Device and system for enhanced SPECT, PET, and Compton scatter imaging in nuclear medicine

• US 20040251419A1
• Filed: 08/25/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minnesota Imaging and Engineering LLC
• Original Assignee: Robert Sigurd Nelson, William Bert Nelson
• Inventors: Nelson, Robert Sigurd, Nelson, William Bert
• Granted Patent: US 7,291,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/370.09
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2008 using a combination of different types of scintillation detectors, e.g. phoswich
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/243 Modular detectors, e.g. arrays formed from self contained units constructional or manufacturing details H01L25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/244 Auxiliary details, e.g. casings, cooling, damping or insulation against damage by, e.g. heat, pressure or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/249 specially adapted for use in SPECT or PET SPECT imaging G01T1/1642; PET imaging G01T1/2985; detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objects G01V5/20

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting radiation including x-ray, gamma ray, and particle radiation for radiographic imaging, and nuclear medicine and x-ray mammography in particular, and material composition analysis are described. A detection system employs fixed or configurable arrays of one or more detector modules comprising detector arrays that may be electronically manipulated through a computer system. The detection system, by providing the ability for electronic manipulation, permits adaptive imaging. Detector array configurations include familiar geometries, including slit, slot, plane, open box, and ring configurations, and customized configurations, including wearable detector arrays, that are customized to the shape of the patient. Conventional, such as attenuating, rigid geometry, and unconventional collimators, such as x-ray optic, configurable, Compton scatter modules, can be selectively employed with detector modules and radiation sources. Novel Compton gamma camera designs can be implemented. Edge-on detector resolution may be enhanced by measuring the interaction location along the height of the aperture. Edge-on detectors may be irradiated from the side. The components of the imaging chain can be calibrated or corrected using processes of the invention. X-ray mammography and scintimammography are enhanced by utilizing sectional compression and related imaging techniques.

Claims

1. An enhanced Compton gamma camera used in nuclear medicine, comprising:

a plurality of radiation detector modules, wherein each module includes;

at least one edge-on radiation detector,

a communication link for transferring data between the module and a computer system.

2. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 1 wherein detector modules includes strip radiation detectors.

3. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 1 wherein detector modules includes edge-on radiation detectors with different properties.

4. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 1 wherein detector modules have different properties.

5. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 1 wherein the edge-on radiation detector is a dual-sided parallel strip detector.

6. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 1 wherein the edge-on radiation detector is a dual-sided crossed strip detector.

7. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 1 wherein the edge-on radiation detector is a 2-D pixelated array detector.

8. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 1 wherein detectors are stacked.

9. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 8 wherein the detector layers use at least two different materials.

10. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 1 wherein edge-on detectors and detector modules can be adjusted.

11. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 10 wherein near-edge-on imaging is implemented.

12. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 1 comprising:

a coarse Compton collimator mounted on the enhanced Compton gamma camera such that it restricts the acceptance angle of incident radiation.

13. The coarse Compton collimator of claim 12 wherein a radiation shield covers specific edge-on radiation detectors.

14. The enhanced edge-on Compton gamma camera of claim 1 wherein the camera is used to detect radiation.

15. The enhanced Compton gamma camera of claim 1 wherein the camera operates as an enhanced edge-on Gamma camera.

16. The enhanced edge-on gamma camera of claim 15 wherein the camera operates as an enhanced edge-on PET camera.

17. The enhanced edge-on gamma camera of claim 15 wherein the camera is used to detect radiation.

18. The enhanced edge-on gamma camera of claim 15 wherein the camera is used for radiographic imaging.

19. The enhanced edge-on gamma camera of claim 15 wherein the camera is used for radiographic CT imaging.

20. The enhanced edge-on Compton gamma camera of claim 1 wherein the camera is irradiated from the side.