Diagnostic imaging system and method using multiple types of imaging detectors

Abstract

A diagnostic imaging system and method using multiple types of imaging detectors are provided. The imaging system includes a gantry having a rotor and a stator and a pair of gamma detectors coupled to the rotor. The imaging system further includes a gamma detector coupled to the stator, The gamma detector coupled to the stator is different than the pair of gamma detectors coupled to the rotor.

What is claimed is;: 
     
         1 . An imaging system comprising:
 a gently having a rotor and a stator;   a pair of general purpose nuclear medicine (NM) gamma detectors configured to perform NM imaging of a region of interest, the general purpose NM gamma detectors coupled to the rotor;   an organ specific NM gamma detector configured to perform NM imaging of a portion of the region of interest, the organ specific NM gamma detector pivotably and movably coupled to the stator such that the organ specific NM gamma detector can swing toward and away from the gantry in a sideways direction; and   a mounting structure coupling the organ specific NM gamma detector directly to the stator, the organ specific NM gamma detector being stationary at an initial position as NM imaging data is acquired.   
     
     
         2 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 1 , Wherein the mounting structure provides movable operation of the organ specific NM gamma detector to dispose the organ specific NM gamma detector between the pair of general purpose NM gamma detectors. 
     
     
         3 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the mounting structure is configured to provide movement in a horizontal direction and configured to provide the pivoting movement of the organ specific NM gamma detector. 
     
     
         4 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each detector of the pair of general purpose NM gamma detectors comprises a Sodium Iodide (NaI) based gamma camera and the organ specific NM gamma detector comprises a Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) based gamma camera. 
     
     
         5 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket and wherein the bracket movably couples the pair of general purpose NM gamma detectors to the rotor to allow movement in a single axis relative to the rotor. 
     
     
         6 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the organ specific NM gamma detector comprises a plurality of solid-state detector modules each positioned in a fixed orientation. 
     
     
         7 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the organ specific NM gamma detector comprises a plurality of pinhole collimators in front of the solid-gate detector modules. 
     
     
         8 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the organ specific NM gamma detector comprises a plurality of solid-state detector modules each movably positionable. 
     
     
         9 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the organ specific NM gamma detector comprises a dedicated focusing cardiac gamma camera. 
     
     
         10 . The imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the organ specific NM gamma detector further comprises detector arrays configured to conform to a shape of the patient such that each of the detectors in the array are displaced and angulated for imaging a confined area of the region of interest. 
     
     
         11 . The imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the NM imaging data includes Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) information. 
     
     
         12 . The imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the NM imaging data includes Positron Emission Tomography (PET) information. 
     
     
         13 . The imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a data acquisition system configured to receive the NM image data from the general purpose NM gamma detectors and the organ specific NM gamma detector, the data acquisition system providing digital signals based on the NM signal data; and   an image reconstruction device configured to receive the digital signals from the data acquisition system and to reconstruct an NM image using the digital signals.   
     
     
         14 . An imaging system comprising:
 a gantry;   a first general purpose nuclear medicine (NM) gamma detector coupled to the gantry;   a second general purpose NM gamma detector coupled to the gantry opposite the first general purpose NM gamma detector, the first and second general purpose NM gamma detectors configured to acquire NM imaging data of a region of interest;   an organ specific NM gamma detector pivotably and movably coupled to the gantry such that the organ specific NM gamma detector can move swing toward and away from the gantry in a sideways direction, the organ specific NM gamma detector configured to acquire NM imaging data of a portion of the region of interest; and   a mounting structure coupling the organ specific NM gamma detector to the gantry, wherein the mounting structure is configured to position the NM gamma detector in an initial position, the organ specific NM gamma detector being stationary at an initial position as NM imaging data is acquired.   
     
     
         15 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the gantry comprises a stator and a rotor, and wherein the first and second general purpose NM gamma detectors are coupled to the rotor and the organ specific NM gamma detector is coupled to the stator. 
     
     
         16 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the organ specific NM gamma detector comprises a plurality of solid-state detector modules each positioned in a fixed orientation. 
     
     
         17 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the organ specific NM gamma detector comprises a plurality of solid-state detector modules each movably positionable. 
     
     
         18 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the first and second general purpose NM gamma detectors comprise Sodium Iodide (NaI) detector modules with photomultiplier tubes and the organ specific NM gamma detector comprises a plurality of Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detector modules. 
     
     
         19 . An imaging system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the mounting structure provides movable operation of the organ specific NM gamma detector to dispose the organ specific NM gamma detector between the pair of general purpose NM gamma detectors. 
     
     
         20 . A method of providing a nuclear medicine imaging system, the method comprising:
 coupling a pair of general purpose nuclear medicine gamma detectors to a rotor of a gantry;   using a mounting structure to pivotably and movably couple an organ. specific NM gamma detector to a stator of the gantry such that the organ specific NM gamma detector can swing toward and away from the gantry in a sideways direction; and   acquiring NM imaging data from the organ specific NM gamma detector, the organ specific NM gamma detector being stationary at an initial position as NM imaging data is acquired.