations; wherein the fluidic passage is configured to contain a flow of a heat exchange media.

14 . The PET detector module of claim 13 , wherein the temperature control means comprises a plate having two opposing ends, and wherein the plate further comprises at least one slot each having at least one open end.

15 . The PET detector module of claim 14 , wherein the fluidic passage is a tubing embedded within the plate or a channel internal to the plate and wherein the fluidic passage is alongside one or more of the at least one slot.

16 . The PET detector module of claim 14 , wherein the plate is made of an electrical conductive material, and one or more of the at least one slot is filled with an electrical insulating material.

17 . The PET detector module of claim 13 , further comprising a scintillator, a set of frontend electronics, and a positioning means configured to secure relative position between the scintillator and the set of frontend electronics.

18 . The PET detector module of claim 17 , wherein the positioning means is configured to exert a compressive force that presses the set of frontend electronics against the scintillator, wherein the positioning means comprises a compressive layer having a compressive surface; wherein the compressive layer extends the compressive surface towards the set of frontend electronics; and wherein the compressive surface presses the set of frontend electronics against the scintillator.

19 . The PET detector module of claim 18 , wherein the set of frontend electronics has a first area, wherein the compressive surface has a second area; and
wherein the first area and the second area are substantially the same.

20 . The PET detector module of claim 18 , wherein the set of frontend electronics has a first area, wherein the compressive surface has a second area; and wherein the first area is substantially larger than the second area.

21 - 27 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare Co Ltd

Inventors

• Liu Weiping
• Sun Yixing
• Hu Lingzhi

Classifications

• A61B5/055

  involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging · CPC title

• G06T2207/10081

  Computed x-ray tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/035 Primary

  Mechanical aspects of CT · CPC title

• G01T1/2985

  In depth localisation, e.g. using positron emitters; Tomographic imaging (longitudinal and transverse section imaging; apparatus for radiation diagnosis sequentially in different planes, steroscopic radiation diagnosis); (using external radiation sources A61B6/02) · CPC title

• A61B6/5235

  combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT · CPC title