STATIONARY SOURCE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY AND CT-MRI SYSTEMS

• US 20150230766A1
• Filed: 09/20/2013
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
• Original Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
• Inventors: Wang, Ge, Cao, Guohua
• Granted Patent: US 11,534,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/035 Mechanical aspects of CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4007 characterised by using a plurality of source units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4014 arranged in multiple source-detector units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4078 Fan-beams
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4233 using matrix detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4429 related to the mounting of source units and detector units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/503 for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/508 for non-human patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/583 using calibration phantoms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/4812 MR combined with X-ray or computed tomography [CT]

Abstract

The present invention provides stationary CT architecture for imaging at a faster temporal resolution and lower radiation dose. In embodiments, the architecture features stationary distributed x-ray sources and rotating x-ray detectors. Provided is a stationary source computed tomography (CT) architecture comprising: a detector disposed on a rotatable gantry; an x-ray source disposed on a fixed ring; wherein the detector is disposed on the gantry in a manner such that the detector is capable of rotating around a subject and of receiving a signal from the x-ray source. Embodiments of the invention include a CT-MRI scanner comprising the stationary CT architecture.

Claims

1. A stationary source computed tomography (CT) architecture comprising:

at least one detector disposed or distributed on a rotatable gantry;

at least one x-ray source disposed or distributed on a fixed structure;

wherein the detector is disposed or distributed on the gantry in a manner such that the detector is capable of rotating around a subject and of receiving a signal from the x-ray source.

2. The CT architecture of claim 1, wherein the x-ray sources and detectors are operably configured to provide for cross scatter correction capability through detector collimation and synchronization between detector rotation and x-ray beam switching.

3. The CT architecture of claim 1 comprising three detectors and three arrays of x-ray sources.

5. The CT architecture of claim 1, wherein the x-ray source is a distributed x-ray sources.

6. The CT architecture of claim 1, wherein the x-ray source comprises carbon nanotube cathodes or dispenser cathodes.

4. (canceled)

7-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A method of preparing an image of a region of interest of a subject comprising:

irradiating a region of interest (ROI) of a subject using a stationary source computed tomography (CT) architecture comprising;

at least one detector disposed or distributed on a rotatable gantry;

at least one x-ray source disposed or distributed on a fixed structure;

wherein the detector is disposed or distributed on the gantry in a manner such that the detector is capable of rotating around a subject and of receiving a signal from the x-ray source; and

preparing an image of the ROI using the signal from the x-ray source detected by the detector in an interior reconstruction algorithm.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the x-ray sources and detectors are operably configured to provide for cross scatter correction capability through detector collimation and synchronization between detector rotation and x-ray beam switching.

45. The method of claim 9, wherein radiations from the x-ray sources are collimated to pass through the ROI only aided by at least one collimator.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the collimator is mounted on the gantry and opposite to the detector.

11. An omni-tomography system comprising:

a first imaging modality comprising a stationary source computed tomography (CT) architecture having;

at least one detector disposed or distributed on a rotatable gantry;

at least one x-ray source disposed or distributed on a fixed structure;

wherein the detector is disposed or distributed on the gantry in a manner such that the detector is capable of rotating around a subject and of receiving a signal from the x-ray source; and

a second imaging modality.

12. The system of claim 11 comprising cross scatter correction capability operably configured to provide for cross scatter correction capability through detector collimation and synchronization between detector rotation and x-ray beam switching.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the x-ray source comprises carbon nanotube cathodes or dispenser cathodes.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the second imaging modality is chosen from Ultrasound, MRI, PET, Optical Imaging, or SPECT.

18. The system of claim 11 comprising three detectors, three arrays of x-ray sources, and three beam collimators.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the three arrays of x-ray sources comprise carbon nanotube cathodes or dispenser cathodes.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the x-ray source is on-off programmable.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the imaging modalities are operably configured for concurrent signal acquisition for performing Region of Interest (ROI)-targeted reconstruction.

15-17. -17. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. A method of imaging a ROI of a subject comprising:

irradiating a region of interest (ROI) of the subject using an omni-tomography system comprising a CT imaging modality with stationary source computed tomography (CT) architecture comprising;

at least one detector disposed or distributed on a rotatable gantry;

at least one x-ray source disposed or distributed on a fixed structure;

wherein the detector is disposed on the gantry in a manner such that the detector is capable of rotating around a subject and of receiving a signal from the x-ray source; and

reconstructing an image of the ROI.

28. The method of claim 23 comprising three arrays of x-ray sources with cross scatter correction capability through detector collimation and synchronization between detector rotation and x-ray beam switching.

47. The method of claim 23, wherein radiations from the x-ray sources are collimated to pass through the ROI only aided by at least one collimator.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the collimator is mounted on the gantry and opposite to the detector.

24-27. -27. (canceled)

29-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A computed tomography (CT) imaging apparatus comprising a stationary x-ray source.

35. The imaging apparatus of claim 34, wherein the stationary x-ray source is operably configured to sweep an electron beam from a cathode across a focal track on an anode.

38. A method of operating the CT imaging apparatus of claim 34 comprising:

irradiating a region of interest (ROI) of a subject by emitting an x-ray beam from the stationary x-ray source through the ROI; and

detecting photons of the x-ray beam with a detector.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the CT imaging apparatus has cross scatter correction capability through detector collimation and synchronization between detector rotation and x-ray beam switching.

36-37. -37. (canceled)

39-40. -40. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

43. A stationary-source and stationary-detector interior computed tomography (CT) architecture in the context of omni-tomography such as for a simultaneous CT-MRI scanner comprising:

multiple sources disposed on a stationary gantry;

matching detector pieces/modules on the gantry, each of which faces a corresponding source, and collectively define an interior region of interest (ROI);

electro-magnetic shielding arrangements around the sources and detectors; and

other system components for CT data acquisition and interior tomography reconstruction.

44. The CT architecture of claim 43 configured with three x-ray source arrays arranged to provide for simultaneous ROI-based data acquisition.