APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR NUCLEAR IMAGING
First Claim
1. A system for endoscopic nuclear imaging, which comprises:
- a movable endoscopic nuclear probe which includes a collimator and a detector for detecting radioactive radiation, wherein the endoscopic nuclear probe has an elongated body with a longitudinal axis (X), which is designed to be inserted into the body of a patient, wherein the detector and the collimator are arranged on the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe, and wherein the collimator has a field of view with an axis (Y), wherein the axis (Y) of the field of view of the collimator is angled with respect to the axis (X) of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe;
means for determining the position and orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe;
an evaluation unit, which includes;
i) an interface system for transmitting data with information about the detected radioactive radiation, and information about the position and orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe to the evaluation unit,ii) a data storage section for storing the information;
iii) means for synchronising the information about the position and orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe with the information about the radiation detected by the endoscopic nuclear probe;
iv) means for computationally determining an actual position and actual orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe;
v) a program storage section with a program for repeated determination of at least one quality value Q with regards to the imaging from the information mentioned;
vi) an output system for outputting a three-dimensional reproduction of the information about the actual position and actual orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe and information about the detected radiation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for endoscopic nuclear imaging, a nuclear probe and related methods are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a movable endoscopic nuclear probe which comprises a collimator and a detector, the endoscopic nuclear probe having an elongated body with a longitudinal axis (X), wherein the detector and the collimator are arranged on the elongated body, and the collimator having a field of view with an axis (Y) and the axis (Y) is angled with respect to the axis (X) of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe; means for determining the position and orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe; an evaluation unit including means for computationally determining an actual position and actual orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe; and a program storage section and means for computing at least one quality parameter of the image.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for endoscopic nuclear imaging, which comprises:
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a movable endoscopic nuclear probe which includes a collimator and a detector for detecting radioactive radiation, wherein the endoscopic nuclear probe has an elongated body with a longitudinal axis (X), which is designed to be inserted into the body of a patient, wherein the detector and the collimator are arranged on the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe, and wherein the collimator has a field of view with an axis (Y), wherein the axis (Y) of the field of view of the collimator is angled with respect to the axis (X) of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe; means for determining the position and orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe; an evaluation unit, which includes; i) an interface system for transmitting data with information about the detected radioactive radiation, and information about the position and orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe to the evaluation unit, ii) a data storage section for storing the information; iii) means for synchronising the information about the position and orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe with the information about the radiation detected by the endoscopic nuclear probe; iv) means for computationally determining an actual position and actual orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe; v) a program storage section with a program for repeated determination of at least one quality value Q with regards to the imaging from the information mentioned; vi) an output system for outputting a three-dimensional reproduction of the information about the actual position and actual orientation of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe and information about the detected radiation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An endoscopic nuclear probe, comprising:
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an elongated base body, a collimator, a detector for detecting radioactive radiation, wherein the endoscopic nuclear probe is set up to be inserted into the body of a patient using the elongated base body, and wherein the collimator is arranged at the distal end, and wherein the collimator has a field of view with an axis (Y), wherein the axis (Y) of the field of view of the collimator is angled with respect to the axis (X) of the elongated body of the endoscopic nuclear probe, so that the detection range of the probe for radioactive radiation lies in an angular region from 0 to 180 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the detection characteristic is anisotropic with respect to a rotational symmetry about the longitudinal axis of the probe. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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24. A method for endoscopic nuclear imaging, comprising:
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inserting a nuclear probe, which has a non-rotationally-symmetrical detection characteristic, into the body of a patient; continuous recording of radiation data by means of the nuclear probe; continuous recording of position and orientation data of the nuclear probe, continuous computing of a three-dimensional image using the previously mentioned information; continuous computing of at least one quality value for the computed three-dimensional image. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification