Modular scintillation camera
First Claim
1. An imaging system for a radioactive object comprising a scintillation camera device and image forming means between said radioactive object and said camera device, said camera device comprising at least one pair of side-by-side photoelectric detection units forming an array extending in a predetermined direction, scintillation crystal means mounted to receive gamma rays from the radioactive object via said image forming means, said detection units being mounted so as to receive optical photons from scintillations in said crystal means corresponding to image coordinates of said object along said predetermined direction, and optical ray-guiding means between said photoelectric detection units and said scintillation crystal means to distribute such optical photons from a scintillation to the respective photoelectric detection units so that the respective resultant signals generated by the photoelectric detection units vary substantially linearly with respect to said predetermined direction over a range substantially comprising the width of said array and so that said resultant signals can be utilized to computer image coordinate values over said range.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Improved optical coupling modules to be used in coded-aperture-type radiographic imaging systems. In a first system, a rotating slit coded-aperture is employed between the radioactive object and the module. The module consists of one pair of side-by-side photomultipliers receiving light rays from a scintillation crystal exposed to the object via the coded-aperture. The light rays are guided to the photomultipliers by a mask having a central transverse transparent window, or by a cylindrical lens, the mask or lens being mounted in a light-conveying quartz block assembly providing internal reflections at opposite faces of the assembly. This generates output signals from the photomultipliers which can be utilized to compute one-dimensional coordinate values for restoring the image of the radioactive object on a display screen. In another form of optical coupling module, usable with other types of coded-apertures, four square photomultipliers form a substantially square block and receive light rays from scintillations from a scintillation crystal exposed to the radioactive object via the coded-aperture. The light rays are guided to the photomultipliers by a square mask or a centrally transparent square lens configuration mounted in a light-conveying assembly formed by internally reflecting quartz blocks, the optical rays being directed to the respective photomultipliers so as to generate resultant output signals which can be utilized to compute image coordinate values for two-dimensional representation of the radioactive object being examined.
28 Citations
25 Claims
- 1. An imaging system for a radioactive object comprising a scintillation camera device and image forming means between said radioactive object and said camera device, said camera device comprising at least one pair of side-by-side photoelectric detection units forming an array extending in a predetermined direction, scintillation crystal means mounted to receive gamma rays from the radioactive object via said image forming means, said detection units being mounted so as to receive optical photons from scintillations in said crystal means corresponding to image coordinates of said object along said predetermined direction, and optical ray-guiding means between said photoelectric detection units and said scintillation crystal means to distribute such optical photons from a scintillation to the respective photoelectric detection units so that the respective resultant signals generated by the photoelectric detection units vary substantially linearly with respect to said predetermined direction over a range substantially comprising the width of said array and so that said resultant signals can be utilized to computer image coordinate values over said range.
Specification