公开(公告)号：US06362479B1

公开(公告)日：2002-03-26

申请号：US09272228

申请日：1999-03-18

申请人： Mark S. Andreaco ,  Charles W. Williams ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Michael E. Casey

发明人： Mark S. Andreaco ,  Charles W. Williams ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Michael E. Casey

IPC分类号： G01T120

CPC分类号： G01T1/1644 ,  A61B6/037 ,  G01T1/1648

摘要： A scintillation detector which includes a plurality of discrete scintillators composed of one or more scintillator materials. The discrete scintillators interact with incident radiation to produce a quantifiable number of photons with characteristic emission wavelength and decay time. A light guide is operatively associated with the scintillation crystals and may be either active or non-active and segmented or non-segmented depending upon the embodiment of the design. Photodetectors are provided to sense and quantify the scintillation light emissions. The process and system embodying various features of the present invention can be utilized in various applications such as SPECT, PET imaging and simultaneous PET systems. In accordance with the present invention, the detector array of the present invention incorporates either a single scintillator layer of discrete scintillators or discrete scintillators composed of two stacked different layers that can be the same scintillator material or of two different scintillator materials. In either case the different layers are composed of materials that have distinctly different decay times. The variants in these figures are the types of optical detectors which are used, i.e. photomultipliers and/or photodiodes, whether or not a segmented optical light guide is used, and whether the light guide is active or non-active. If a segmented optical light guide is used then the variant is whether the configuration is inverted or non-inverted.

摘要翻译： 闪烁检测器，其包括由一个或多个闪烁体材料组成的多个分立的闪烁体。 离散的闪烁体与入射辐射相互作用以产生具有特征发射波长和衰减时间的可量化数量的光子。 光引导件与闪烁晶体可操作地相关联，并且可以是有源的或非有效的，并且根据设计的实施例是分段的或非分段的。 提供光电检测器来感测和量化闪烁光发射。 体现本发明各种特征的方法和系统可以用于诸如SPECT，PET成像和同时PET系统的各种应用中。 根据本发明，本发明的检测器阵列包括单个闪烁体层的离散闪烁体或由两层不同层组成的分立闪烁体，其可以是相同的闪烁体材料或两种不同的闪烁体材料。 在任一情况下，不同的层由具有截然不同的衰变时间的材料组成。 这些图中的变型是使用的光学检测器的类型，即光电倍增管和/或光电二极管，是否使用分段的光学光导，以及光导是活动的还是非活动的。 如果使用分段光学光导，则该变体是配置是倒置还是非反转。

公开(公告)号：US06288399B1

公开(公告)日：2001-09-11

申请号：US09190661

申请日：1998-11-12

申请人： Mark S. Andreaco ,  Charles W. Williams ,  Michael E. Casey ,  Ronald Nutt

发明人： Mark S. Andreaco ,  Charles W. Williams ,  Michael E. Casey ,  Ronald Nutt

IPC分类号： G01T1164

CPC分类号： G01T1/1642 ,  A61B6/037 ,  G01T1/171 ,  G01T1/2008

摘要： A depth of interaction detector block for improving the spatial resolution and uniformity in modern high resolution PET systems over an entire FOV. An LSO crystal layer, a GSO crystal layer, and a light guide are stacked on each other and mounted on a 2×2 PMT set, so that the corners of the phoswich are positioned over the PMT centers. The crystal phoswich is cut into a matrix of discrete crystals. The separation of the LSO and the GSO layers by pulse shape discrimination allows discrete DOI information to be obtained. The block design provides an external light guide used to share the scintillation light in four PMTs. The 4 PMT signals Si are connected to an amplifier box which offers a 4 pole semi-Gaussian shaping for each of the four PMT signals, a sample clock for triggering the ADC cards and a fast sum signal &Sgr;iSi of the four PMT signals Si for pulse shape discrimination. A CFD provides a START signal for the time to pulse height converter. The fast sum signal is in addition differentiated and integrated with a fast filter amplifier and connected to a CFD, which provides a STOP signal for the TAC. The outputs of the shaped PMT signals and the TAC are connected to two ADC cards running under computer control.

