Abstract: A wearable device for monitoring respiratory function includes a front portion having embedded fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). The device includes at least one light emitter, each light emitter configured to pulse light waves through a corresponding FBGs. The device further includes at least one light sensor configured to receive pulsed light waves. A processor receives from the light sensors peak wavelengths reflected by the at least one FBG and detects effective shifts of the Bragg wavelengths of the at least one FBG caused by body deformation over a period of time to establish a baseline respiratory pattern, the device may compare the baseline respiratory pattern with profiled respiratory patterns to determine whether the baseline respiratory pattern is indicative of a potential disease state and provide an alert of the potential disease state.

Abstract: For dead time determination for a gamma camera or other detector, a long-lived point source of emissions is positioned so that the gamma camera detects the emissions from the source while also being used to detect emissions from the patient. The long-lived point source, in the scan time, acts as a fixed frequency source of emissions, allowing for dead time correction measurements that include the crystal detector effects.

Abstract: A health monitoring device for detecting a physiological attribute having a physiological attribute sensor including a first fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with a refractive index is configured to be placed in contact with a person's skin approximate to an artery or vein. A baseline sensor that includes a second fiber Bragg grating (FBG) also having a refractive index is configured to be placed in contact with a person's skin away from an artery or vein to provide a baseline refractive index. The device pulses light waves through the FBGs to provide a processor with reading of the refractive index from the FBGs. Based on the effective shifts of the Bragg wavelength due to axial strain on the FBGs, a physiological attribute estimator estimates a physiological attribute based on a calibration curve comparing a physiological attribute against strain.

Abstract: A health monitoring device for detecting blood pressure having a blood pressure sensor including a first fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with a refractive index is configured to be placed in contact with a person's skin approximate to an artery or vein. A baseline sensor that includes a second fiber Bragg grating (FBG) also having a refractive index is configured to be placed in contact with a person's skin away from an artery or vein to provide a baseline refractive index. The device pulses light waves through the FBGs to provide a processor with reading of the refractive index from the FBGs. Based on the effective shifts of the Bragg wavelength due to axial strain on the FBGs, a blood pressure estimator estimates systolic and diastolic blood pressure based on a calibration curve comparing pressure against strain.

Abstract: A health monitoring device for detecting blood pressure having a blood pressure sensor including a first fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with a refractive index is configured to be placed in contact with a person's skin approximate to an artery or vein. A baseline sensor that includes a second fiber Bragg grating (FBG) also having a refractive index is configured to be placed in contact with a person's skin away from an artery or vein to provide a baseline refractive index. The device pulses light waves through the FBGs to provide a processor with reading of the refractive index from the FBGs. Based on the effective shifts of the Bragg wavelength due to axial strain on the FBGs, a blood pressure estimator estimates systolic and diastolic blood pressure based on a calibration curve comparing pressure against strain.

Abstract: For dead time determination for a gamma camera or other detector, a long-lived point source of emissions is positioned so that the gamma camera detects the emissions from the source while also being used to detect emissions from the patient. The long-lived point source, in the scan time, acts as a fixed frequency source of emissions, allowing for dead time correction measurements that include the crystal detector effects.

Abstract: For dead time determination for a gamma camera or other detector, a long-lived point source of emissions is positioned so that the gamma camera detects the emissions from the source while also being used to detect emissions from the patient. The long-lived point source, in the scan time, acts as a fixed frequency source of emissions, allowing for dead time correction measurements that include the crystal detector effects.

Abstract: For dose calibration (39) in functional imaging, different precision sources (22, 25) for a same long-lived isotope are used to calibrate, avoiding having to ship one source from one location to another location. A ratio of sensitivities of a gas ion chamber-based dose calibrator (20) at a reference laboratory to the precision source (22) of the long-lived isotope to a source (23) with an isotope to be used for imaging is found. At the clinical site (e.g., radio-pharmacy or functional imaging facility), a measure (34) of the sensitivity of a local gas ion chamber-based dose calibrator (24) to the other source (25) with the long-lived isotope and the ratio from the remote gas ion chamber-based dose calibrator (20) are used to determine sensitivity of the local gas ion chamber-based dose calibrator (24) to the isotope of the radiopharmaceutical (26).

Abstract: A method and system of compensating for body deformation during image acquisition or external beam treatment includes acquiring image data of a body and peak wavelength data from a plurality of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) disposed on the body aligned along a predetermined coordinate system on the body, such as a cartesian coordinate system. The method further comprises detecting effective shifts of the Bragg wavelengths of the FBGs caused by body deformation during image acquisition, and controlling the movement of the body through a cavity in a scanning device and controlling the acquisition of the image data or external beam treatment during body deformation based on the effective shifts of the Bragg wavelengths of the FBGs.

Abstract: A health monitoring device for detecting blood pressure having a blood pressure sensor including a first fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with a refractive index is configured to be placed in contact with a person's skin approximate to an artery or vein. A baseline sensor that includes a second fiber Bragg grating (FBG) also having a refractive index is configured to be placed in contact with a person's skin away from an artery or vein to provide a baseline refractive index. The device pulses light waves through the FBGs to provide a processor with reading of the refractive index from the FBGs. Based on the effective shifts of the Bragg wavelength due to axial strain on the FBGs, a blood pressure estimator estimates systolic and diastolic blood pressure based on a calibration curve comparing pressure against strain.

