Systems for image detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9606247-B2
Application number	US-201514925148-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2015
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A customizable and upgradable imaging system is provided. Imaging detector columns are installed in a gantry to receive imaging information about a subject. Imaging detector columns can extend and retract radially as well as be rotated orbitally around the gantry. The gantry can be partially populated with detector columns and the detector columns can be partially populated with detector elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging system, comprising:
a gantry;
at least three image detectors attached to the gantry,
each image detector comprising a detector arm and a detector head,
each detector head comprising a plurality of detector elements; and
wherein there is a differing number of detector elements installed in at least three image detector heads; and
wherein at least one detector head comprises a staggered detector element setup, such that alternate detector element locations have an installed detector element and a vacant detector element location.

2. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the detectors comprises:
a first region of fully populated detector elements; and
at least one side region of movable detector elements, such that the detector elements slide across the head of the detector head during an imaging operation.

3. The imaging system of claim 2 , wherein:
the detector elements in the first region are arranged in a grid.

4. The imaging system of claim 3 , wherein:
the grid comprises 25 detector elements, arranged five by five.

5. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein:
detector elements include gamma ray detection materials.

6. An imaging system, comprising:
a gantry;
at least three image detectors attached to the gantry,
each image detector comprising a detector arm and a detector head,
each detector head comprising a plurality of detector elements; and
wherein there is a differing number of detector elements installed in at least three image detector heads; and
wherein at least one detector head comprises a plurality of installed detector elements towards one side of the detector head and a plurality of vacant detector element locations towards the opposite side of the detector head.

7. The imaging system of claim 6 , wherein:
at least one detector head comprises no vacant detector element locations.

8. The imaging system of claim 6 , wherein:
detector elements include Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) materials.

9. The imaging system of claim 6 , wherein:
at least one of the detectors is configured to acquire Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) data.

10. The imaging system of claim 6 , wherein:
at least one of the detectors is configured to acquire Computed Tomography (CT) data.

11. An imaging system, comprising:
a gantry;
at least three image detectors attached to the gantry,
each image detector comprising a detector arm and a detector head,
each detector head comprising a plurality of detector elements; and
wherein there is a differing number of detector elements installed in at least three image detector heads; and
wherein at least one detector head comprises at least four vacant detector element locations.

12. An imaging system, comprising:
a gantry comprising an annular bore;
at least three image detectors attached to the gantry around the inside of the bore and extending into the bore,
each image detector comprising a detector arm and a detector head,
each detector head comprising a plurality of detector elements and a plurality of vacant detector element locations, wherein the detector elements and vacant detector elements are in a row;
wherein the image detectors are installed in staggered setup such that odd numbered detectors have odd detector elements populated and even vacant detector element locations, and even numbered detectors have even detector elements populated and odd vacant detector element locations; and
wherein each image detector has a different detector element configuration compared to its neighbor image detectors around the circumference of the bore.

13. The imaging system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a processor that detects the setup of each image detector and transmits the image detector setups as installation information.

14. The imaging system of claim 13 , further comprising:
an image reconstruction module that receives installation information from the processor and image information from the image detectors, and uses installation information and image information to reconstruct an image.

15. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein:
detector elements include gamma ray detection materials.

16. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein:
detector elements include Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) materials.

17. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein:
at least one of the detectors is configured to acquire Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) data.

18. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein:
at least one of the detectors is configured to acquire Computed Tomography (CT) data.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Kovalski Gil
• Bouhnik Jean-Paul
• Sachs Jonathan
• Grobshtein Yariv
• Zingerman Yulim
• Eshco Arie
• Hefetz Yaron

Classifications

• G06T12/10

  Image preprocessing, e.g. calibration, positioning of sources or scatter correction · CPC title

• G01T1/2985 Primary

  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

• A61B6/037 Primary

  Emission tomography · CPC title

• G06T11/005

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01T1/161

  Applications in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting {(apparatus for radiation diagnosis A61B6/00)} · CPC title