Patents Assigned to KROMEK GROUP, PLC
  • Patent number: 11723608
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a gamma camera system, including: a stand, a rotatable gantry supported by the stand, and a transformable gamma camera connected by mechanical supports to the rotatable gantry and comprising groups of tiled arrays of gamma detectors and a collimator for each group of tiled arrays of gamma detectors; the transformable gamma camera being configured to subdivide into a plurality of subdivided gamma cameras, each of the subdivided gamma cameras having at least one of the groups of tiled arrays of gamma detectors and corresponding collimator, wherein the subdivision into a plurality of subdivided gamma cameras facilitates contouring with a region of interest for a spatial resolution. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP. PLC
    Inventor: James W. Hugg
  • Patent number: 11255984
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving a photon interaction occurring within a photon detector pixel array, wherein the photon detector pixel array comprises a plurality of pixels; determining a photoelectron cloud generated from the photon interaction, wherein the photon detector pixel array comprises an electric field, wherein an electrostatic repulsive force disperses a photon to the photoelectron cloud; identifying a subset of the plurality of pixels associated with the photon interaction, wherein each of the subset of the plurality of pixels corresponds to pixels activated by the photo electron cloud, wherein the subset of the plurality of pixels comprise a central pixel and a plurality of neighboring pixels, wherein the central pixel comprises the pixel having the highest amplitude response to the photon interaction; and determining, from the photoelectron cloud, a characteristic of the photon interaction, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of: time, position, and energy o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventors: Brian William Harris, Hidefumi Tomita
  • Patent number: 10656010
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving a plurality of responses to an interaction occurring within a photon detector pixel array, wherein the photon detector pixel array comprises a plurality of pixels; identifying a subset of the plurality of pixels associated with the interaction, wherein each of the subset of the plurality of pixels corresponds to at least one of the plurality of responses; determining, from the plurality of responses, a characteristic of the interaction, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of: time, position, and energy of the interaction; recording the interaction associated with the at least one determined characteristic; collecting a plurality of recorded interactions and associated determined characteristics; selecting a subset of the plurality of recorded interactions, wherein the subset selection is based upon a restricted range of at least one determined characteristic; and forming an image from the selected subset of the plurality of recorded interact
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventors: Alexander Cherlin, Ian Radley, James William Hugg
  • Patent number: 10631819
    Abstract: A system and method for molecular breast imaging (MBI) using pixelated gamma cameras provide easier patient positioning and biopsy access using compression paddles and movable gamma cameras. The paddles and cameras can be curved to better conform to the breast shape. A variable angle slant-hole collimator is provided to assist in stereotactic imaging for biopsy guidance. Methods for performing an MBI screening or diagnostic examination and guiding a biopsy with stereotactic MBI are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventor: James William Hugg
  • Patent number: 10617382
    Abstract: A system and methods for molecular breast imaging (MBI) using pixelated gamma cameras provide easier patient positioning and biopsy access using compression paddles and movable gamma cameras. The paddles and cameras can be curved to better conform to the breast shape. A variable-angle slant-hole collimator is provided to assist in stereotactic imaging for biopsy guidance. Methods for performing an MBI screening or diagnostic examination and guiding a biopsy with stereotactic MBI are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventor: James W. Hugg
  • Patent number: 10598801
    Abstract: One embodiment provides an imaging device, including: an enclosure comprising a casing and a radiation lining arranged within the casing to provide a radiation shield, wherein the enclosure comprises a removable portion; a plurality of modular components; each of the plurality of modular components comprising a plurality of gamma detectors including semiconductor crystals and being removable from the imaging device; the plurality of modular components being arranged such that the plurality of gamma detectors are configured in an array configuration with each of the plurality of gamma detectors having a predetermined spacing from each other gamma detector; a plurality of electronic communication components, wherein the plurality of electronic communication components facilitate communication from each of the gamma detectors to a processor using a hierarchical communication technique; and a cooling system. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventors: James William Hugg, Brian William Harris, Franklin Dean Walker, Sarah Melissa Thomson, Brian Patrick McVay, Rolf Martin Clajus
  • Patent number: 10534096
