Volume cone beam acquisition on a nuclear spect system using a digital flat panel

US6670614B1 · kind B1 · utility

Inventors

• Leonard F. Plut · Willowick, US
• Gerhard Roos · Großenhain, DE
• Andrew J. Ivan · Aurora, US
• Frank C. Valentino · Hickory Hills, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 1, 2001
• Grant date: Dec 30, 2003
• Expiry date: Jun 1, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B6/037
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A diagnostic imaging system includes a rotating gantry (16; 216) which defines a subject receiving aperture (18; 218). A rotatable source of high energy penetrating radiation (20; 220) and a corresponding two-dimensional flat panel x-ray detector (26; 226) are disposed across the subject receiving aperture (18; 218). A plurality of nuclear detector heads (40a , 40b; 240a-240c) are movably attached to the rotating gantry (16; 216) in order to detect radiation emitted by a radiopharmaceutical injected into the subject (12; 212). Each of the nuclear detector heads (40a, 40b; 240a-240c) within the system includes a variable radiation shield (42a, 42b) disposed adjacent a radiation receiving face on the detector head. The diagnostic imaging system may be operated in a fluoroscopic/radiographic mode in which an isocentric x-ray beam strikes the center of the detector surface or in a volume imaging mode.