Abstract: The invention relates to a PET imaging device for observing the brain, characterised by comprising a structure with a shape that is capable of accommodating a human head, having independent gamma-ray detection modules, said detection modules having continuous scintillation crystals with a polygonal main section, wherein all together the detection modules form a hollow three-dimensional structure that can surround the head, and with said three-dimensional structure being elongated and having a main axis in the direction corresponding to the forehead-nape direction and a shorter axis in the direction corresponding to the straight line joining the ears, and with the adjacent scintillation crystals fitting together laterally in a precise manner along their entire thickness, forming a mosaic-like structure, i.e. without leaving gaps and without overlapping with one another.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hybrid medical PET-SPECT/MR imaging device comprising at least one scintillating crystal and at least one module for detecting radiation which contains at least one matrix of photodetectors and an electronics section, such that said module has a mechanical structure, the external, internal or both surfaces of which are divided into at least two sections, of which at least one is coated in graphene, and the rest in non-ferromagnetic conductive material, or all the sections are coated in graphene, and such that the coating forms a Faraday cage. The invention also relates to a shielding against radiofrequency for a medical imaging device, comprising a graphene coating, which is continuous or in bands, on all the faces of the mechanical structure of the detection module of the device, or a graphene coating, continuous or in bands, on at least one face, combined with a coating of non-ferromagnetic conductive materials on the remaining faces, and said shielding forming a Faraday cage.

Abstract: A read network topology for a matrix output device with a number of outputs determined by cross-joining “m” rows and “n” columns comprises a basic filtering block replicated for all the outputs and separately assigned to each of the outputs; each filtering block contains two filtering circuits that have a common input connection to the assigned matrix output and that provide two separate symmetrical and filtered outputs; all the row outputs (i) from the same row “i” but from different columns are interconnected to an input of an amplifier linked to row “i”, and all the column outputs (j) from the same column “j” but from different rows are connected together to an input of an amplifier linked to column “j”, the complete topology appearing when “i” and “j” are expanded in the respective intervals thereof.

Abstract: A gamma ray Compton TOF camera system includes multiple detector modules, each comprising a gamma radiation sensitive material, and arranged in layers formed by one or more detector modules, said layers are placed such that they interfere an incoming gamma ray, in order to completely or partially absorb it after one or more Compton interactions, and are spatially separated in order to allow for the determination of the temporal order of each gamma ray interaction inside the camera system; read out electronics; and a Data Acquisition System where signals from the detector modules will be readout, digitized and sent to a processing unit, and capable to obtain the 3D position, energy and temporal sequential order of the individual interactions—Compton and photoelectric—produced by a single incident gamma ray, allowing the determination of the full timing sequence of all gamma ray interactions inside the gamma ray detector volume.

Abstract: An apparatus to detect gamma rays, comprising a scintillator, a position sensitive photo sensor and a scintillation-light-incidence-angle-constraining, SLIAC, element, the scintillator has faces and the position sensitive photo sensor detects scintillation photons exiting a scintillation photons transparent face of the scintillator, and a portion of a scintillator face is covered with an absorbing layer, which absorbs scintillation photons created by scintillation events due to the interaction of incoming gamma rays with the scintillator, and the SLIAC element is optically coupled between a scintillation photons transparent face of the scintillator and the position sensitive photo sensor and the SLIAC element guides the scintillation photons exiting the scintillator towards the position sensitive photo sensor, and the SLIAC element restricts the maximum allowed half light acceptance angle for the scintillation light hitting the position sensitive photo sensor to less than 45°.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hybrid medical PET-SPECT/MR imaging device comprising at least one scintillating crystal and at least one module for detecting radiation which contains at least one matrix of photodetectors and an electronics section, such that said module has a mechanical structure, the external, internal or both surfaces of which are divided into at least two sections, of which at least one is coated in graphene, and the rest in non-ferromagnetic conductive material, or all the sections are coated in graphene, and such that the coating forms a Faraday cage. The invention also relates to a shielding against radiofrequency for a medical imaging device, comprising a graphene coating, which is continuous or in bands, on all the faces of the mechanical structure of the detection module of the device, or a graphene coating, continuous or in bands, on at least one face, combined with a coating of non-ferromagnetic conductive materials on the remaining faces, and said shielding forming a Faraday cage.

Abstract: This disclosure describes an imaging radiation detection module with novel configuration of the scintillator sensor allowing for simultaneous optimization of the two key parameters: detection efficiency and spatial resolution, that typically cannot be achieved. The disclosed device is also improving response uniformity across the whole detector module, and especially in the edge regions. This is achieved by constructing the scintillation modules as hybrid structures with continuous (also referred to as monolithic) scintillator plate(s) and pixellated scintillator array(s) that are optically coupled to each other and to the photodetector.

Abstract: An ion therapy system for irradiating a patient with laser-accelerated ions may include a laser radiation source to emit laser radiation and a housing coupled to the laser radiation source. The system may have a laser target having a surface from which an ion beam can be generated. The housing may have a window portion to let an incident ion beam pass and to seal the housing. The system may have a vacuum system to generate lower pressure in the inner space of the housing. A focusing system may focus the laser radiation on the laser target. A control device may control the focusing system and adjust a propagation direction of the ion beam such that the ion beam impinges on an external target. The laser radiation source may generate laser pulses with a duration between 10?18 seconds and 10?12 seconds and an energy of at least 100 mJ.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a method and an electronic circuit for reading the signals generated by one or more pixelated sensors in a gamma radiation detection system, which makes it possible to substantially reduce the number of electronic channels to be digitized. The electronic circuit in the invention is analog and can also be coupled to other similar circuits in order to acquire the signals from larger sensors.