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving a dataset associated with a plurality of photon emission events interacting with a detector array of an imaging device; identifying a first subset of the dataset associated with a plurality of unscattered photon emission events from the plurality of photon emission events; identifying a second subset of the dataset associated with at least one scattered photon event from the plurality of photon emission events; determining, for a scattered photon event, a likely location of emission of the scattered photon event using data from the first subset of the dataset associated with the plurality of unscattered photon events; and correcting the dataset by associating the scattered photon event with the determined likely location of emission. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventors: James William Hugg, Ian Radley
  • Patent number: 10502844
    Abstract: An imaging method and device are described for improving the performance of a gamma camera by optimizing a figure of merit that depends upon cost, efficiency, and spatial resolution. In a modular gamma camera comprising a tiled array of gamma detector modules, the performance figure of merit can be optimized by sparsely placing gamma detector modules within the gamma camera, optimizing collimation, and providing means for detector and/or collimator motion. Sparse gamma cameras can be constructed as flat or curved panels, and elliptical or circular rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventors: James W. Hugg, Brian W. Harris
  • Patent number: 10481284
    Abstract: One embodiment provides an imaging device, including: an enclosure comprising a casing and a radiation lining arranged within the casing to provide a radiation shield, wherein the enclosure comprises a removable portion; a plurality of modular components being in communication with calibration code, wherein the calibration code calibrates the imaging device based upon information of the plurality of modular components; each of the plurality of modular components comprising a plurality of gamma detectors including semiconductor crystals and being removable from the imaging device; the plurality of modular components being arranged such that the plurality of gamma detectors are configured in an array configuration with each of the plurality of gamma detectors having a predetermined spacing from each other gamma detector; a plurality of electronic communication components, wherein the plurality of electronic communication components facilitate communication from each of the gamma detectors using a hierarchical c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventors: James William Hugg, Brian William Harris, Franklin Dean Walker, Sarah Melissa Thomson, Brian Patrick McVay, Rolf Martin Clajus
  • Patent number: 10397505
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving a plurality of communication events associated with a pixel of an imaging device; identifying a frequency associated with the communication events, wherein the identifying a frequency comprises determining a number of communication events occurring within a predetermined time interval or determining a mean time interval between the communication events; determining, from a plurality of pixels neighboring the pixel, a frequency range comprising an upper frequency limit and a lower frequency limit; resolving, from the identified frequency and the determined frequency range, whether the pixel comprises a non-conforming pixel; and masking, if the pixel comprises a non-conforming pixel, subsequent communication events from the non-conforming pixel. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventors: Rolf Martin Clajus, Franklin Dean Walker, James William Hugg, Brian William Harris
  • Patent number: 10371832
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method for imaging photons, including: receiving a dataset associated with a plurality of photon events, the photon events corresponding to photons interacting with a photon imaging device, wherein the photon imaging device comprises a photon guide assembly and a detector array; the photon guide assembly comprising a plurality of photon guides positioned at an oblique angle with respect to the detector array; and producing an oblique planar projection image of the plurality of photon events by processing the dataset. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventors: James William Hugg, Ian Radley
  • Patent number: 10270995
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving a plurality of communication events associated with a pixel of an imaging device; identifying a frequency associated with the communication events, wherein the identifying a frequency comprises determining a number of communication events occurring within a predetermined time interval or determining a time interval between the communication events; determining, from the identified frequency, whether the pixel comprises a non-conforming pixel; and masking, if the pixel comprises a non-conforming pixel, subsequent communication events from the non-conforming pixel. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventors: Rolf Martin Clajus, Franklin Dean Walker, James William Hugg, Brian William Harris
  • Patent number: 10254163
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving a plurality of responses to an interaction occurring within a photon detector pixel array, wherein the photon detector pixel array comprises a plurality of pixels; identifying a subset of the plurality of pixels associated with the interaction, wherein each of the subset of the plurality of pixels corresponds to at least one of the plurality of responses; and determining, from the plurality of responses, a characteristic of the interaction, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of: time, position, and energy of the interaction. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: KROMEK GROUP, PLC
    Inventors: Alexander Cherlin, Ian Radley, James William Hugg