High performance computing for three dimensional proton computed tomography (HPC-PCT)

US8766180B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University · US

Inventors

• Nicholas Karonis · West Chicago, US
• George Coutrakon · Redlands, US
• Kirk Duffin · DeKalb, US
• Bela Erdelyi · Romeoville, US
• Kevin Naglich · Elgin, US
• Scott Penfold · Adelaide, AU
• Paul Rubinov · Batavia, US
• Victor Rykalin · Naperville, US
• Vishnu Zutshi · DeKalb, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 4, 2011
• Grant date: Jul 1, 2014
• Expiry date: Apr 4, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01T1/2985
• WIPO field: Environmental technology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A proton computed tomography (pCT) detector system, including two tracking detectors in sequence on a first side of an object to be imaged, two tracking detectors in sequence on an opposite side of the object to be imaged, a calorimeter, and a computer cluster, wherein the tracking detectors include plastic scintillation fibers. All fibers in the detector system are read out by Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM). A method of imaging an object by emitting protons from a source through two tracking detectors, through and around the object, and through two opposite tracking detectors, detecting energy of the protons with a calorimeter, and imaging the object.