Method and apparatus for anatomical and functional medical imaging
First Claim
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1. A body scan system, comprising:
- an array of sensors coupled to sensor data processing system, the array of sensors being axially arranged to cover a substantial portion of a human torso; and
the sensor data processing system including circuitry for processing the data produced by the sensors in a real time basis wherein the circuitry includes a plurality of bypass switches, each being coupled to a processor for processing the data produced by the array of sensors.
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Abstract
A body scanning system includes a CT transmitter and a PET configured to radiate along a significant portion of the body and a plurality of sensors (202, 204) configured to detect photons along the same portion of the body. In order to facilitate the efficient collection of photons and to process the data on a real time basis, the body scanning system includes a new data processing pipeline that includes a sequentially implemented parallel processor (212) that is operable to create images in real time not withstanding the significant amounts of data generated by the CT and PET radiating devices.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A body scan system, comprising:
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an array of sensors coupled to sensor data processing system, the array of sensors being axially arranged to cover a substantial portion of a human torso; and
the sensor data processing system including circuitry for processing the data produced by the sensors in a real time basis wherein the circuitry includes a plurality of bypass switches, each being coupled to a processor for processing the data produced by the array of sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An improved body scan system, comprising:
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a data processing pipeline that includes;
a first portion comprising at least one processor, the at least one processor for performing a first processing step that requires a first defined processing time; and
a second portion comprising at least two processors, each of the at least two processors connected to a bypass switch, each bypass switch being connected in series; and
detector circuitry for detecting radiated photons and for converting detected photons into electrical signals, which electrical signals are produced to the data processing pipeline. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A body scan system, comprising:
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data processing pipeline;
a first processing portion within the data processing system, the first processing portion comprising at least two bypass switches, each coupled to a corresponding processor, and a second processing portion comprising at least one processor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A data processing system for a scanning device, comprising:
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processing circuitry comprising a plurality of processing units serially connected wherein the lead length between each processing unit is approximately the same length and having a the same approximate impedance; and
a custom driver designed to produce a minimal amount of power which minimal amount of power is a function of the power consumed by the constant value of lead impedance having the constant lengths. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A body scanner, comprising:
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an electron beam emitting device;
a plurality of tungsten rings arranged to create a sloping surface relative to an axis defined by the length of a person'"'"'s body within the 3D-CBS;
an array of sensors axially arranged to cover a substantial portion of the person'"'"'s torso; and
a plurality of apertures for passing photons emitted from the tungsten rings after being struck by the electrons of the electron beam. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A body scanner, comprising:
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processing circuitry for creating an image of a portion of a body, which processing means comprises a pipeline architecture for processing image signals;
a plurality of rings of photon sensors arranged about axis wherein each of the plurality of rings is characterized by a shape; and
circuitry coupled to the plurality of rings for converting sensed photons to image signals and for transmitting the image signals to the processing circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for scanning a body, comprising:
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transmitting x-ray beams from a CT transmitter, transmitting gamma ray beams from a PET emitter, detecting photons arriving from a plurality of body portions, which photons may result from either the CT transmitter or the PET emitter, converting the detected photons into an electrical signal for processing; and
processing the electrical signals by a sequentially implemented parallel processing (SIPP) system.
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22. A method for scanning a body, comprising:
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detecting photons arriving from a plurality of body portions, which photons may result from the transmission or emission of beams from any one of a plurality of devices;
converting the detected photons into an electrical signal for processing;
determining arrival time of the photons;
measuring the energy of the photons to determine the origin of the beam that corresponds to the detected photon; and
processing the electrical signals by a sequentially implemented parallel processing (SIPP) system.
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23. A method for processing electrical signals that represent detected photons by a processor coupled to a corresponding sensor forming a processor-sensor pair (sp pair), the method comprising:
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comparing in a first sp pair, a signal strength for a received signal to a signal strength for a received signal in a neighboring sp pair, determining that the neighbor sp pair signal strength is less than that of the first sp pair, and adding the signal strength of the neighboring sp pair to the signal strength of the first sp pair. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method for scanning a body, comprising:
transmitting gamma ray beams having an emission rate of one milli-Curie of 18F-FDG or less; and
detecting photons and creating image signals therefrom.
Specification