Abstract: A garment for real time detection of body deformation during an image scan includes a front portion, made of a compression material and having a plurality of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). The garment includes a plurality of light emitters, each light emitter configured to pulse light waves through a corresponding FBGs and a plurality of light sensors, each light sensor attached to a corresponding FBG and configured to receive pulsed light waves. A processor obtains data through a data acquisition module configured to receive from the light sensors peak wavelengths reflected by the FBG Based on the effective shifts of the Bragg wavelengths of the FBGs aligned along the cartesian coordinate system, the processor may correct acquired image data or re-direct an external beam treatment to compensate for body deformation during an image scan.

Abstract: A garment for real time detection of body deformation during an image scan includes a front portion, made of a compression material and having a plurality of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). The garment includes a plurality of light emitters, each light emitter configured to pulse light waves through a corresponding FBGs and a plurality of light sensors, each light sensor attached to a corresponding FBG and configured to receive pulsed light waves. A processor obtains data through a data acquisition module configured to receive from the light sensors peak wavelengths reflected by the FBG Based on the effective shifts of the Bragg wavelengths of the FBGs aligned along the cartesian coordinate system, the processor may correct acquired image data or re-direct an external beam treatment to compensate for body deformation during an image scan.

Abstract: During calibration of a SPECT system, system-specific sensitivities and cross-calibration factors for multiple isotopes for correcting for dose are determined for various combinations of options, including the option of which specific well counter with which to measure the dose. The options may include selected energy windows for isotopes with multiple energy windows. This arrangement allows for custom-specified isotopes not included in standard listings. For use with a particular patient, the cross-calibration factor for the well counter used to measure the dosage for the patient is accessed and used for dose correction. More accurate quantitative functional information may result from the corrected dose. The cross-calibration may be more easily implemented despite the options using the sensitivities and cross-calibrations provided for various combinations.

Abstract: For dose calibration (39) in functional imaging, different precision sources (22, 25) for a same long-lived isotope are used to calibrate, avoiding having to ship one source from one location to another location. A ratio of sensitivities of a gas ion chamber-based dose calibrator (20) at a reference laboratory to the precision source (22) of the long-lived isotope to a source (23) with an isotope to be used for imaging is found. At the clinical site (e.g., radio-pharmacy or functional imaging facility), a measure (34) of the sensitivity of a local gas ion chamber-based dose calibrator (24) to the other source (25) with the long-lived isotope and the ratio from the remote gas ion chamber-based dose calibrator (20) are used to determine sensitivity of the local gas ion chamber-based dose calibrator (24) to the isotope of the radiopharmaceutical (26).

Abstract: A detector of a gamma camera is configured such that a radioactive point source is positioned within a field of view at a fixed distance from the detector. A predetermined number of gamma photons emitted by the point source and passed through a collimator are acquired. A system-specific planar sensitivity is computed for a combination of the collimator and detector using the number of gamma photons acquired, a time duration of the acquisition, and precalibrated radioactivity data of the point source corrected for decay that occurred after a precalibration time. A deviation of the computed system-specific planar sensitivity from a class standard sensitivity value for a combination of the radioactive point source, the collimator, and the detector is computed. A class standard sensitivity value for a combination of a radiopharmaceutical, the collimator, and the detector is scaled by the computed deviation, yielding a scaled system-specific sensitivity value for the radiopharmaceutical.

Abstract: Cross-calibration is provided for functional imaging. In PET or SPECT, the inaccuracies from the dose and detector sensitivity may be reduced or removed in both activity concentration and uptake. By using measures from both the radiotracer for the patient and factory calibrated sources, the variability due to dose may be removed. In SPECT, a measurement of system specific sensitivity to a factory calibrated point source is used to improve the accuracy of uptake values, not just activity concentration.

Abstract: Cross-calibration is provided for functional imaging. In PET or SPECT, the inaccuracies from the dose and detector sensitivity may be reduced or removed in both activity concentration and uptake. By using measures from both the radiotracer for the patient and factory calibrated sources, the variability due to dose may be removed. In SPECT, a measurement of system specific sensitivity to a factory calibrated point source is used to improve the accuracy of uptake values, not just activity concentration.

Abstract: During calibration of a SPECT system, system-specific sensitivities and cross-calibration factors for multiple isotopes for correcting for dose are determined for various combinations of options, including the option of which specific well counter with which to measure the dose. The options may include selected energy windows for isotopes with multiple energy windows. This arrangement allows for custom-specified isotopes not included in standard listings. For use with a particular patient, the cross-calibration factor for the well counter used to measure the dosage for the patient is accessed and used for dose correction. More accurate quantitative functional information may result from the corrected dose. The cross-calibration may be more easily implemented despite the options using the sensitivities and cross-calibrations provided for various combinations.

Abstract: For dose calibration in functional imaging, an amount of bias in a dose calibrator measurement of activity is determined using a spectroscopic detector. The bias may then be used to correct dose values for the same isotope used to determine a factory-based sensitivity of the functional imaging system. When local functional imaging systems are calibrated, any difference in sensitivity from the factory measured sensitivity may be due to local dose calibrator bias, so the difference in sensitivity is used to determine a local correction.

Abstract: For dose calibration in functional imaging, an amount of bias in a dose calibrator measurement of activity is determined using a spectroscopic detector. The bias may then be used to correct dose values for the same isotope used to determine a factory-based sensitivity of the functional imaging system. When local functional imaging systems are calibrated, any difference in sensitivity from the factory measured sensitivity may be due to local dose calibrator bias, so the difference in sensitivity is used to determine a local correction.