Siemens Medical Solutions Usa, Inc.

Grant Arthur Albert

James Frank Caruba

Darrell Burckhardt

Way I Moy

Darryl Hrdina

Alexander Hans Vija

Roger E Arseneau

Jinhun Joung

Patanit Sanpitak

George William Dailey

Douglas Jay Wagenaar

Robert Kasper

John P Valenta

Paul Finlon

Matthew Freeman

A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly of a data processing unit for an integrated magnetic resonance (MR) and positron emission tomography (PET) system, the PCB assembly includes a plurality of PCB layers disposed in a stacked arrangement, first and second PET signal processing circuits carried by a first layer of the plurality of PCB layers, first and second ground plane structures carried by a second layer of the plurality of PCB layers and configured relative to the first and second PET signal processing circuits, respectively, and a ground partition that separates the first PET signal processing circuit from the second PET signal processing circuit on the first layer. The ground partition extends through the first layer to provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding between the first and second PET signal processing circuits.

Board-level partitioning in MR-PET imaging system integration

An integrated magnetic resonance (MR) and positron emission tomography (PET) system includes an MR scanner including a magnet that defines an opening in which a subject is positioned, a set of PET detectors disposed about the opening, a plurality of data processing units each electrically connected with a respective one or more of the PET detectors of the set of PET detectors, and a plurality of power supply modules, each power supply module being operable to generate a DC power supply for different groups of one or more of the data processing units. Each power supply module is discrete from the other power supply modules.

Power distribution in MR-PET imaging system integration

An integrated magnetic resonance (MR) and positron emission tomography (PET) system includes an MR scanner including a magnet that defines an opening in which a subject is positioned, a set of PET detectors disposed between the magnet and the opening, and a plurality of data processing units, each data processing unit being configured for communication with a respective one or more of the PET detectors of the set of PET detectors. The plurality of data processing units are positioned along a side of the MR scanner not having the opening.

Data processing unit positioning in MR-PET imaging system integration

A collimator handling system for partially or fully automating the task of replacing and storing collimators in nuclear imaging systems. A collimator server stores a set of different collimators in stacked drawers which may be automatically extracted into the detector. The reduction in time spent on these tasks reduces cost and increases throughput. Furthermore, the automation of handling heavy lead (or like) collimators increases technician safety.

Integrated collimator handling system and method

An apparatus for operation with a nuclear camera of a nuclear medicine gantry and a patient handling system is provided and includes a cart assembly; and a collimator drawer assembly supported on the cart assembly. The collimator drawer assembly includes a housing; a plurality of collimator drawers slidably supported in housing, wherein each drawer is supported on a rail provided on opposed sides of said drawer; a damper operatively connected to each drawer; and a drawer locking mechanism movable from a first position in which all the drawers are prevented from sliding out of the housing and a second position in which all of the drawers are free to slide out of the housing. The collimator drawer assembly further includes an anti-tip over feature.

Collimator change cart

An alignment system for use in connection with a patient handling system and a nuclear medicine gantry is provided. The alignment system includes a nuclear camera alignment fixture mountable to the nuclear detector. The nuclear camera alignment fixture includes a pair of lasers mounted in a known position relative to a center of the nuclear detector and oriented substantially toward the nuclear medicine gantry. The nuclear camera alignment fixture further includes a pair of laser targets provided on the nuclear medicine gantry. Each laser target has a fixed location with respect to an axis of rotation of the nuclear medicine gantry. The nuclear detector is moved relative to the nuclear medicine gantry until a laser beam from each laser hits a respective laser target. The alignment system is also capable of aligning the patient handling system with respect to the axis of rotation of the nuclear medicine gantry.

Laser alignment system for nuclear medical detector

The present invention relates to an apparatus for nuclear medicine imaging in which the imaging platform is attached directly to the detectors for nuclear imaging to allow for minimal constant distance between the detector(s) and the object to be imaged. As the detector moves around the object to be imaged to capture different angular views of the object, the imaging platform is rotated in a compensatory manner to maintain a its long axis perpendicular to gravity during movement of the detector. An advantage of this configuration over prior systems is the ability to obtain multiple angular projections while the distance between the detector and the object being imaged is maintained at a minimum, but the danger of detector-object collision is minimized and the necessity for orbital path calibration to preserve precision of detector movement and distance is eliminated.

Imaging apparatus to acquire tomography projections with improved orbit

A nuclear camera detector housing assembly is provided and includes an internal housing having a pair of side panels, a front panel interconnecting the pair of side panels, a rear panel interconnecting the pair of side panels, and a top panel operatively associated with the pair of side panels, the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the panels are configured and adapted to shield radiation, and wherein at least one of the panels is independent of the remaining panels. The nuclear camera detector housing further includes an external housing including a multiplicity of walls for supporting the internal housing, and at least one detector disposed within the internal housing for detecting radiation energy incident thereon.

Growing community of inventors

Hoffman Estates, IL, United States of America

Grant Arthur Albert