摘要翻译： 相互作用探测器块的深度，用于改善现代高分辨率PET系统在整个FOV中的空间分辨率和均匀性。 将LSO晶体层，GSO晶体层和导光体彼此堆叠并安装在2x2PMT组上，使得phoswich的角部位于PMT中心上方。 将晶体切片切割成离散晶体的矩阵。 通过脉冲形状识别分离LSO和GSO层可以获得离散的DOI信息。 块设计提供了一个用于在四个PMT中共享闪烁灯的外部光导。 4个PMT信号Si连接到放大器盒，该放大器盒为四个PMT信号中的每一个提供4极半高斯整形，用于触发ADC卡的采样时钟和用于脉冲的四个PMT信号Si的快速和信号SIGMAiSi 形状辨别。 CFD为脉冲高度转换器提供START信号。 快速和信号另外区分并与快速滤波放大器集成，并连接到CFD，为CF提供STOP信号。 成形PMT信号和TAC的输出连接到在计算机控制下运行的两个ADC卡。

公开(公告)号：US06413311B2

公开(公告)日：2002-07-02

申请号：US09795174

申请日：2001-02-28

申请人： Charles L. Melcher ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Michael E. Casey

发明人： Charles L. Melcher ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Michael E. Casey

IPC分类号： C30B1520

CPC分类号： C30B15/10 ,  C30B15/00 ,  C30B29/34

摘要： A Cerium-Doped Lutetium Oxyorthosilicate scintillator boule having a graded decay time. The method for manufacturing an LSO:Ce crystal boule having a decay time gradient decreasing from the top end to the bottom end first includes the step selecting an iridium crucible. The crucible is selected based upon its diameter relative to the diameter defined by said crystal boule. The crucible is also selected based upon its volume relative to the volume of the crystal boule to be grown. A Cerium dopant (CeO2) is added to a mixture of Lutetium Oxide (Lu2O3) and Silicon Dioxide (SiO2). The composition is heated until melted to define a melt. A seed crystal is then placed in contact with the melt, is rotated, and slowly withdrawn, thereby yielding an LSO:Ce crystal boule defining a decay time gradient.

摘要翻译： 具有渐变衰减时间的铈掺杂镥氧原硅酸盐闪烁体晶体。 制造具有从顶端到底端衰减的衰减时间梯度的LSO：Ce晶体棒的方法首先包括选择铱坩埚的步骤。 坩埚基于其直径相对于由所述晶体晶粒定义的直径来选择。 坩埚也是根据其相对于待生长的晶体体积的体积来选择的。 将铈掺杂剂（CeO 2）加入到氧化镥（Lu 2 O 3）和二氧化硅（SiO 2）的混合物中。 将组合物加热直到熔化以限定熔体。 然后将晶种与熔体接触，旋转并缓慢抽出，从而产生限定衰减时间梯度的LSO：Ce晶体棒。

公开(公告)号：US06329657B1

公开(公告)日：2001-12-11

申请号：US09070951

申请日：1998-05-01

申请人： Charles C. Watson ,  Ronald Nutt ,  J. Clifton Moyers ,  Michael E. Casey ,  William F. Jones

发明人： Charles C. Watson ,  Ronald Nutt ,  J. Clifton Moyers ,  Michael E. Casey ,  William F. Jones

IPC分类号： G01T1163

CPC分类号： G01T1/2985 ,  A61B6/037

摘要： A coincidence transmission source serves to detect coincident activity from a radiation source. The coincidence transmission source includes a detector dedicated to collecting attenuation data. A collimated radiation source and a detector are positioned with respect to a tomography device such that only a selected strip of the imaging detector of the tomograph is illuminated such that events unrelated to the attenuation are eliminated. The coincidence transmission source includes a collimator in which is disposed a radiation source. An opening is defined by the collimator for exposing a selected portion of the imaging detectors of the tomograph device. Positioned behind the radiation source, relative to the imaging detectors, is the dedicated attenuation detector. The attenuation detector and collimator are designed to illuminate only a strip of the imaging detector, thereby eliminating events not of interest in the attenuation measurement. In a dual head tomograph device, one coincidence transmission source of the present invention is disposed opposite each bank of imaging detectors. The sources and the associated collimators are positioned to the side of each head at a slight angle relative to the respective head. The sources and detectors are fixed relative to the imaging heads. In order to obtain full coverage of the field of view (FOV) in the same manner as for an emission scan, the heads and sources are rotated about the center of the camera.

摘要翻译： 符合传输源用于检测来自辐射源的重合活动。 重合传输源包括专用于收集衰减数据的检测器。 准直辐射源和检测器相对于断层摄影装置定位，使得只有层析成像仪的成像检测器的选定条带被照亮，从而消除与衰减无关的事件。 重合传输源包括其中设置有辐射源的准直仪。 由准直器限定开口以暴露层析成像装置的成像检测器的选定部分。 相对于成像检测器定位在辐射源之后，是专用的衰减检测器。 衰减检测器和准直器被设计为仅照射成像检测器的条带，从而消除衰减测量中不感兴趣的事件。 在双头断层摄影装置中，本发明的一个重合传播源与每一组成像检测器相对设置。 源和相关联的准直仪相对于相应的头部以相当小的角度定位在每个头部的侧面。 源和检测器相对于成像头是固定的。 为了以与发射扫描相同的方式获得视场（FOV）的全面覆盖，头部和源围绕照相机的中心旋转。

公开(公告)号：US4749863A

公开(公告)日：1988-06-07

申请号：US796073

申请日：1985-11-07

申请人： Michael E. Casey ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Terry D. Douglass

发明人： Michael E. Casey ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Terry D. Douglass

IPC分类号： G01T1/161 ,  G01T1/20 ,  G01T1/202 ,  G01T1/29 ,  G02B6/00

CPC分类号： G01T1/202 ,  G01T1/2985

摘要： A two-dimensional photon position encoder system (10) and process which includes a detector (20) for enhancing the spatial resolution of the situs of the origin of incident photons of gamma rays. A plurality of scintillator material members (22) interact with the incident photons and produce a quantifiable number of photons which exit the scintillation material members. A tuned light guide (68) having a plurality of radiation barriers (92) of predetermined lengths define slots which are operatively associated with one of the scintillator material members. These slots (90) serve to enhance the predictability of the statistical distribution of photons along the length of the slotted light guide (68). A detector (20) detects the distribution of the photons at preselected locations along the length of the slotted light guide. In one embodiment, this detector (20) comprises a photomultiplier (70) which gathers information concerning the photoelectrons which are then counted. The statistical distribution of these photoelectrons is processed by an improved pattern recognition technique such that the positioning information can be determined.

摘要翻译： 一种二维光子位置编码器系统（10）以及包括用于增强伽马射线入射光子原点的位置的空间分辨率的检测器（20）的处理。 多个闪烁体材料构件（22）与入射的光子相互作用并产生可从数量上闪烁的材料构件的数量的光子。 具有多个具有预定长度的辐射屏障（92）的调谐光导（68）限定与闪烁体材料构件之一可操作地相关的槽。 这些槽（90）用于增强沿着带槽光导（68）的长度的光子的统计分布的可预测性。 检测器（20）沿着狭缝光导的长度检测预选位置处的光子的分布。 在一个实施例中，该检测器（20）包括光电倍增器（70），其收集关于光电子的信息，然后对其进行计数。 这些光电子的统计分布通过改进的模式识别技术来处理，使得可以确定定位信息。

公开(公告)号：US06429434B1

公开(公告)日：2002-08-06

申请号：US09398497

申请日：1999-09-17

申请人： Charles C. Watson ,  Stephen D. Miller ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Michael E. Casey ,  James J. Hamill

发明人： Charles C. Watson ,  Stephen D. Miller ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Michael E. Casey ,  James J. Hamill

IPC分类号： G01T1166

CPC分类号： G01T1/2985 ,  A61B6/037 ,  G01T1/1648 ,  G21K1/02

摘要： A transmission source serves to detect activity from a radiation source for correcting attenuation in either PET mode or SPECT mode. The transmission source includes a detector dedicated to collecting attenuation data in PET mode. A collimated radiation source and a detector are positioned with respect to a tomography device such that only a selected strip of the imaging detector of the tomograph is illuminated such that events unrelated to the attenuation are eliminated. The transmission source can either be a coincidence transmission source or a singles transmission source and includes a collimator in which is disposed a radiation source. An opening is defined by the collimator for exposing a selected portion of the imaging detectors of the tomograph device. Positioned behind the radiation source, relative to the imaging detectors, is the dedicated attenuation detector. In a dual head tomograph device, one transmission source of the present invention is disposed opposite each bank of imaging detectors. The sources and the associated collimators are positioned to the side of each head at a slight angle relative to the respective head. The sources and detectors are fixed relative to the imaging heads. In order to obtain full coverage of the field of view (FOV) in the same manner as for an emission scan, the heads and sources are rotated about the center of the camera. In SPECT mode, the point source is selected to have sufficiently high energy to shine through the patient and the collimators associated with the imaging detector.

