Patents by Inventor Gordon L. Brownell

Gordon L. Brownell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4531058
    Abstract: A positron source, position sensing device, particularly with medical applications, in which positron induced gamma radiation is detected using a ring of stacked, individual scintillation crystals, a plurality of photodetectors, separated from the scintillation crystals by a light guide, and high resolution position interpolation electronics. Preferably the scintillation crystals are several times more numerous than the photodetectors with each crystal being responsible for a single scintillation event from a received gamma ray. The light guide will disperse the light emitted from gamma ray absorption over several photodetectors. Processing electronics for the output of the photodetectors resolves the location of the scintillation event to a fraction of the dimension of each photodetector. Because each positron absorption results in two 180.degree. oppositely traveling gamma rays, the detection of scintillation in pairs permits location of the positron source in a manner useful for diagnostic purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: The Massachusetts General Hospital
    Inventors: Charles A. Burnham, John F. Bradshaw, Jr., David E. Kaufman, David A. Chesler, Gordon L. Brownell