Nuclear medicine SPECT-CT machine with integrated asymmetric flat panel cone-beam CT and SPECT system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hybrid patient imaging system, including:
- at least two nuclear detector heads mounted on a rotatable gantry;
an X-ray source mounted on the gantry;
an X-ray detector mounted on the gantry opposite the X-ray source and offset relative to the X-ray source; and
an automatic-locking extender arm, hingeably coupled to a mount on the gantry and to the X-ray detector head;
wherein a field of view (FOV) of the X-ray source and a FOV of the nuclear detector heads overlap each other.
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Abstract
When performing nuclear (e.g., SPECT or PET) and CT scans on a patient, a volume cone-beam CT scan is performed using a cone-beam CT X-ray source (20) and an offset flat panel X-ray detector (22). A field of view of the X-ray source overlaps a field of view of two nuclear detector heads (18), and the offset of the X-ray detector (22) minimizes interference with nuclear detector head movement about a rotatable gantry (16). Additionally, a locking mechanism (80) provides automatically locking of the X-ray detector (22) in each of a stowed and operation position, improving safety and CT image quality.
162 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A hybrid patient imaging system, including:
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at least two nuclear detector heads mounted on a rotatable gantry; an X-ray source mounted on the gantry; an X-ray detector mounted on the gantry opposite the X-ray source and offset relative to the X-ray source; and an automatic-locking extender arm, hingeably coupled to a mount on the gantry and to the X-ray detector head; wherein a field of view (FOV) of the X-ray source and a FOV of the nuclear detector heads overlap each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A hybrid subject imaging system, including:
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an automatic-locking extender arm, hingeably coupled by a hinge pin to a mount on a rotatable gantry and including an extendible slider plate that is coupled to a flat-panel X-ray detector; a cone-beam X-ray source coupled to the gantry opposite the X-ray detector, the X-ray source being movable in a longitudinal direction along a volume of interest (VOI), parallel to a longitudinal axis through the gantry; two nuclear detectors coupled to the gantry and having a field of view (FOV) that overlaps with a FOV of the X-ray source; wherein the extender arm rotates about the hinge pin approximately 90°
between a stowed position flush against the mount and an operational position in which an X-ray receiving surface of the X-ray detector is slightly offset from, and faces, the X-ray source. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of hybrid imaging, comprising:
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rotating at least two nuclear detector heads, an X-ray source, and an X-ray detector around a patient pallet such that a field of view of the X-ray source and detector is coincident with a field of view of the nuclear detector heads; and during CT imaging, collecting truncated portions of a volume of interest (VOI) of a patient in such a manner that views from opposite halves of the VOI are collected in 180°
opposite rotational orientations of a rotating gantry;wherein the X-ray detector is coupled to the gantry by an automatic-locking extender arm. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A hybrid subject imaging system, including:
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a locking extender arm, rotatably coupled by a first pivot point to a flat-panel X-ray detector and rotatably coupled by a second pivot point to a rotatable gantry; a cone-beam X-ray source coupled to the gantry opposite the X-ray detector, the X-ray source being movable in a longitudinal direction along a volume of interest (VOI), parallel to a longitudinal axis through the gantry; one or more nuclear detectors coupled to the gantry and having a field of view (FOV) that overlaps with a FOV of the X-ray source; wherein the extender arm rotates about the second pivot point approximately 90°
between a stowed position flush against the gantry, and the flat-panel X-ray detector rotates about the second pivot point approximately 180°
, to an operational position in which an X-ray receiving surface of the X-ray detector is slightly offset from, and faces, the X-ray source. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A hybrid patient imaging system, including:
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at least two nuclear detector heads mounted on a rotatable gantry; an X-ray source mounted on the gantry; and an X-ray detector mounted on the gantry opposite the X-ray source and offset relative to the X-ray source; wherein a field of view (FOV) of the X-ray source and a FOV of the nuclear detector heads overlap each other; wherein the X-ray source directs a cone-shaped X-ray beam to the offset X-ray detector; and wherein a volume of interest (VOI) is positioned partially within the FOV of the X-ray source to generate truncated views, and the gantry is rotated approximately 360°
around the VOI during CT data acquisition, the FOV is truncated such that truncated 180°
opposing views taken together generate a complete projection data set for the VOI. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A method of hybrid imaging, comprising:
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rotating at least two nuclear detector heads, an X-ray source, and an X-ray detector around a patient pallet such that a field of view of the X-ray source and detector is coincident with a field of view of the nuclear detector heads; and during CT imaging, collecting truncated portions of a volume of interest (VOI) of a patient in such a manner that views from opposite halves of the VOI are collected in 180°
opposite rotational orientations of a rotating gantry; andprior to acquiring data with the nuclear detector heads, folding the X-ray source and detector out of the way. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification