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Single photon emission computed tomography system

  • US 6,525,321 B2
  • Filed: 03/28/2002
  • Issued: 02/25/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A single photon emission computed tomography system for producing multiple tomographic images of the type representing a three-dimensional distribution of a photon-emitting radioisotope, said system comprising:

  • a base including a patient support for supporting a human patient such that a portion of the patient'"'"'s torso is located in a field of view, the patient'"'"'s torso extending generally vertically such that the patient'"'"'s head is substantially higher than the patient'"'"'s hips, a longitudinal axis being defined through the field of view, with the longitudinal axis being generally vertical;

    a detector assembly adjacent the field of view, said detector assembly including a photon-responsive detector operable to detect if a photon strikes the detector, said detector assembly operable to scan for photons emitted from the portion of the patient'"'"'s torso located in the field of view;

    a collimating assembly including at least two spaced apart collimating vanes of photon-attenuating material, each of said vanes being disposed between said detector and the field of view;

    a photon-blocking member disposed between the field of view and said detector, said blocking member having an aperture slot defined therethrough for passage of photons aligned with said aperture slot, a line of response being defined from said detector through said aperture; and

    a displacement actuator for moving said photon-blocking member relative to said detector such that said aperture is displaced relative to said detector and said line of response is swept across at least a portion of the field of view;

    wherein the patient and the photon responsive detector remain stationary during a scan.

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