Siemens Medical Solutions Usa, Inc.

Cti Pet Systems, Inc.

Other

James J Hamill

Michael E Casey

Stefan B Siegel

Charles Russell Buchanan

Stephen David Miller

Ronald Nutt

Charles C Watson

David Faul

Maurizio Conti

Mu Chen

Günther Platsch

Wing K Luk

Mohammadreza Teimoorisichani

Stephen Miller

Carl Eric Arnsdorff

Ahmadreza Ghahremani

Timothy G Gremillion

Ludovic Le Meunier

A method for generating transmission information in a time-of-flight positron emission tomography (PET) scanner having a patient tunnel and a plurality of PET detector rings. The PET scanner uses continuous bed motion to move a patient bed and patient through the patient tunnel. The patient receives a positron-emitting radioisotope dose prior to undergoing a PET scan. The method includes storing a positron-emitting radioisotope in a radiation shielded container. The method also includes moving the radioisotope into a stationary vessel located adjacent to the PET detectors and within a field of view of the PET scanner at substantially the same time that the patient receives the radioisotope dose to form a stationary transmission source wherein transmission information is generated while the bed undergoes continuous bed motion. Further, the method includes withdrawing the radioisotope from the vessel when the PET scan is complete and storing the radioisotope in the container.

PET transmission source based on continuous bed motion

Disclosed is a novel method of obtaining transmission scan data in a PET scanner by incorporating one or more stationary gamma-ray sources that provide forward scattered gamma-photons that can be used as transmission imaging radiation.

Transmission imaging in a pet scanner based on forward-scattered gamma rays with coincidence detection

A method is disclosed for correcting the mismatch between computed tomography (CT) scan and positron emission tomography (PET) scan modalities caused by patient respiration by selecting PET image slices aligned with the phase and amplitude in which the CT was acquired PET image slices so they are aligned with the phase and amplitude in which the CT scan was acquired.

Spatial registration of positron emission tomography and computed tomography acquired during respiration

An apparatus for manufacturing a radioisotope comprises a container. The container comprising a portable neutron source and a solution that comprises a particular isotope. The portable neutron source is surrounded by the solution. The solution comprises at least one of copper phthalocyanine or copper salicylaldehyde o-phenylene diamine. The portable neutron source emits neutrons that react with the particular isotope resulting in the transformation of the particular isotope into the radioisotope.

Compact radioisotope generator

A method of estimating energy-based scatter content in PET list-mode data is provided.

Energy-based scatter correction for PET sinograms

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for making a radioisotope and a composition of matter including the radioisotope. The radioisotope is made by exposing a material to neutrons from a portable neutron source.

Composition of matter comprising a radioisotope composition

The present disclosure relates to a new positron emission tomography (PET) scanning method that generates images with improved spatial resolution. The method includes placing a plurality of radiation-attenuating rods in a parallel arrangement near the target region of a patient, where the rods are in a first orientation with respect to the patient and conducting one or more PET scans of the target region generating a projection data that includes the radiation-attenuating rods, and reconstructing an image of the target region from the projection data.

High-resolution anti-pinhole PET scan

A system and method of image reconstruction is disclosed. First image scan data corresponding to a spiral CT modality received during a first time period is received. The first image scan data includes at least partially overlapping axial positions. A change in position over time for each of the at least partially overlapping axial positions is determined and a first respiratory waveform is estimated from the change in position over time for each of the at least partially overlapping axial positions.

Data-driven respiratory waveform estimation based on spiral CT

A novel PET calibration phantom structure is disclosed that has reduced overall weight and reduced radiation shielding requirement while still enabling safe handling. Furthermore, when the phantom is not being used, the &#x3b2;+ radiation source can be turned off or removed from the phantom, thus, lowering the radiation exposure risk to those handling the phantom.

Light weight positron emission tomography phantom

A method and apparatus for making a radioisotope and a composition of matter including the radioisotope. The radioisotope is made by exposing a material to neutrons from a portable neutron source. More specifically, a solution includes a particular isotope. The neutron source is completely surrounded by the solution. The solution is exposed to the neutrons. Generated radioisotopes are extracted from the solution.

Methods and computer-readable mediums are provided for obtaining an optimally gated medical image. For example, in one embodiment, a method is provided that acquires medical images in list mode. The method also acquires a respiration correlated signal S(t). Thereafter, a final upper strain threshold value and a final lower strain threshold value pair that has a narrowest interval are selected. The medical images are synchronized with the respiration correlated signal S(t). The synchronized images and signal are used to create an optimally gated medical image. In various embodiments, the disclosed optimal gating can be utilized in PET systems and in other embodiments the disclosed optimal gating can be utilized in SPECT systems. In yet other embodiments, the optimally gated images can be matched to MRI systems and in still other embodiments, the optimally gated images can be matched to CT systems.

Optimal respiratory gating in medical imaging

A constraint having a main body and at least one coupler. The main body can be substantially arcuate in shape and can be configured to constrain a patient. The at least one coupler can couple the main body to a bed or treatment pallet. The constraint can be sized to restrict a patient within a computerized tomography (CT) scan field of view.

System and method for constraining a computerized tomography patient

A medical imaging device has an emission tomograph, at least one ultrasonic (US) probe for providing images giving real-time information about the location of the internal organs of a subject, a tracking system for spatially locating the at least one ultrasonic probe in relation to the medical imaging device, and an image processing unit in which the location information obtained by the ultrasonic probe is used for attenuation correction of image information obtained by the emission tomograph.

Ultrasonic imager for motion measurement in multi-modality emission imaging

A method for combined computed tomography (CT) imaging and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging uses respiration-gated CT imaging in which the optimal criteria for CT scan gating are determined after the PET scan has been performed. After acquisition of first CT scan image data and PET scan image data with strain gauge levels being recorded, optimal gating criteria are calculated based on the strain gauge levels, and a second CT scan is then performed with triggering in accordance with the optimal gating criteria.

Registration of computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) image scans with automatic patient motion correction

A method for performing accurate iterative reconstruction of three dimensional image data sets based on Approximate Discrete Radon Transformation (ADRT) using two dimensional linograms for each of a plurality of defined planes tilted from the (x, y, 0) plane by a tilt angle and orientation angle. Image data is arranged with respect to the defined tilted planes ADRT and its inverse are implemented to provide exactly matched forward and backward projectors suitable for the Maximum-Likelihood Expectation-Maximization (ML-EM) reconstruction in PET. An EM reconstruction algorithm is accomplished by initializing an estimation image.

Growing community of inventors

Knoxville, TN, United States of America

James J Hamill