General Electric Company

Ge Medical Systems Israel, Ltd

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Ge Healthcare Israel

Ira Micah Blevis

Yaron Hefetz

Jean-Paul Bouhnik

Eyal Shai

Roger Steadman Booker

Frank Verbakel

James William Hugg

Leonid Tsukerman

Alexander Fishler

Uzi Dror

Christoph Herrmann

Arie Shahar

Herfried Karl Wieczorek

John Eric Tkaczyk

Yanfeng Du

Floribertus P M Heukensfeldt Jansen

Klaus Juergen Engel

Amir Pansky

Hernan Altman

Eliezer Traub

Zhaoping Wu

Antonius Johannes Maria Nellissen

Yaron Glazer

Tzachi Rafaeli

Daniel Rubin

Oren Zarchin

Eric Cornelius Egbertus Van Grunsven

Minglong Zhang

Joshua Liss

An imaging system comprises a plurality of imaging detectors for acquiring imaging data. The plurality of imaging detectors is configurable to be arranged proximate to an anatomy of interest within a patient. Each of the plurality of imaging detectors has a field of view (FOV) and at least a portion of the plurality of imaging detectors image the anatomy of interest within the respective FOV. A processor receives the imaging data and processes the imaging data to form a multi-dimensional dataset having at least three dimensions.

Method and apparatus for imaging using multiple imaging detectors

An imaging system () includes a detector module (). The detector module includes a block () of a plurality of direct conversion photon counting detector pixels () and corresponding electronics (or) with hardware for both high energy resolution imaging mode and high X-ray flux imaging mode connected with the block of the plurality of direct conversion photon counting detector pixels. A method includes identifying a scanning mode for a selected imaging protocol, wherein the scanning modes includes one of a higher energy resolution mode and a higher X-ray flux mode, configuring a detector module, which is configurable for both the higher energy resolution mode and the higher X-ray flux mode, based on the identified scanning mode, performing the scan with the detector module configured for the mode of the selected imaging protocol, and processing scan data from the scan, generating volumetric image data.

High energy resolution/high x-ray flux photon counting detector

Systems and methods for biopsy guidance are provided. One system includes a gantry and a breast immobilization plate mounted to the gantry, wherein the breast immobilization plate is configured to be coupled with a biopsy unit. The biopsy unit includes at least one nuclear medicine imaging detector in an angled orientation with respect to the breast immobilization plate. The breast imaging system also includes a nuclear medicine imaging detector mounted to the gantry parallel to the breast immobilization plate, wherein the nuclear medicine imaging detector mounted to the gantry and the breast immobilizing plate are configured to immobilize a breast therebetween.

Systems and methods for biopsy guidance using a biopsy unit including at least one of an imaging detector or ultrasound probe concurrently mounted with a biopsy guide

A system () includes a photon counting detector array () including a direct conversion material () and a plurality of detector pixels () affixed thereto, and a split signal corrector () that corrects the output of the plurality of detector pixels for split signals. A method includes receiving an output signal of each of a plurality of detector pixels affixed to a direction conversion material of photon counting detector array, and correcting the output of the plurality of detector pixels for split signals. A computer readable storage medium encoded with computer readable instructions, which, when executed by a processer, cause the processor to: receive an output signal of each of a plurality of detector pixels affixed to a direction conversion material of photon counting detector array, and correct the output of the plurality of detector pixels for split signals.

Direct conversion radiation detector digital signal processing electronics

The invention relates to a detector () for detecting radiation, especially x-ray radiation used in a computed tomography system. The detector comprises a direct conversion material () for converting radiation into electrons and holes, which are used for generating an electrical detection signal. The direct conversion material is illuminated with illumination light being broadband visible and/or broadband infrared light for reducing, in particular, eliminating, a polarization of the direct conversion material, which may occur when being traversed by the radiation to be detected and which may reduce the detection performance. By reducing the polarization of the direct conversion material the detection performance can be improved.

Detector

A radiation-sensitive detector array () including a first side (), a second side () in opposed relation to the first side, and a detector substrate () positioned between the first and second sides is presented. The first side is constructed as a non-planar or uneven shape. The first side is a cathode and the second side is an anode. The cathode may be a field emission cathode (FEC) and the detector substrate may be a Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detector substrate. The non-planar or uneven shape may be a series of equally spaced apart protrusions, each of the protrusions being a pyramidal construction including a peak, the peak adapted and dimensioned to cause electric field lines to focus or converge thereon.

Radiation detector and detection method having reduced polarization

Apparatus and methods for charge collection control in radiation detectors are provided. One radiation detector includes a semiconductor substrate, at least one cathode on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of anodes on a surface of the semiconductor substrate opposite the at least one cathode, wherein the plurality of anodes have gaps therebetween. The radiation detector further includes a charge collection control arrangement configured to cause one or more charges induced within the semiconductor substrate by incident photons to drift towards one or more of the plurality of anodes.

Apparatus and methods for charge collection control in radiation detectors

Method and apparatus for extending a count rate capability of a detector array. The method includes receiving photons at a detector array, counting the photons that are above a first energy threshold using a first counter, counting the photons that are above a different second energy threshold using a second counter, and calculating a pile-up estimate using the photon counts from the first and second counters.

Method and apparatus for acquiring radiation data

A system and method for a molecular breast imaging (MBI) are provided. One MBI system includes at least one cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detector having a plurality of pixels and a registered parallel hole collimator coupled to a face of the CZT detector. The registered parallel hole collimator includes a plurality of collimator holes, wherein the plurality of collimator holes are aligned with the plurality of pixels, and the spatial dimensions of the plurality of holes are configured based on characteristics of the CZT detector and the registered parallel hole collimator.

System and method for molecular breast imaging

Systems and methods for providing a shared charge in pixelated image detectors are provided. One method includes providing a plurality of pixels for a pixelated solid state photon detector in a configuration such that a charge distribution is detected by at least two pixels and obtaining charge information from the at least two pixels. The method further includes determining a position of an interaction of the charge distribution with the plurality of pixels based on the obtained charge information.

Systems and methods for providing a shared charge in pixelated image detectors

A system and method for performing molecular imaging of an anatomy of interest is provided. The molecular imaging system includes a gantry, a first gamma camera coupled to the gantry, and a second gamma camera coupled to the gantry, the first and second cameras are positionable in an L-mode imaging configuration, the first and second gamma cameras are configured to immobilize an anatomy of interest there between in the L-mode configuration. The molecular imaging system is also configured to operate in an H-mode imaging configuration wherein the first and second gamma cameras are configured to immobilize an anatomy of interest there between in the H-mode configuration.

System and method for performing nuclear mammography imaging

Image reconstruction techniques for a medical imaging system are provided that include receiving pixel data from a gamma camera of an imaging system, and calculating a subsequent voxel value from the pixel data by subtracting an expected pixel value from a measured pixel value of the pixel data to produce a difference and correcting a previous voxel value by adding a weighted value of the difference to the previous voxel value. An imaging system is also provided.

SPECT image reconstruction methods and systems

Methods and systems for calibrating a nuclear medicine imaging system are provided. One method includes acquiring spatially determined non-uniform radiation flux information from a calibration scan of a calibration source using a gamma camera having an attached non-parallel-hole collimator. The method further includes determining a measured non-uniform count density profile from the acquired non-uniform radiation flux information. The method also includes creating a gamma camera uniformity correction map derived from (i) the measured non-uniform count density profile and (ii) a modeled or calculated non-uniform count density profile for calibrating the NM imaging system.

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Zichron Yaakov, Israel

Ira Micah Blevis