Detector arm systems and assemblies

• US 9,439,607 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Khen, Roee, Hefetz, Yaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kiho
• Application Number:
  US14/841,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20160022228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4266 characterised by using a plurality of detector units A61B6/4014 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4429 related to the mounting of source units and detector units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/447 the source unit or the detector unit being mounted to counterpoise or springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/503 for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/545 involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• 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 1/166 involving relative movement between detector and subject scanners in general without using scintigraphy G01T1/2964
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2985 In depth localisation, e.g. using positron emitters; Tomographic imaging (longitudinal and transverse section imaging; apparatus for radiation diagnosis sequentially in different planes, steroscopic radiation diagnosis); using external radiation sources A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/005 Specific pre-processing for tomographic reconstruction, e.g. calibration, source positioning, rebinning, scatter correction, retrospective gating

Abstract

A detector arm assembly is provided that includes a stator, a detector head, a radial motion motor, and a detector head belt. The stator is configured to be fixedly coupled to a gantry having a bore. The detector head includes a carrier section that is slidably coupled to the stator and configured to be movable in a radial direction in the bore relative to the stator. The radial motion motor is operably coupled to at least one of the detector head or the stator. The detector head belt is operably coupled to the radial motion motor and the carrier section. Rotation of the radial motion motor causes movement of the detector head in the radial direction.

Claims

1. A detector arm assembly comprising:

a stator configured to be fixedly coupled to a gantry having a bore defining a radial direction;

a detector head including a carrier section, the carrier section slidably coupled to the stator and configured to be movable in the radial direction in the bore relative to the stator;

a radial motion motor operably coupled to at least one of the detector head or the stator; and

a detector head belt extending along the radial direction and operably coupled to the radial motion motor and the carrier section, wherein rotation of the radial motion motor causes movement of the detector head belt and the detector head along the radial direction.

2. The detector arm assembly of claim 1, further comprising a slider block interposed between the detector head and the stator, the slider block slidably coupled to the stator and configured to be moveable in the radial direction with respect to the stator, the carrier section of the detector head slidably coupled to the slider block and configured to be moveable in the radial direction with respect to the slider block.

3. The detector arm assembly of claim 2, wherein the slider block is fixed to the detector head belt at at least one point, wherein the slider block moves in the radial direction with a portion of the detector head belt.

4. The detector arm assembly of claim 3, further comprising an idler belt mounted to idler gears disposed on the slider block, the idler belt fixed to the carrier section at at least one point and to the stator at at least one point, wherein the slider block moves in the radial direction with a portion of the idler belt relative to the stator.

5. The detector arm assembly of claim 4, wherein the idler belt gears include a first idler belt gear disposed at a first end of the slider block and a second idler belt gear disposed at a second, opposed end of the slider block.

6. The detector arm assembly of claim 2, wherein the radial motion motor is mounted to the carrier section.

7. The detector arm assembly of claim 1, further comprising a counterweight coupled to at least one of the slider block or the detector head, the counterweight configured to move in an opposite radial direction to the detector head.

8. The detector arm assembly of claim 7, wherein the counterweight is coupled to a cable forming a loop around the stator.

9. The detector arm assembly of claim 7, wherein the detector head is coupled to a rotary spring coupled to the stator.

10. The detector arm assembly of claim 7, further comprising a counterweight pulley mounted to the counterweight, a stator pulley mounted to the stator, and a cable wrapped at least partially about the stator pulley and the counterweight pulley.

11. A detector arm assembly comprising:

a stator configured to be fixedly coupled to a gantry having a bore defining a radial direction;

a detector head including a carrier section, the carrier section slidably coupled to the stator and configured to be movable in the radial direction in the bore relative to the stator;

a slider block interposed between the detector head and the stator, the slider block slidably coupled to the stator and configured to be moveable in the radial direction with respect to the stator, the carrier section of the detector head slidably coupled to the slider block and configured to be moveable in the radial direction with respect to the slider block; and

a detector head belt extending along the radial direction operably coupled to the carrier section, the detector head belt configured to move along the radial direction, wherein movement of the detector head belt causes movement of the detector head in the radial direction.

12. The detector arm assembly of claim 11, wherein the slider block is fixed to the detector head belt at at least one point, wherein the slider block moves in the radial direction with a portion of the detector head belt.

13. The detector arm assembly of claim 12, further comprising an idler belt mounted to idler gears disposed on the slider block, the idler belt fixed to the carrier section at at least one point and to the stator at at least one point, wherein the slider block moves in the radial direction with a portion of the idler belt relative to the stator.

14. The detector arm assembly of claim 13, wherein the idler belt gears include a first idler belt gear disposed at a first end of the slider block and a second idler belt gear disposed at a second, opposed end of the slider block.

15. The detector arm assembly of claim 11, further comprising a radial motion motor mounted to the carrier section and operably coupled to the detector head belt.

16. The detector arm assembly of claim 11, further comprising a counterweight coupled to at least one of the slider block or the detector head, the counterweight configured to move in an opposite radial direction to the detector head.

17. An imaging system comprising:

a gantry defining a bore, the bore defining a radial direction; and

plural detector arm assemblies distributed about the bore, wherein at least some of the detector arm assemblies comprise;

a stator configured to be fixedly coupled to the gantry;

a detector head including a carrier section, the carrier section slidably coupled to the stator and configured to be movable in the radial direction in the bore relative to the stator;

a radial motion motor operably coupled to at least one of the detector head or the stator;

a detector head belt extending along the radial direction and operably coupled to the radial motion motor and the carrier section, wherein rotation of the radial motion motor causes movement of the detector head belt and the detector head along the radial direction; and

a slider block interposed between the detector head and the stator, the slider block slidably coupled to the stator and configured to be moveable in the radial direction with respect to the stator, the carrier section of the detector head slidably coupled to the slider block and configured to be moveable in the radial direction with respect to the slider block.

18. The imaging system of claim 17, wherein at least some of the detector arm assemblies include a counterweight coupled to at least one of the slider block or the detector head, the counterweight configured to move in an opposite radial direction to the detector head.

19. The imaging system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the detector arm assemblies includes the counterweight and at least one of the detector arm assemblies does not include the counterweight.

20. The imaging system of claim 18, wherein the plural detector heads include a lateral group and a vertical group, wherein the detector heads of the lateral group do not include the counterweight.