PET scanner with photodetectors and wavelength shifting fibers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for estimating the location of an area on a scintillator block, the apparatus comprising:
- photodetectors disposed to receive photons from a scintillator block of a PET scanner and configured to provide a measured photodetector signal indicative of a distribution of photons detected by the photodetectors;
wavelength-shifting fibers disposed to receive photons from the scintillator block and configured to provide a measured fiber signal indicative of a distribution of photons received by the fibers; and
a processor configured to estimate, on the basis of both the measured photodetector signal and the measured fiber signal, a location of a discrete area on a surface of the scintillator block from which the photons emerge.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for estimating a location of a most-likely photon source on a scintillator block includes obtaining a measured photodetector signal indicative of a distribution of photons received by a plurality of photodetectors from a photon source on a scintillator block; and obtaining a measured fiber signal indicative of a distribution of photons received by a plurality of wavelength-shifting fibers extending across the scintillator block from a photon source on a scintillator block.
73 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for estimating the location of an area on a scintillator block, the apparatus comprising:
-
photodetectors disposed to receive photons from a scintillator block of a PET scanner and configured to provide a measured photodetector signal indicative of a distribution of photons detected by the photodetectors; wavelength-shifting fibers disposed to receive photons from the scintillator block and configured to provide a measured fiber signal indicative of a distribution of photons received by the fibers; and a processor configured to estimate, on the basis of both the measured photodetector signal and the measured fiber signal, a location of a discrete area on a surface of the scintillator block from which the photons emerge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of estimating a location of a discrete area on the surface of scintillator block, the method comprising:
-
obtaining a measured photodetector signal indicative of a distribution of photons received by a plurality of photodetectors; and obtaining a measured fiber signal indicative of a distribution of photons received by a plurality of wavelength-shifting fibers extending across the scintillator block; on the basis of both the measured fiber signal and the measured photodetector signal, estimating a location of a discrete area on the surface of the scintillator block from which the photons emerge. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for estimating a location of a discrete area on the surface of a scintillator block, the software comprising instructions for:
-
obtaining a measured photodetector signal indicative of a distribution of photons received by a plurality of photodetectors; obtaining a measured fiber signal indicative of a distribution of photons received by a plurality of wavelength-shifting fibers extending across the scintillator block; and estimating, on the basis of both the measured photodetector signal and the measured fiber signal, a location of a discrete area on the surface of the scintillation block from which the photons emerged. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification