Abstract: Provided is a PET scanner system having a PET scanner gantry that is configured for delivering a uniformly distributed cooling air to a plurality of detectors housed in the PET scanner gantry. The PET scanner gantry includes a cooling air delivery manifold that includes a patient tunnel portion; and a front funnel portion. The front funnel portion includes an annular interior wall defining an entry opening of the patient tunnel portion; and an air plenum has an annular structure for carrying a flow of pressurized cooling air received from a remote source supplements the pressurized cooling air with a supply of ambient air and directs it to the plurality of detectors.

Abstract: A scintillation block detector employs an array of optically air coupled scintillation pixels, the array being wrapped in reflector material and optically coupled to an array of silicon photomultiplier light sensors with common-cathode signal timing pickoff and individual anode signal position and energy determination. The design features afford an optimized combination of photopeak energy event sensitivity and timing, while reducing electronic circuit complexity and power requirements, and easing necessary fabrication methods. Four of these small blocks, or “miniblocks,” can be combined as optically and electrically separated quadrants of a larger single detector in order to recover detection efficiency that would otherwise be lost due to scattering between them.

Abstract: A lighting arrangement for a medical imaging system having a cylindrical wall that forms a tunnel that receives a patient to be scanned. The lighting arrangement includes a light transmitting section aligned on a longitudinal axis of the imaging system wherein the light transmitting section forms a part of the tunnel. The lighting arrangement also includes a reflector section that is radially outside the light transmitting section. In addition, the lighting arrangement includes at least one lighting device located between the reflector section and light transmitting section wherein the lighting device emits light that is reflected by the reflector section onto the light transmitting section and wherein the light is then transmitted through the light transmitting section and into the tunnel to circumferentially illuminate the tunnel.

Abstract: A lighting arrangement for a medical imaging system having a cylindrical wall that forms a tunnel that receives a patient to be scanned. The lighting arrangement includes a transparent wall section formed in the wall, wherein the transparent wall section extends along a transparent portion of a wall circumference. The imaging system also includes a lighting device located adjacent an outer surface of the transparent wall section. The lighting device extends along a device portion of a wall circumference corresponding to the transparent portion wherein light emitted by the lighting device is transmitted through the transparent wall section in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the tunnel to circumferentially illuminate the tunnel. In addition, a system status is indicated by a color of light emitted by the LEDs. Further, light emitted by the lighting device varies in intensity to indicate a changing count rate.

Abstract: A gantry tube for a medical imaging system. The gantry tube includes a first tube located within a second tube, wherein the first tube is oriented about a longitudinal axis of the system. The gantry tube also includes a plurality of wall elements that extend between the first and second tubes, wherein the walls and first and second tubes form a plurality of channels that extend in an axial direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis wherein each channel is configured to hold a detector of the system. A detector is inserted into or removed from an associated channel in an axial direction from either a first end or a second end of the gantry tube.

Abstract: A PET system for a PET/MRI machine is disclosed. The PET system includes a PET detector assembly arranged to form a single gap aligned with the high-density support structure assembly and the shielded cable assembly that run along the patient bed in the PET/MRI machine. The PET detector arrangement maximizes the allowable diameter of the PET system within the MR magnet and ensures that the high-density material does not interfere with image acquisition. Further, various image reconstruction techniques compatible with the PET detector arrangement are described.

Abstract: A patient handling system (PHS) for a medical imaging system having a tunnel that extends through at least one scanning portion of the system. The PHS includes a first moveable pedestal that supports a detachable first pallet that includes a first patient. The first pedestal moves the first pallet through the tunnel to enable scanning of the first patient. The PHS also includes a second moveable pedestal located at a tunnel exit. The second pedestal attaches to the first pallet as the first pallet moves through the tunnel and the first pedestal subsequently detaches from the first pallet. The second pedestal then moves away from the tunnel exit to remove the first pallet from the tunnel. A second patient to be scanned is simultaneously prepared for scanning on a second pallet as the first pallet is moved through the tunnel in order to increase patient throughput through system.

Abstract: A cooling channel in a gantry of a medical imaging apparatus transfers heat away from the radiation detector and detector electronics, while limiting influence on magnetic fields generated within the gantry, when incorporated in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The cooling channel includes a non-electrically conducting, non-metallic housing in conductive thermal communication with the detector electronics and the radiation detector. A cooling conduit in the housing circulates coolant fluid. A unitary, non-electrically conductive, non-metallic heat sink in the housing is in direct conductive, thermal communication with the housing and the cooling conduit.

Abstract: A fluid coolant system for a gantry of a medical imaging apparatus cools scalable detector electronic assemblies (DEAs) within the gantry. Each DEA includes within its modular housing a first chill plate thermally conductively coupled to cooling detector elements therein and a separate, second chill plate thermally conductively coupled to other electronic components therein, such as electronic circuit boards and/or power supplies. In some embodiments, the first chill plate is oriented between the detector elements and the second chill plate, for thermally isolating the detector elements from other heat dissipating components within the DEA. In some embodiments, coolant flow cascades sequentially through the first chill plate and then through the second chill plate.

Abstract: A fluid coolant system for a gantry of a medical imaging apparatus cools scalable detector electronic assemblies (DEAs) within the gantry. Each DEA includes therein a first chill plate for cooling detector elements and a second chill plate for cooling electronic components and power supplies. Coolant flow cascades sequentially through the first chill plate and then through the second chill plate. Plural DEAs in an interconnected chain cascade coolant in sequence through all their first chill plates, before cascading the coolant through all their second chill plates. A matrix of the scalable DEAs are circumferentially and axially oriented within the imaging system's gantry, for any axial length scanning field of the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A lighting arrangement for a medical imaging system having a cylindrical wall that forms a tunnel that receives a patient to be scanned. The lighting arrangement includes a transparent wall section formed in the wall, wherein the transparent wall section extends along a transparent portion of a wall circumference. The imaging system also includes a lighting device located adjacent an outer surface of the transparent wall section. The lighting device extends along a device portion of a wall circumference corresponding to the transparent portion wherein light emitted by the lighting device is transmitted through the transparent wall section in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the tunnel to circumferentially illuminate the tunnel. In addition, a system status is indicated by a color of light emitted by the LEDs. Further, light emitted by the lighting device varies in intensity to indicate a changing count rate.

Abstract: A gantry cooling system of a diagnostic medical imaging apparatus transfers apparatus-generated heat, such as gantry heat, to a solid material heatsink, via a circulating-fluid coolant conduit. In some embodiments, the heatsink is incorporated in the ground or within the building structure housing the apparatus.

Abstract: A medical imaging system that includes a gantry having an inner bore surface that defines a bore for receiving a patient, wherein a digital display is attached to the inner bore surface of the bore. The system also includes a patient bed for moving the patient into the bore. Further, visual content is displayed on the display that has a calming effect on the patient.

Abstract: A displacement mechanism for placing an optical device onto a patient's eyes and removing the optical device from the patient's eyes when the patient is located in a patient bore of a medical imaging system. The mechanism includes a pneumatic device and a resilient element attached between an inner surface of the patient bore and the optical device wherein the resilient element extends through the pneumatic device and wherein the optical device is spaced apart from the patient's eyes in a first position. A pump inflates the pneumatic device to move the optical device to a second position wherein the optical device is placed on the patient's eyes. Inflation of the pneumatic device extends the resilient element and biases the resilient element to return to the first position. A vent valve vents air from the pneumatic device to return the optical device to the first position.

Abstract: A lighting arrangement for a medical imaging system having a cylindrical wall that forms a tunnel that receives a patient to be scanned. The lighting arrangement includes a transparent wall section formed in the wall, wherein the transparent wall section extends along a transparent portion of a wall circumference. The imaging system also includes a lighting device located adjacent an outer surface of the transparent wall section. The lighting device extends along a device portion of a wall circumference corresponding to the transparent portion wherein light emitted by the lighting device is transmitted through the transparent wall section in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the tunnel to circumferentially illuminate the tunnel. In addition, a system status is indicated by a color of light emitted by the LEDs. Further, light emitted by the lighting device varies in intensity to indicate a changing count rate.

Abstract: Provided is a PET scanner system having a PET scanner gantry that is configured for delivering a uniformly distributed cooling air to a plurality of detectors housed in the PET scanner gantry. The PET scanner gantry includes a cooling air delivery manifold that includes a patient tunnel portion; and a front funnel portion. The front funnel portion includes an annular interior wall defining an entry opening of the patient tunnel portion; and an air plenum has an annular structure for carrying a flow of pressurized cooling air received from a remote source supplements the pressurized cooling air with a supply of ambient air and directs it to the plurality of detectors.

Abstract: Provided is a method of fabricating a detector array that includes preparing a plurality of slabs of an optical medium of an imaging device, forming a plurality of optical boundaries within at least one of the slabs of optical medium, where the plurality of optical boundaries defining a 1×N array of non-contiguous, independent light-redirecting regions within the at least one slab, arranging the plurality of slabs into a stack with a reflective layer defined between each adjacent slab and affixing the positions of the plurality of slabs with respect to each other. A detector array formed using the method is also provided.

Abstract: A lighting arrangement for a medical imaging system having a cylindrical wall that forms a tunnel that receives a patient to be scanned. The lighting arrangement includes a transparent wall section formed in the wall, wherein the transparent wall section extends along a transparent portion of a wall circumference. The imaging system also includes a lighting device located adjacent an outer surface of the transparent wall section. The lighting device extends along a device portion of a wall circumference corresponding to the transparent portion wherein light emitted by the lighting device is transmitted through the transparent wall section in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the tunnel to circumferentially illuminate the tunnel. In addition, a system status is indicated by a color of light emitted by the LEDs. Further, light emitted by the lighting device varies in intensity to indicate a changing count rate.

Abstract: A hybrid imaging system, includes a positron emission tomography (PET) scanning system including a gantry having two ends with a patient tunnel extending therethrough, a first secondary scanning system including a gantry having two ends with a patient tunnel extending therethrough and coaxially arranged with the PET scanning system. The second end of the first secondary scanning system's gantry opposes the first end of the PET scanning system's gantry and the two patient tunnels define an extended patient tunnel defined through the PET scanning system and the first secondary scanning system. A first patient handling system (PHS) is positioned adjacent to the first end of the first secondary scanning system's gantry to carry a first patient into the extended patient tunnel, and a second PHS is positioned adjacent to the second end of the PET scanning system's gantry to carry a second patient into the extended patient tunnel.

Abstract: Detector heads in a gantry of a medical imaging apparatus are pivotally-coupled to mounting rails oriented axially about the gantry's axial centerline. Radial alignment blocks facilitate alignment and fixation of detector faces circumferentially transverse and normal to a radius projecting from the gantry's axial centerline. A column of detector heads on a common rail are separated by axial stop blocks, for precise axial separation. Abutting detector heads on a common mounting rail are slaved to another previously transverse-aligned detector through a common, shared radial alignment block. Plural, stacked gantry backplanes are fabricated simultaneously, assuring common circumferential and radial co-registration of plural mounting rails relative to the axial centerline of the gantry. Adjustable orientation of the detector heads compensates for tolerance stack up during final assembly of the gantry, so that the detector heads are mutually aligned in a uniform grid of axial columns and circumferential rows.