Gamma-ray camera system
US7504635B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 9, 2004 |
| Grant date | Mar 17, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B6/4258
- WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A scintillator crystal (26) based gamma-ray camera system is described. The gamma-ray camera system includes a spectra processing component for (34) providing improved energy resolution over that seen in conventional gamma-ray camera systems. The spectra processing component operates to deconvolve detector response functions from observed energy spectra on a pixel by pixel basis. The pixel dependent to detector response functions are obtained by a combination of theoretical simulation, and empirical calibration. By deconvolving pixel specific detector response functions, variations in response of a gamma-ray camera system across its image plane can be accounted for. This offers significant improvements in energy resolution and many of the problems associated with conventional gamma-ray camera systems are reduced. For example, the improved energy resolution allows better rejection of photons associated with Compton scattering events occurring in a source being imaged. This is because a narrower energy window filter can be used without rejecting a significant fraction of non-Compton scattered photons. The spectra processing component can be easily implemented with different types of …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.