PET-MRI device and manufacturing method thereof

• US 10,459,093 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (Government of The Republic of Korea)
• Original Assignee: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (Government of The Republic of Korea)
• Inventors: Ha, Jang Ho, Kim, Han Soo, Kim, Young Soo, Jeong, Manhee, Yeo, Sun Mog
• Primary Examiner(s): Moher, Amanda Lauritzen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sheng, Chao
• Application Number:
  US15/153,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20160252633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/28 Details of apparatus provided for in groups G01R33/44 - G01R33/64
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/381 using electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/241 Electrode arrangements, e.g. continuous or parallel strips or the like constructional or manufacturing details H01L31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2985 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

Abstract

A PET-MRI device and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The PET device includes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine comprising a solenoid coil and a magnetic-field correction coil, wherein the MRI machine has a cylindrical structure or a dipole structure; and a positron emission tomography (PET) machine comprising a PET image sensor, wherein PET image sensor electrodes are formed on one and the other ends of the PET image sensor that have a doughnut shape, and the PET machine has a cylindrical structure or a lattice structure, wherein the PET machine is formed in the MRI machine to allow a direction of an electric field of the PET machine to be parallel to a direction of a magnetic field of the MRI machine.

Claims

1. A PET-MRI device, comprising:

a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine comprising a solenoid coil and a magnetic-field correction coil, wherein the MRI machine has a cylindrical structure; and

a positron emission tomography (PET) machine comprising a PET image sensor, wherein unitary doughnut shaped PET image sensor electrodes are formed on ends of the PET image sensor which consists essentially of a single compound semiconductor, and the PET machine has a cylindrical structure,

wherein the PET machine is formed in the MRI machine and is configured to have a direction of an electric field of the PET machine that is parallel to a direction of a static magnetic field (B0) of the MRI machine by arranging the PET image sensor electrodes parallel to each other and a normal line of an electrode surface of each PET image sensor electrode parallel to the direction of the static magnetic field (B0).

2. The PET-MRI device of claim 1, wherein the direction of the static magnetic field (B0) is a length direction of the MRI machine, and the direction of the electric field of the PET machine is any one of the same direction or an opposite direction to the direction of the static magnetic field (B0).

3. The PET-MRI device of claim 1, wherein the PET machine is formed in a region of the MRI machine in which the static magnetic field (B0) is uniform.

4. The PET-MRI device of claim 1, wherein the static magnetic field (B0) of the MRI machine and the electric field of the PET machine that are parallel to each other are not affected by each other according to the following equation:

{right arrow over (E)}×

{right arrow over (B)}=0

where {right arrow over (E)} is the direction of the electric field in the PET machine and {right arrow over (B)} is the direction of the static magnetic field (B0) in the MRI machine.

5. The PET-MRI device of claim 1, wherein when an electron or a hole is generated by radioactivity, the PET image sensor circularly moves the electron before the electron reaches one of the PET image sensor electrodes by the electric field of the PET machine, hits nearby atoms through a circular movement, generates a secondary electron and further induces amplification of a charge.

6. A method of manufacturing a PET-MRI device, the method comprising:

providing an MRI machine;

providing a cylindrical PET machine comprising a PET image sensor, wherein unitary doughnut shaped PET image sensor electrodes are formed on one and the other ends of the PET image sensor which consists essentially of a single compound semiconductor; and

including the PET machine in the MRI machine to allow a direction of a static magnetic field (B0) of the MRI machine to be parallel to a direction of the electric field of the PET machine by arranging the PET image sensor electrodes parallel to each other and a normal line of the electrode surface of each PET image sensor electrode parallel to the direction of the static magnetic field (B0).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the including of the PET machine in the MRI machine comprises including the PET machine in a region of the MRI machine in which the static magnetic field (B0) is uniform.