Systems and methods for imaging large field-of-view objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9398886-B2
Application number	US-201414223361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2014
Priority date	Mar 19, 2002
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. 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.

2. The image apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a mobile cart to which the gantry is moveably coupled.

3. The image apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a friction drive to move the detector carriage relative to the detector frame.

4. The image apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:
a friction wheel driven by the friction drive;
wherein the friction wheel moves along a top surface of at least one of the at least two separated walls.

5. The image apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bearing extending from the rotor; and
a rail formed by the gantry;
wherein the rotor is configured to move relative to the gantry via a connection of the bearing and the rail.

6. 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.

7. The image apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
a mobile cart to which the gantry is moveably coupled.

8. The image apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a bearing extending from the rotor; and
a rail formed by the gantry;
wherein the rotor is configured to move relative to the gantry via a connection of the bearing and the rail.

9. The image apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the drive includes a servo motor and a pulley.

10. The image apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the drive includes a servo motor and a moveable linkage.

11. The image apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the drive includes a servo motor and a servomotor linear actuator.

12. 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.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein utilizing the detector positioner further comprises:
mounting a detector to a detector carriage to hold the detector; and
moving the detector carriage relative to a detector frame having at least two separated walls and a series of lateral members extending between the at least two separated walls.

14. 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.

15. The image apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
a bearing extending from the rotor;
wherein the rotor is configured to move relative to the gantry via a connection of the bearing and the at least one rail.

16. The image apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the drive is selected from the group comprising a servo motor and a pulley, a servo motor and a movable linkage, and a servo motor and a servo motor linear actuator.

17. The image apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
a friction drive to move the detector carriage relative to the detector frame; and
a friction wheel driven by the friction drive;
wherein the friction wheel moves along a top surface of at least one of at least two separated walls forming the detector frame.

Assignees

• Medtronic Navigation Inc

Inventors

• Gregerson Eugene A
• Grant Richard K
• Johnson Norbert

Classifications

• A61B6/06

  Diaphragms · CPC title

• G01N23/046

  using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• G01N2223/419

  computed tomograph · CPC title

• A61B6/4233

  using matrix detectors · CPC title

• A61B6/4405

  the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley · CPC title