Adaptive opto-emission imaging device and method thereof

• US 7,030,384 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Wagenaar, Douglas J., Burckhardt, Darrell D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAO, CHIH CHENG G
• Application Number:
  US10/187,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20040005028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 378/98, 378/98.2, 378/98.5, 378/98.8, 378/189, 250/370.09, 250/370.08, 250/370.07, 600/407, 600/436
• US Class Current: 250/370.09
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/462 characterised by constructional features of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/161 Applications in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting apparatus for radiation diagnosis A61B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/24 with semiconductor detectors

Abstract

An adaptive opto-emission imaging device includes a detector having a detector face and a back surface. The detector detects radiation emanating from an object positioned in the direction of the detector face, and produces a radiopharmaceutical distribution profile of the detected radiation. An image capturing device such as a video camera provided at the detector face of the detector produces a live visual image of the object. A display device provided at the back surface of the detector displays the radiopharmaceutical distribution profile and/or the live visual image of the object. The adaptive opto-emission imaging device greatly reduces the amount of computation and time to provide real time image guidance, for example to physicians using the device to perform an image-guided surgical procedure.

Claims

1. An adaptive opto-emission imaging device comprising:

a detector having a detector face and a back surface opposite said detector face, said detector being operable to detect radiopharmaceutical radiation emanating from an object positioned in a direction of said detector face and to produce a radiopharmaceutical distribution profile of the detected radiation;

an image capturing device provided on said detector face of said detector operable to produce a live visual image of said object; and

a display device provided on said back surface of said detector that is capable of displaying said radiopharmaceutical distribution profile in alignment with said live visual image of said object as a combined image.

2. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein said radiopharmaceutical distribution profile includes the shape and location of said detected radiation.

3. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein said detector includes a gamma radiation detector and a short bore collimator.

4. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein said image capturing device includes a video camera.

5. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein said display device includes a video monitor.

6. The imaging device of claim 5, wherein said video monitor is a color monitor.

7. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein said detector, said image capturing device, and said display device are contained in a housing.

8. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein said image capturing device includes a light source.

9. A method of providing a live image of an object obscured by a radiation detector for detecting radiopharmaceutical radiation emanating from within said object, comprising the steps of:

providing a radiation detector for detecting radiation emanating from within an object positioned in a direction of a face of said detector;

producing a radiopharmaceutical distribution profile of the detected radiation;

providing an image capturing device on said detector face for producing a live visual image of said object positioned in said direction of said detector face; and

displaying said radiopharmaceutical distribution profile in alignment with said live visual image of said object as a combined image on a display mounted to a back surface of said detector opposite said detector face.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said radiopharmaceutical distribution profile includes the shape and location of said detected radiation.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing said radiation detector includes the steps of providing a gamma radiation detector and a short bore collimator.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing said image capturing device includes the step of providing a video camera.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said display includes a video monitor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said video monitor is a color monitor.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of providing said detector, said image capturing device, and said display in a single housing.