Abstract: An optical pulse generator and a method for using the same, where the optical pulse generator includes a source to deliver a chirped pulse and a chirped pulse compressor, and a first manipulation device and a second manipulation device capable of wavelength dependent manipulating the propagation direction of the chirped pulse and a focusing device having a predetermined focus point. The second manipulation device is arranged after the first manipulation device in propagation direction of the chirped pulse and the first and the second manipulation device are capable of manipulating the propagation direction of the chirped pulse such that the chirped pulse is transformed, after passing the second manipulation device, into a pulse, wherein different chromatic parts of the pulse are spatially spread and temporarily fully aligned.

Abstract: The GAMMA/RF compact, hybrid and integrated system for PET-SPECT/MR simultaneous imaging of the invention comprises a GAMMA/RF device that integrates an RF coil, of the type used in conventional MR systems, with GAMMA radiation detector modules of the type used in PET or SPECT systems, so that combined PET or SPECT and MR images are obtained.

Abstract: An optical pulse generator and a method for using the same, where the optical pulse generator includes a source to deliver a chirped pulse and a chirped pulse compressor, and a first manipulation device and a second manipulation device capable of wavelength dependent manipulating the propagation direction of the chirped pulse and a focusing device having a predetermined focus point. The second manipulation device is arranged after the first manipulation device in propagation direction of the chirped pulse and the first and the second manipulation device are capable of manipulating the propagation direction of the chirped pulse such that the chirped pulse is transformed, after passing the second manipulation device, into a pulse, wherein different chromatic parts of the pulse are spatially spread and temporarily fully aligned.

Abstract: An apparatus to detect gamma rays, comprising a scintillator, a position sensitive photo sensor and a scintillation-light-incidence-angle-constraining, SLIAC, element, the scintillator has faces and the position sensitive photo sensor detects scintillation photons exiting a scintillation photons transparent face of the scintillator, and a portion of a scintillator face is covered with an absorbing layer, which absorbs scintillation photons created by scintillation events due to the interaction of incoming gamma rays with the scintillator, and the SLIAC element is optically coupled between a scintillation photons transparent face of the scintillator and the position sensitive photo sensor and the SLIAC element guides the scintillation photons exiting the scintillator towards the position sensitive photo sensor, and the SLIAC element restricts the maximum allowed half light acceptance angle for the scintillation light hitting the position sensitive photo sensor to less than 45°.

Abstract: The invention relates to a portable mini gamma camera for intrasurgical use. The inventive camera is based on scintillation crystals and comprises a stand-alone device, i.e. all of the necessary systems have been integrated next to the sensor head and no other system is required. The camera can be hot-swapped to any computer using different types of interface, such as to meet medical grade specifications. The camera can be self-powered, can save energy and enables software and firmware to be updated from the Internet and images to be formed in real time. Any gamma ray detector based on continuous scintillation crystals can be provided with a system for focusing the scintillation light emitted by the gamma ray in order to improve spatial resolution. The invention also relates to novel methods for locating radiation-emitting objects and for measuring physical variables, based on radioactive and laser emission pointers.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a method and an electronic circuit for reading the signals generated by one or more pixelated sensors in a gamma radiation detection system, which makes it possible to substantially reduce the number of electronic channels to be digitized. The electronic circuit in the invention is analogue and can also be coupled to other similar circuits in order to acquire the signals from larger sensors.

Abstract: The GAMMA/RF compact, hybrid and integrated system for PET-SPECT/MR simultaneous imaging of the invention comprises a GAMMA/RF device that integrates an RF coil, of the type used in conventional MR systems, with GAMMA radiation detector modules of the type used in PET or SPECT systems, so that combined PET or SPECT and MR images are obtained.

Abstract: The invention relates to a portable mini gamma camera for intrasurgical use. The inventive camera is based on scintillation crystals and comprises a stand-alone device, i.e. all of the necessary systems have been integrated next to the sensor head and no other system is required. The camera can be hot-swapped to any computer using different types of interface, such as to meet medical grade specifications. The camera can be self-powered, can save energy and enables software and firmware to be updated from the Internet and images to be formed in real time. Any gamma ray detector based on continuous scintillation crystals can be provided with a system for focusing the scintillation light emitted by the gamma ray in order to improve spatial resolution. The invention also relates to novel methods for locating radiation-emitting objects and for measuring physical variables, based on radioactive and laser emission pointers.

Abstract: Gamma ray detector characterised in that its structural elements are a continuous scintillator crystal, a position sensitive photodetector and associated electronics intended to calculate, in addition to the gamma ray energy in the position of its interaction in the crystal, the interaction depth in the crystal from the standard deviation of the scintillation light distribution. Said information may be obtained electronically, in analog form and therefore instantaneous, from the first three moments of the scintillation light distribution. A method for implementing said electronics by way of a network of resistances characterised for analog and simultaneous computation of the first and second distribution moments is also disclosed.