Patents by Inventor Larry A. Pierce, II

Larry A. Pierce, II 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).

  • Publication number: 20240066322
    Abstract: Various devices, systems, and methods for performing personalized dosimetry of a patient receiving a radiopharmaceutical are described. In an example method, anatomic data is generated by performing a computed tomography (CT) scan on the patient when they are lying down and wearing a garment. Based on the anatomic data, locations of organs of the patient are determined with respect to one or more fiducial markers integrated with the garment. Detectors for detecting photons from a radiopharmaceutical are placed on the garment based on locations of the organs. Subsequently, the patient may be administered a dose of the radiopharmaceutical. When the patient wears the garment, the detectors may detect photons released from the decaying radiopharmaceutical that is distributed in the organs. The radiation dosage to the organs may be determined based on the detected photons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Larry A Pierce, II, Robert S. Miyaoka, Robert L Harrison
  • Patent number: 11806177
    Abstract: Various noncollimated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) technologies are described herein. An example device includes an array of detectors configured to detect a flux of first photons transmitted from a field of view (FOV) over time. The device also includes an attenuator disposed between the array of detectors and the FOV. The attenuator is configured to move over time and to attenuate second photons emitted from the source. In various implementations, the attenuator is not a collimator. Based on the fluxes of the first photons detected by the detectors, and the position of the attenuator over time, an imaging system may be configured to generate an image of the FOV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Larry A. Pierce, II, Robert S. Miyaoka
  • Publication number: 20230181128
    Abstract: Various noncollimated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) technologies are described herein. An example device includes an array of detectors configured to detect a flux of first photons transmitted from a field of view (FOV) over time. The device also includes an attenuator disposed between the array of detectors and the FOV. The attenuator is configured to move over time and to attenuate second photons emitted from the source. In various implementations, the attenuator is not a collimator. Based on the fluxes of the first photons detected by the detectors, and the position of the attenuator over time, an imaging system may be configured to generate an image of the FOV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Larry A. Pierce, II, Robert S. Miyaoka
  • Publication number: 20210228078
    Abstract: A garment for detecting radiation washout (e.g., radioactivity concentrations) in organs includes a covering that wraps around and is secured to the body. The covering permits positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging of the body through the covering. The garment includes guides formed from a material that is visible in a computed tomography (CT) image of the garment, such that the guides are visible in CT images of user organs that the garment overlies. A plurality of radiation detectors are attached to the covering in a configuration customized for the body. A wiring system connects the plurality of radiation detectors to a power and data control system that is configured to transmit data from the garment to a remote service provider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: University of Washington
    Inventors: Robert S. Miyaoka, Hubert Vesselle, Robert Stewart, Robert L. Harrison, Larry A. Pierce, II
  • Patent number: 11061147
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a nuclear medicine tomography detector module using principal component analysis is based on the idea that calibration beam data lies on a one-dimensional path within the higher dimensional dataspace of output data. The module includes a weighted multiplexing circuit that generates a small number of multiplexed signals for each photon event. Calibration data for the module is generated and analyzed using several iterations of principal component analyses, to filter scattering events, noise, and other spurious signals. The direction of depth-of-interaction information has been found in the high-dimensional dataspace to be indicated by the primary principal component of the calibration data. The primary principal components, principal components from filtered datasets, intermediate thresholds, and DOI or inner product values are recorded for calibrating the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Larry A. Pierce, II, Robert S. Miyaoka
  • Publication number: 20200278456
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a nuclear medicine tomography detector module using principal component analysis is based on the idea that calibration beam data lies on a one-dimensional path within the higher dimensional dataspace of output data. The module includes a weighted multiplexing circuit that generates a small number of multiplexed signals for each photon event. Calibration data for the module is generated and analyzed using several iterations of principal component analyses, to filter scattering events, noise, and other spurious signals. The direction of depth-of-interaction information has been found in the high-dimensional dataspace to be indicated by the primary principal component of the calibration data. The primary principal components, principal components from filtered datasets, intermediate thresholds, and DOI or inner product values are recorded for calibrating the module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: University of Washington
    Inventors: Larry A. Pierce, II, Robert S. Miyaoka