摘要翻译： 传输源用于检测来自辐射源的活动以校正PET模式或SPECT模式中的衰减。 传输源包括专用于在PET模式下收集衰减数据的检测器。 准直辐射源和检测器相对于断层摄影装置定位，使得只有层析成像仪的成像检测器的选定条带被照亮，从而消除与衰减无关的事件。 传输源可以是重合传输源或单个传输源，并且包括准直仪，其中设置有辐射源。 由准直器限定开口以暴露层析成像装置的成像检测器的选定部分。 相对于成像检测器定位在辐射源之后，是专用的衰减检测器。 在双头断层摄影装置中，本发明的一个发射源与每一组成像检测器相对设置。 源和相关联的准直仪相对于相应的头部以相当小的角度定位在每个头部的侧面。 源和检测器相对于成像头是固定的。 为了以与发射扫描相同的方式获得视场（FOV）的全面覆盖，头部和源围绕照相机的中心旋转。 在SPECT模式中，点源被选择为具有足够高的能量以照射通过患者和与成像检测器相关联的准直仪。

公开(公告)号：US4750972A

公开(公告)日：1988-06-14

申请号：US39916

申请日：1987-04-20

申请人： Michael E. Casey ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Terry D. Douglass

发明人： Michael E. Casey ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Terry D. Douglass

IPC分类号： G01T1/202 ,  G01T1/29 ,  H01L21/306 ,  B44C1/22 ,  C03C15/00 ,  C03C25/06

CPC分类号： G01T1/202 ,  G01T1/2985

摘要： A two dimensional photon position encoder system (10) and process which includes a detector (20) for enhancing the spatial resolution of the situs of the origin of incident photons of gamma rays. A plurality of scintillator material members (22) interact with the incident photons and produce a quantifiable number of photons which exit the scintillation material members. A tuned light guide (68) having a plurality of radiation barriers (92) of predetermined lengths define slots which are operatively associated with one of the scintillator material members. Photons exiting the scintillator material members (22) enter an operatively associated slot in said slotted light guide. These slots (90) serve to enhance the predictability of the statistical distribution of photons along the length of the slotted light guide (68). A detector (20) detects the distribution of the photons at preselected locations along the length of the slotted light guide. In one embodiment, this detector (20) comprises a photomultiplier (70) which gathers information concerning the photoelectrons which are then counted. The statistical distribution of these photoelectrons is processed by an improved pattern recognition technique such that the positioning information can be determined.

摘要翻译： 一种二维光子位置编码器系统（10），其包括用于增强伽马射线入射光子原点的位置的空间分辨率的检测器（20）的处理。 多个闪烁体材料构件（22）与入射的光子相互作用并产生可从数量上闪烁的材料构件的数量的光子。 具有多个具有预定长度的辐射屏障（92）的调谐光导（68）限定与闪烁体材料构件之一可操作地相关的槽。 离开闪烁体材料构件（22）的光子进入所述开槽光导中的可操作地关联的狭槽。 这些槽（90）用于增强沿着带槽光导（68）的长度的光子的统计分布的可预测性。 检测器（20）沿着狭缝光导的长度检测预选位置处的光子的分布。 在一个实施例中，该检测器（20）包括光电倍增器（70），其收集关于光电子的信息，然后对其进行计数。 这些光电子的统计分布通过改进的模式识别技术来处理，使得可以确定定位信息。

公开(公告)号：US4743764A

公开(公告)日：1988-05-10

申请号：US677931

申请日：1984-12-04

申请人： Michael E. Casey ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Terry D. Douglas

