Gamma camera and CT system

• US 6,841,782 B1
• Filed: 06/06/1999
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ELGEMS Ltd (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: ELGEMS Ltd (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Hefetz, Yaron, Wainer, Naor, Yakubovsky, Leonid, Berlad, Gideon, Balan, Adi, Hajaj, Benny, Lonn, Albert, Shrem, Yigal
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gabor, Otilia
• Application Number:
  US10/009,375
• Time in Patent Office: 2,046 Days
• Field of Search: 250/363.02, 250/363.01, 250/363.03, 250/363.04, 250/363.05, 250/363.08, 250/363.1, 600/407, 600/425, 600/431, 600/436
• US Class Current: 250/363.02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/08 Auxiliary means for directing the radiation beam to a particular spot, e.g. using light beams
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/488 involving pre-scan acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5205 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5235 combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/584 determining position of components of the apparatus or device using images of the phantom
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/1611 using both transmission and emission sources sequentially SPECT imaging G01T1/1642; PET imaging G01T1/2985; detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objects G01V5/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/1648 Ancillary equipment for scintillation cameras, e.g. reference markers, devices for removing motion artifacts, calibration devices adapted for flow studies G01T1/1647
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/169 Exploration, location of contaminated surface areas

Abstract

A method of producing a nuclear medicine image of a subject comprising the steps of acquiring nuclear image data suitable to produce a nuclear tomographic image, the data being acquired by at least one gamma camera head (12, 14) rotating about the subject at an average first rate, acquiring x-ray imaging data suitable to produce an x-ray tomographic image for attenuation correction of the gamma camera image, the data being acquired by an array of detectors (20) irradiated by an x-ray source (18) rotating around the subject at an average second rate which is within a factor of 10 of the first rate, and reconstructing an attenuation corrected nuclear medicine image utilizing the nuclear imaging data and x-ray imaging data.

Claims

1. A method of nuclear imaging, including acquiring attenuation data for correcting the nuclear image, comprising:

acquiring nuclear emission data over a first axially extending portion of the body;

determining the extent of a radioactive region of interest in the body;

acquiring transmission data over a second axially extending portion of the body, responsive to the determined extent; and

generating three dimensional emission values from the nuclear mission corrected by said transmission data.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the second axially extending portion is smaller than the first axially extending portion.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein determining an extent comprises acquiring a planar nuclear emission image.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein determining an extent comprises determining said extent from said acquired nuclear emission data.

5. A method according to claim 2 wherein the transmission data is acquired using an X-Ray source.

6. A method according to claim 2 wherein the transmission data is acquired using a gamma ray source.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining an extent comprises acquiring a planar nuclear emission image.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the transmission data is acquired using a gamma ray source.

9. A method according to claim 7 wherein the transmission data is acquired using a gamma ray source.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining an extent comprises determining said extent from said acquired nuclear emission data.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the transmission data is acquired using a gamma ray source.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein the transmission data is acquired using a gamma ray source.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the transmission data is acquired using an X-Ray source.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the transmission data is acquired using a gamma ray source.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein the transmission data is acquired using a gamma ray source.

16. A method according to claim 1 wherein the transmission data is acquired using a gamma ray source.

17. A method of acquiring attenuation data for correcting nuclear image data, comprising:

determining an extent of an organ of interest in the body;

acquiring nuclear emission data over a first axially extending portion of the body larger than the organ of interest; and

acquiring transmission data over a second axially extending portion of the body for correcting said acquired emission data, responsive to the determined extent of the organ, said second portion being substantially smaller than the first portion.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein determining an extent comprises acquiring a planar x-ray image.

19. A method according to claim 17 wherein the transmission data is acquired using an X-ray source.

20. A method according to claim 17 wherein determining an extent comprises acquiring a planar transmission gamma ray image.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein the transmission data is acquired using a gamma ray source.

22. A method according to claim 17 wherein determining an extent comprises acquiring a planar nuclear emission image.

23. A method according to claim 17 wherein determining an extent comprises determining said extent from said acquired nuclear emission data.

24. A method according to claim 17 and including generating three dimensional emission values from the nuclear emission corrected by said transmission data.

25. A method of nuclear imaging, including acquiring attenuation data for correcting the nuclear image, comprising:

acquiring nuclear emission data over a first axially extending portion of the body;

determining the extent of a radioactive region of interest in the body; and

acquiring transmission data over a second axially extending portion of the body, responsive to the determined extent.

26. A method of acquiring attenuation data for correcting a nuclear image, comprising:

determining an extent of an organ of interest in the body;

acquiring nuclear emission data over a first axially extending portion of the body larger than the organ of interest; and

acquiring transmission data over a second axially extending portion of the body, responsive to the determined extent of the organ, said second portion being substantially smaller than the first portion.