Separate and combined multi-modality diagnostic imaging system

• US 6,205,347 B1
• Filed: 02/26/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Picker International, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Picker International, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Brunnett, Carl J., Smith, Darrell M., Morgan, Hugh T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US09/259,087
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/411, 600/415, 600/425, 600/427, 128/906
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/04 Positioning of patients; Tiltable beds or the like operating tables A61G13/00; operating chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5235 combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT

Abstract

A multi-modality diagnostic imaging system includes a first imaging subsystem (A), such as a computed tomographic (CT) system, for performing a first imaging procedure on a subject. A second imaging subsystem (B), such as a nuclear medicine system (NUC), performs a second imaging procedure on a subject. The second imaging subsystem (B) is remote from the first imaging system (A). A patient couch (28) supports a subject. A patient transfer subsystem (C) transfers a patient couch (28) between the first imaging subsystem (A) and the second imaging subsystem (B). The first and second imaging subsystems (A, B) can be operated concurrently to perform different imaging procedures on different subjects supported by separate patient couches. Data generated by the first imaging subsystem (A) can be used to correct emission data generated by the second imaging subsystem (B).

Claims

1. A multi-modality diagnostic imaging system comprising:

a first imaging subsystem for performing a first imaging procedure on a subject;

a second imaging subsystem for performing a second imaging procedure on a subject, the second imaging subsystem being remote from the first imaging system;

a patient couch adapted for supporting a subject;

a patient transfer subsystem for transferring the patient couch between the first imaging subsystem and the second imaging subsystem.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first imaging subsystem includes:

a first gantry defining a first patient examination region;

a first couch support proximate the first examination region and adapted to support the patient couch, the patient couch being movable along the first couch support to position the patient couch at a predetermined location along the first couch support.

3. The imaging system of claim 2, wherein the second imaging subsystem includes:

a second gantry defining a second patient examination region;

a second couch support, proximate the second examination region and adapted to support the patient couch, the patient couch being movable along the second couch support to position the patient couch at a predetermined location along the second couch support.

4. The imaging system of claim 3, wherein the patient transfer subsystem includes:

a base; and

a third couch support mounted on the base and adapted to support the patient couch, the patient couch being movable along the third coach support, and at least one of the base and the third couch support being movable to move the third couch support between alignment with the first couch support and alignment with the second couch support.

5. The imaging system of claim 4, further including:

a patient queuing station remote from the first imaging subsystem and the second imaging subsystem, the patient queuing station adapted to support the patient couch, the patient transfer subsystem being selectively alignable with the patient queuing station to transfer the patient couch therebetween.

6. The imaging system of claim 5 further including a plurality of patient couches to facilitate moving a plurality of patients among the first imaging subsystem, the second imaging subsystem, and the queuing station.

7. The imaging system of claim 4, further comprising a control and processing subsystem including:

a first control and image processing subsystem for reconstructing a first image representation from data generated by the first diagnostic imaging subsystem;

a second control and image processing subsystem for reconstructing a second image representation from data generated by the second diagnostic imaging subsystem; and

a combined control and image processing subsystem for combining the first image representation and the second image representation into a combined image representation.

8. The imaging system of claim 7, wherein:

the patient couch includes at least one fiducial capable of being imaged by both the first imaging subsystem and the second imaging subsystem; and

the image combining circuit includes a means for combining the data representing first image representation and the data representing the second image representation into the combined image representation based on the at least one imaged fiducial.

9. The imaging system of claim 7 wherein the control and processing subsystem includes:

a processor for comparing corresponding identifiable elements of the first and second image representations and for determining corrections necessary to bring the identifiable elements of the first and second image representations into alignment; and

an image adjustment processor for adjusting at least one of the first and second image representations such that the corresponding identifiable elements in the combined image representation are substantially superimposed.

10. The imaging system of claim 7, wherein the control and processing subsystem further includes:

a means for correcting the data that the second reconstruction processor reconstructs into the second image representation based on the first image representation.

11. The imaging system of claim 7, wherein the control and processing subsystem further includes:

a means for simultaneously operating the first imaging subsystem and the second imaging subsystem to perform imaging procedures on different subjects supported by separate patient couches.

12. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first imaging subsystem includes a computed tomographic (CT) imaging system and the second imaging subsystem includes a nuclear medicine imaging system.

13. A diagnostic imaging suite comprising:

a first imaging system positioned within the imaging suite for performing a first imaging procedure on a subject supported on a patient couch;

a second imaging system positioned within the imaging suite remote from the first imaging system for performing a second imaging procedure on a subject supported on a patient couch, the second imaging procedure taking a plurality of times longer than the first imaging procedure;

a patient transfer system for transferring patient couches and the supported subjects between the first imaging system and the second imaging system;

a control and processing system including;

a first reconstruction processor for generating image representations from data generated by the first imaging system,

a second reconstruction processor for generating image representations from data generated by the second imaging system,

a means for combining the image representations generated by the first and second imaging systems into combined image representations; and

at least one monitor for displaying at least one of a first image representation of a first subject generated by the first imaging system, a second image representation of a second subject generated by the second imaging system, and a third combined image representation of the first subject generated by both the first imaging system and the second imaging system.

14. The imaging suite of claim 13, wherein:

the patient couches include a plurality of markers that are imaged by both the first imaging system and the second imaging system; and

the control and processing system includes a means for translating, scaling, and rotating at least one of the first image representation and the second image representation such that corresponding markers are superimposed in a combined image representation.

15. The imaging suite of claim 13, wherein the control and processing system includes:

a means for correcting the second image representation based on the first image representation.

16. The imaging suite of claim 13 wherein the control and processing includes:

a processor for comparing corresponding identifiable elements of the first and second image representations and for determining corrections necessary to bring the identifiable elements of the first and second image representations into alignment; and

an image adjustment processor for adjusting at least one of the first and second image representations such that the corresponding identifiable elements in a combined image representation are substantially superimposed.

17. The imaging suite of claim 13, wherein the first imaging system includes a computed tomographic (CT) imaging system and the second imaging system includes a nuclear medicine imaging system.

18. The imaging suite of claim 13, further including a patient queuing station positioned within the imaging suite remote from the first imaging system and the second imaging system, the patient queuing station being adapted to support a patient couch received from the patient transfer system.

19. The imaging suite of claim 13 wherein the patient transfer system includes:

a translating member along which a patient couch is horizontally translated; and

a base for moving the translating member into alignment with (i) a first imaging system transfer member along which a patient couch translates to position the subject for the first imaging procedure, and (ii) a second imaging system transfer member along which a patient couch translates to position the subject for the second imaging procedure.

20. The imaging suite of claim 13 wherein the control and processing system includes:

a means for simultaneously operating the first imaging system and the second imaging system to perform imaging procedures concurrently on first and second subjects supported by first and second patient couches.

21. A method of performing a diagnostic imaging procedure comprising:

a) positioning a subject on a patient table;

b) performing a first imaging procedure on the subject using a first imaging system;

c) transferring the patient table to a second imaging system;

d) performing a second imaging procedure on the subject;

e) generating a first image representation from data generated by the first imaging system;

f) generating a second image representation from data generated by the second imaging system;

g) combining the data representing first image representation and the data representing the second image representation into a combined image representation; and

h) displaying at least one of the first image representation, the second image representation, and the combined image representation on at least one monitor.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein step g) includes:

i) combining the data representing first image representation and the data representing the second image representation into the combined image representation based on at least one fiducial associated with the patient table, the at least one fiducial capable of being imaged by the first imaging system and the second imaging system.

23. The method of claim 21, further including:

j) correcting the data representing the second image representation based on the data representing the first image representation.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first imaging system includes a computed tomographic (CT) imaging system and the second imaging subsystem includes a nuclear medicine imaging system.

25. The method of claim 21, further including:

i) positioning a second subject on a second patient table;

j) positioning the second subject for imaging with the first imaging system while the first-mentioned subject is positioned for imaging with the second imaging system; and

k) performing a third imaging procedure on the second subject with the first imaging system while the second imaging procedure is being performed on the first-mentioned subject with the second imaging system.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein step c) includes:

i) transferring the patient table to a patient transfer system including a translating member along which a patient couch is horizontally translated and a base for moving the translating member into alignment with (i) a first imaging system transfer member along which a patient couch translates, and (ii) a second imaging system transfer member along which a patent couch translates.