Localization of a Radioactive Source
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Abstract
An angle-responsive sensor, comprising:
- a radiation detector adapted to detect ionizing radiation;
- at least one radiation absorbing element arranged to block radiation from reaching said detector in a manner dependent on a relative orientation of a radiation source, said detector and said element, said detector and said element defining an aim for said sensor; and
- circuitry coupled to said detector and which generates an output signal which varies as a function of said relative orientation,
- wherein said detector and said element are arranged to have a working volume of at least 10 cm in depth and having an angular width, such that said signal defines an accuracy of better than 3 mm within one standard deviation, over said working volume.
142 Citations
78 Claims
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1-34. -34. (canceled)
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35. A system for determining a position for each of one or more concentrated radioactive sources, the system comprising:
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a) one or more multi-focal sensors, each comprising; i) a detector comprising at least two distinguishable sections; and ii) a collimator arranged to differently collimate radiation on each of said sections; and b) a computerized processing unit which is configured to receive data from the one or more sensors and to determine the position of each of the one or more sources, not using imaging circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A method of collimator design for a detector for tracking a radioactive source, the method comprising:
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a) defining a range of movement rate of the source; b) defining a performance-related cost function depending on a dynamic error and a static error; c) choosing a collimator design; d) calculating the cost function for the chosen collimator design, range, and movement rate, using a simulation, an analytic calculation, or both; and e) repeating (c) and (d) at least once to find a collimator design with lower cost function. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65)
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66. A method of tracking a radioactive object, comprising:
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(a) aiming at least one sensor at said object; (b) detecting an angular offset of said object from said sensor, based on a radiation detection by said sensor; (c) re-aiming said sensor at said object according to said angular offset by automatic circuitry; and (d) repeating (b)-(c) at least 10 times within a minute. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. An angle-responsive sensor, comprising:
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a radiation detector adapted to detect ionizing radiation; at least one radiation absorbing element arranged to block radiation from reaching said detector in a manner dependent on a relative orientation of a radiation source, said detector and said element, said detector and said element defining an aim for said sensor; and circuitry coupled to said detector and which generates an output signal which varies as a function of said relative orientation, wherein said detector and said element are arranged to have a working volume of at least 10 cm in depth and having an angular width, such that said signal defines an accuracy of better than 3 mm within one standard deviation, over said working volume.
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72. A method of collimator design, comprising:
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defining an object range and movement rate; and determining a collimator design responsive to said defining which has a linear-like angular response within said range and suitable for tracking said movement rate. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75)
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76. A collimator set, comprising:
at least two collimators, each collimator having a better angular-accuracy under a different set of conditions, each set of conditions defining a depth and an angular range, said two sets differing in at least one of depth and angular range, said angular ranges being greater than 10 milliradians. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78)
Specification