发明人： Michael E. Casey ,  Ronald Nutt ,  Terry D. Douglas

IPC分类号： G01T1/202 ,  G01T1/29 ,  G01T1/20

CPC分类号： G01T1/202 ,  G01T1/2985

摘要： A two dimensional photon position encoder system (10) and process which includes a detector (20) for enhancing the spatial resolution of the situs of the origin of incident photons of gamma rays. A plurality of scintillator material members (22) interact with the incident photons and produce a quantifiable number of photons which exit the scintillation material members. A tuned light guide (68) having a plurality of radiation barriers (92) of predetermined lengths define slots which are operatively associated with one of the scintillator material members. Photons exiting the scintillator material members (22) enter an operatively associated slot in said slotted light guide. These slots (90) serve to enhance the predictability of the statistical distribution of photons along the length of the slotted light guide (68). A detector (20) detects the distribution of the photons at preselected locations along the length of the slotted light guide. In one embodiment, this detector (20) comprises a photomultiplier (70) which gathers information concerning the photoelectrons which are then counted. The statistical distribution of these photoelectrons is processed by an improved pattern recognition technique such that the positioning information can be determined.

摘要翻译： 一种二维光子位置编码器系统（10），其包括用于增强伽马射线入射光子原点的位置的空间分辨率的检测器（20）的处理。 多个闪烁体材料构件（22）与入射的光子相互作用并产生可从数量上闪烁的材料构件的数量的光子。 具有多个具有预定长度的辐射屏障（92）的调谐光导（68）限定与闪烁体材料构件之一可操作地相关的槽。 离开闪烁体材料构件（22）的光子进入所述开槽光导中的可操作地关联的狭槽。 这些槽（90）用于增强沿着带槽光导（68）的长度的光子的统计分布的可预测性。 检测器（20）沿着狭缝光导的长度检测预选位置处的光子的分布。 在一个实施例中，该检测器（20）包括光电倍增器（70），其收集关于光电子的信息，然后对其进行计数。 这些光电子的统计分布通过改进的模式识别技术来处理，使得可以确定定位信息。

公开(公告)号：US07301153B2

公开(公告)日：2007-11-27

申请号：US11387377

申请日：2006-03-23

申请人： Lars A. Eriksson ,  Matthias J. Schmand ,  Michael E. Casey ,  Niraj K. Doshi ,  Mehmet Aykac ,  Ronald Nutt

发明人： Lars A. Eriksson ,  Matthias J. Schmand ,  Michael E. Casey ,  Niraj K. Doshi ,  Mehmet Aykac ,  Ronald Nutt

IPC分类号： G01T1/20

CPC分类号： G01T1/1642 ,  A61B6/037 ,  G01T1/2008 ,  G01T1/2985

摘要： Apparatus and method for providing nuclear medical imaging, in particular positron emission tomography, wherein a panel detector including scintillation blocks with a light guide is attached thereto. The scintillation block is arranged to cover a plurality of photosensors in an N by N configuration where there are outer photosensors which share light information from adjacent scintillation blocks and at least one center photosensor which does not share light information from adjacent scintillation blocks.

公开(公告)号：US09217795B2

公开(公告)日：2015-12-22

申请号：US13556331

申请日：2012-07-24

申请人： Peter Hansen ,  Michael E. Casey ,  Stefan B. Siegel

发明人： Peter Hansen ,  Michael E. Casey ,  Stefan B. Siegel

IPC分类号： G01F15/06 ,  G01T1/24

CPC分类号： G01J1/44 ,  G01T1/248 ,  G01T1/2985 ,  H03K3/037 ,  H03K5/135 ,  H03K2005/00078

摘要： Apparatuses and methods are provided that minimize the effects of dark-current pulses. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided where a first pixel is struck (i.e., a primary pixel). Pixels struck within a fixed time frame after the primary pixel is struck are referred to as secondary pixels. After a short fixed time frame has expired, the number of primary and secondary pixels is added. If the count exceeds a threshold, the primary pixel was activated by the first (or early) photon from a true gamma event. If the threshold is not met then it is likely the primary pixel generated a dark pulse that should be ignored.

摘要翻译： 提供了使暗电流脉冲的影响最小化的装置和方法。 例如，在本发明的一个实施例中，提供了一种方法，其中第一像素被撞击（即，主像素）。 在主要像素被击打之后的固定时间帧内撞击的像素被称为次要像素。 在短的固定时间段到期后，添加主要和次要像素的数量。 如果计数超过阈值，则主像素由来自真实伽马事件的第一（或早）光子激活。 如果阈值不满足，则主要像素可能产生应忽略的暗脉冲。