Gamma camera

• US 6,906,330 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ELGEMS Ltd
• Original Assignee: ELGEMS Ltd
• Inventors: Blevis, Ira, Tsukerman, Leonid, Hefetz, Yaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Application Number:
  US10/278,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20040075058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 250/370.09
• US Class Current: 250/370.09
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/1642 using a scintillation crystal and position sensing photodetector arrays, e.g. ANGER cameras

Abstract

A hand gamma camera system for generating an image of a gamma radiation source, said camera comprising a housing designed to be hand held, a gamma radiation image detector mounted on or in said housing that generates detection data responsive to radiation data from a gamma source incident on said radiation detector, a controller connected to said radiation detector that receives said detection data and generates image data and a display mounted on or in said housing that receives said image data from said controller and generates an image.

Claims

1. A hand gamma camera system for generating an image of a gamma radiation source, said camera comprising:

(a) a housing having a handle;

(b) a gamma radiation image detector mounted on or in said housing that generates detection data responsive to radiation data from a gamma source incident on said radiation detector;

(c) a controller that receives said detection data and generates image data; and

(d) a display mounted on or in said housing that receives said image data from said controller and generates an image;

wherein said camera further comprises a fixed focus collimator having a predetermined focal distance that focuses the gamma camera image substantially at the focal distance from the gamma camera; and

wherein said source is located within a three-dimensional body with a surface and said camera comprises a transducer that senses the distance of said camera in relation to said surface.

2. A gamma camera according to claim 1, wherein said controller is responsive to said transducer and provides at least one of the following distance on said display;

the camera focal length;

the distance between said gamma source and said tissue surface; and

the distance of said camera in relation to said surface.

3. A gamma camera according to claim 2 wherein an operator-operated distance control causes said display to display at least one of said distances.

4. A gamma camera according to claim 3 wherein said operator-operated control is attached to said camera.

5. A gamma camera according to claim 3 wherein said operator-operated control is remote from said camera.

6. A gamma detection system apparatus comprising:

a) a controller

b) a gamma radiation imaging detector that provides image data to the controller, said data being detected from a gamma radiation source within a body having a surface;

c) a fixed focus collimator having a predetermined focal distance through which the detector views the gamma source; and

d) a transducer that determines the distance of said detector or collimator from said surface and generates distance data to said controller.

7. A gamma detection apparatus according to claim 6 wherein at least said detector is adapted to be held in a hand.

8. A gamma detection apparatus according to claim 6 wherein at least said detector is adapted to be portable.

9. A gamma detection apparatus according to claim 6 wherein at least one display is connected to said controller.

10. A gamma detection apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said at least one display is mounted on said detector.

11. A gamma detection apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said at least one display is separate from said detector.

12. A gamma detection apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said at least one display displays at least one of the following:

the camera focal length;

the distance between said gamma source and said tissue surface; and

the distance of said camera in relation to said surface.

13. A gamma detection apparatus according to claim 12 wherein an operator-operated control causes said at least one display to display at least one of said distances.

14. A gamma detection apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said operator-operated control is attached to said detector.

15. A gamma detection apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said operator-operated control is remote from said detector.

16. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the transducer measures the distance of said detector or collimator from said surface.

17. A method of gamma-radiation imaging comprising:

(a) imaging a region containing gamma-emitting material using a gamma radiation detector through a fixed focus collimator having a fixed focal length;

(b) providing said image on a display;

(c) moving said detector closer to, or further from, said material until said image fills said display;

d) determining the distance of the detector to a surface enclosing said material when said image fills said display; and

e) calculating the distance of said gamma-emitting material from said surface, based upon said determined distance and said focal length.

18. A method of gamma-radiation imaging according to claim 17, wherein said calculating comprises subtracting said determined distance from the focal distance associated with said fixed focus collimator.

19. A method of gamma-radiation imaging according to claim 17, wherein said determining comprises sending and receiving a signal to and from said enclosing surface.

20. A method of gamma-radiation imaging according to claim 17, wherein said distance determination is displayed said display.

21. A method of gamma radiation imaging according to claim 17, comprising:

(a) determining the velocity of said detector in relation to said gamma emitting material;

(b) processing said image information to provide adjusted image data at a pixel resolution that maximizes features of said image, consonant with said velocity; and

(c) displaying an image of gamma emitting material based on said adjusted image data at said pixel resolution on said display.

22. A method according to claim 17 wherein determining the distance comprises measuring the distance.