Abstract: A positron emission tomography (PET) scanner may include a plurality of gamma radiation detector modules arranged to form a detector ring. Each detector module may include an array of elongated scintillation crystals. With respect to the detector ring, each elongated scintillation crystal includes a proximal end-face, two axially oriented lateral faces, two transaxially oriented lateral faces, and a distal end-face radially oriented into the detector ring to receive a gamma photon. An array of photosensors is positioned along a first of the axially oriented lateral faces of each elongated scintillation crystal to detect scintillation photons. A reflective material is positioned on the proximal end-face, the distal end-face, the transaxially oriented lateral faces, and a second of the axially oriented lateral faces of each elongated scintillation crystal to internally reflect scintillation photons.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 17, 2024
Date of Patent:
January 13, 2026
Assignee:
Cintilight, LLC
Inventors:
Chad E. Seaver, Philipp Braeuninger-Weimer, Ronald Grazioso
Abstract: A positron emission tomography (PET) scanner includes a plurality of gamma radiation detector modules arranged to form a detector ring. Each detector module includes an array of scintillator detectors. Each scintillator detector comprises a monolithic scintillation crystal and a plurality of photodetector arrays, such as silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). A photodetector array is positioned on at least two nonparallel faces of each scintillation crystal. In some examples, a photodetector array is positioned on each of three orthogonal faces of each scintillation crystal.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 4, 2024
Date of Patent:
October 21, 2025
Assignee:
Cintilight, LLC
Inventors:
Philipp Braeuninger-Weimer, Chad E. Seaver, Ronald Grazioso, Simon Philip Jelley
Abstract: A positron emission tomography (PET) scanner may include a plurality of gamma radiation detector modules arranged to form a detector ring. Each detector module may include an array of elongated scintillation crystals. With respect to the detector ring, each elongated scintillation crystal includes a proximal end-face, two axially oriented lateral faces, two transaxially oriented lateral faces, and a distal end-face radially oriented into the detector ring to receive a gamma photon. An array of photosensors is positioned along a first of the axially oriented lateral faces of each elongated scintillation crystal to detect scintillation photons. A reflective material is positioned on the proximal end-face, the distal end-face, the transaxially oriented lateral faces, and a second of the axially oriented lateral faces of each elongated scintillation crystal to internally reflect scintillation photons.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 4, 2023
Date of Patent:
June 18, 2024
Assignee:
Cintilight, LLC
Inventors:
Chad E. Seaver, Philipp Braeuninger-Weimer, Ronald Grazioso