Abstract: A system for obtaining serial biochemical, anatomical or physiological in vivo measurements of disease from one or more medical images of a patient before, during and after treatment, and measuring extent and severity of the disease is provided. First anatomical and functional image data sets are acquired, and form a first co-registered composite image data set. At least a volume of interest (VOI) within the first co-registered composite image data set is identified. The first co-registered composite image data set including the VOI is qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed to determine extent and severity of the disease. Second anatomical and functional image data sets are acquired, and form a second co-registered composite image data set. A global, rigid registration is performed on the first and second anatomical image data sets, such that the first and second functional image data sets are also globally registered.

Abstract: A collimator handling system for partially or fully automating the task of replacing and storing collimators in nuclear imaging systems. A collimator server stores a set of different collimators in stacked drawers which may be automatically extracted into the detector. The reduction in time spent on these tasks reduces cost and increases throughput. Furthermore, the automation of handling heavy lead (or like) collimators increases technician safety.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting the presence of motion in functional medical imaging data by comparison with anatomical medical imaging data derived from reconstructed anatomical images. Detected motion in the functional data is then estimated and corrected. In accordance with an example embodiment, CT object templates are produced from reconstructed CT image data and convolved with nuclear medical (SPECT or PET) projection data to detect object motion. Detected motion is estimated to obtain a displacement vector, and the nuclear medical projection data is corrected for objection motion by application of the displacement vector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for nuclear medicine imaging in which the imaging platform is attached directly to the detectors for nuclear imaging to allow for minimal constant distance between the detector(s) and the object to be imaged. As the detector moves around the object to be imaged to capture different angular views of the object, the imaging platform is rotated in a compensatory manner to maintain a its long axis perpendicular to gravity during movement of the detector. An advantage of this configuration over prior systems is the ability to obtain multiple angular projections while the distance between the detector and the object being imaged is maintained at a minimum, but the danger of detector-object collision is minimized and the necessity for orbital path calibration to preserve precision of detector movement and distance is eliminated.