Integrated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/transmission computed tomography (TCT) system for cardiac imaging
First Claim
1. An integrated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/transmission computed tomography (TCT) system for cardiac imaging comprising:
- a stationary open arc-shaped frame;
a stationary open arc-shaped collimator subsystem for optimizing collimation of radiation photons emitted from the heart, the collimator subsystem configured to;
approximately match the shape of the thoracic contour of patients having different sizes and weights, position the collimator subsystem closely proximate the heart of a patient, and define a plurality of predetermined imaging volumes each having a central longitudinal axis, each of the plurality of predetermined imaging volumes configured to encompass the heart of patients of different sizes and weights;
a stationary arc-shaped detector subsystem proximate to the collimator subsystem and having a shape generally matching the shape of the collimator subsystem and configured to detect collimated radiation photons from the collimator subsystem and generate output electrical signals;
a patient positioning subsystem configured to position the patient about and/or up and down the central longitudinal axis of a selected imaging volume of the plurality of predetermined imaging volumes and configured to intermittently and incrementally rotate the patient about a selected central longitudinal axis; and
a computer subsystem configured to receive digitized output electrical signals from the detector subsystem and generate a plurality of SPECT or TCT images of the heart.
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Abstract
This invention features an integrated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/transmission computed tomography (TCT) system for cardiac imaging including an open arc-shaped frame. A collimator system is shaped to approximately match the thoracic contour of patients having different sizes and weights and shaped to surround and position the collimator closely proximate a heart of a patient of said patients encompassed by at least one predetermined image volume for optimizing collimation of radiation photons emitted from the heart. An arc-shaped detector system is coupled to the collimator subsystem having a shape closely matching the shape of the collimator subsystem for detecting collimated radiation photons from the collimator subsystem and generating output electrical signals. A patient positioning subsystem positions a patient to a predetermined central longitudinal axis of the three-dimensional imaging volume and for intermittently and incrementally rotating the patient about the predetermined central longitudinal axis for generating a plurality of TCT images.
152 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An integrated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/transmission computed tomography (TCT) system for cardiac imaging comprising:
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a stationary open arc-shaped frame; a stationary open arc-shaped collimator subsystem for optimizing collimation of radiation photons emitted from the heart, the collimator subsystem configured to;
approximately match the shape of the thoracic contour of patients having different sizes and weights, position the collimator subsystem closely proximate the heart of a patient, and define a plurality of predetermined imaging volumes each having a central longitudinal axis, each of the plurality of predetermined imaging volumes configured to encompass the heart of patients of different sizes and weights;a stationary arc-shaped detector subsystem proximate to the collimator subsystem and having a shape generally matching the shape of the collimator subsystem and configured to detect collimated radiation photons from the collimator subsystem and generate output electrical signals; a patient positioning subsystem configured to position the patient about and/or up and down the central longitudinal axis of a selected imaging volume of the plurality of predetermined imaging volumes and configured to intermittently and incrementally rotate the patient about a selected central longitudinal axis; and a computer subsystem configured to receive digitized output electrical signals from the detector subsystem and generate a plurality of SPECT or TCT images of the heart. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An integrated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/transmission computed tomography (TCT) system for cardiac imaging comprising:
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a stationary open arc-shaped frame; a stationary open arc-shaped collimator subsystem for optimizing collimation of radiation photons emitted from the heart, the collimator subsystem configured to;
approximately match the shape of the thoracic contour of patients having different sizes and weights, position the collimator subsystem closely proximate the heart of a patient, and define a plurality of predetermined imaging volumes each having a central longitudinal axis, each of the plurality of predetermined imaging volumes configured to encompass the heart of patients of different sizes and weights;a stationary arc-shaped detector subsystem proximate to the collimator subsystem and having a shape generally matching the shape of the collimator subsystem and configured to detect collimated radiation photons from the collimator subsystem and generate output electrical signals; a patient positioning subsystem configured to position the patient about and/or up and down the central longitudinal axis of a selected imaging volume of the plurality of predetermined imaging volumes and configured to intermittently and incrementally rotate the patient about a selected central longitudinal axis; and a movable source of radiation for emitting a beam of radiation photons to and encompassing a selected imaging volume of the plurality of imaging volumes; a computer subsystem configured to receive digitized output electrical signals from the detector subsystem and generate a plurality of SPECT or TCT images of the heart. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. An integrated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/transmission computed tomography (TCT) system for cardiac imaging comprising:
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a stationary open arc-shaped frame; a stationary open arc-shaped collimator subsystem for optimizing collimation of radiation photons emitted from the heart, the collimator subsystem configured to;
approximately match the shape of the thoracic contour of patients having different sizes and weights, position the collimator subsystem closely proximate the heart of said patients, and define a plurality of predetermined imaging volumes each having a central longitudinal axis, each of the plurality of predetermined imaging volumes configured to encompass the heart of patients of different sizes and weights;
the collimator subsystem further including plurality of transversely spaced slats converging on a predetermined focal point of an x-ray source emitting a three-dimensional cone beam of radiation photons which encompasses a selected predetermined imaging volume of the plurality of predetermined imaging volumes;a stationary arc-shaped detector subsystem proximate to the collimator subsystem and having a shape generally matching the shape of the collimator subsystem and configured to detect collimated radiation photons from the collimator subsystem and generate output electrical signals; a patient positioning subsystem configured to position a patient about and/or up and down the central longitudinal axis of the a selected imaging volume of the plurality of predetermined imaging volumes and configured to intermittently and incrementally rotate the patient about a selected central longitudinal axis; and a computer subsystem configured to receive digitized output electrical signals from the detector subsystem and generate a plurality of SPECT or TCT images of the heart.
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Specification