Abstract: An air filtration system includes a support structure, an enclosure coupled to the support structure and including an air outlet, a filter and a fan operatively coupled to the enclosure, and a diffusion screen configured to cover the air outlet. The diffusion screen includes a screen frame configured to be removably attachable to the enclosure with at least one releasable fastener, and at least a diffusion layer substantially spanning the screen frame to cover the air outlet to provide unidirectional or laminar air flow from the air outlet.

Abstract: In an imaging system (10), a short axial length 4D sinograms are loaded one at a time from a data memory (40). A portion of an image memory (44) that corresponds to a currently reconstructed sinogram subset (1112), is initialized. If a part of the object is already reconstructed, an iterative reconstruction is performed in which the previously reconstructed image (m1) is iteratively improved by using the data from the currently reconstructed overlapping image (m2) to converge on the final image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating a PET scanner is provided. First phantom sinogram data is acquired from a scan of a solid cylinder phantom within a PET scanner imaging FOV; second phantom sinogram data is acquired from a scan of a second solid plane or scanning line phantom within the PET scanner imaging FOV; and a PET scanner detector component scanner efficiency normalization is determined from at least one of the first and second sinogram data. In one aspect a crystal determining efficiency factor is determined as a function of phantom sinogram data without a solid angle correction, and a detector geometry factor is determined as a function of the crystal efficiency factor and phantom sinogram data. In one aspect a smoothed crystal efficiency normalization factor is determined from a noisy crystal efficiency factor through an iterative smoothing technique.

Abstract: In an imaging system (10), a short axial length 4D sinograms are loaded one at a time from a data memory (40) A portion of an image memory (44) that corresponds to a currently reconstructed sinogram subset (1112) is initialized. If a part of the object is already reconstructed an iterative reconstruction is performed in which the previously reconstructed image (m1) is iteratively improved by using the data from the currently reconstructed overlapping image (m2) to converge on the final image.

Abstract: A multi-modality system (10) includes a nuclear imaging system (12) and a computed tomography (CT) scanner (14). The nuclear system (12) includes a PET scanner (28) which acquires electronic data that is reconstructed into a PET blob image by a PET reconstruction processor (50). The CT scanner (14) acquires the scanned data which is reconstructed into a 3D CT voxel image by a CT reconstruction processor (56). An interpolation processor (62) interpolates the PET blob image directly into the CT voxel space. Once the PET and CT images are in the same space, they are combined by a combining means (110). A video processor (66) processes the received composite PET-CT data for a display on a monitor (68).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an iterative image reconstruction uses two or more processors (130). The reconstruction task is distributed among the various processors (130). In one embodiment, the projection space data (300) is distributed among the processors (130). In another embodiment, the object space (200) is distributed among the processors (130).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reconstructing list mode data acquired during a positron emission tomography scan of an object, the data including information indicative of a plurality of detected positron annihilation events. Detected events occurring in a region of interest are identified; the identified events are reconstructed using an iterative reconstruction technique which includes a ray tracing operation to generate volumetric data indicative of the region of interest, wherein the ray tracing operation traces only image matrix elements located in the region of interest; and a human readable image indicative of the volumetric data is generated. In another aspect an image mask and a projection mask are defined correlating to the region of interest; image matrix elements located in the region of interest are determined by applying the image mask; and detected events occurring in a region of interest are identified by applying the projection mask.

Abstract: A method and system for use in positron emission tomography, wherein a first processor element (234) is configured to reconstruct a plurality of positron annihilation events detected during a positron emission tomography scan using a list-based reconstruction technique to generate first volumetric data. A second reconstructor (226) is configured to reconstruct the plurality of events using a second reconstruction technique to generate second volumetric data for determining an error correction (228), the error correction applied to the first volumetric data to generate corrected volumetric data for generating a human-readable image (234). In one embodiment a multiplicative error correction is performed on the plurality of events, the first processor element (234) reconstructing the corrected plurality of events; and the second volumetric data error correction comprises an additive error correction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating a PET scanner is provided. First phantom sinogram data is acquired from a scan of a solid cylinder phantom within a PET scanner imaging FOV; second phantom sinogram data is acquired from a scan of a second solid plane or scanning line phantom within the PET scanner imaging FOV; and a PET scanner detector component scanner efficiency normalization is determined from at least one of the first and second sinogram data. In one aspect a crystal determining efficiency factor is determined as a function of phantom sinogram data without a solid angle correction, and a detector geometry factor is determined as a function of the crystal efficiency factor and phantom sinogram data. In one aspect a smoothed crystal efficiency normalization factor is determined from a noisy crystal efficiency factor through an iterative smoothing technique.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an iterative image reconstruction uses two or more processors (130). The reconstruction task is distributed among the various processors (130). In one embodiment, the projection space data (300) is distributed among the processors (130). In another embodiment, the object space (200) is distributed among the processors (130).

Abstract: An air filtration system includes a support structure, an enclosure coupled to the support structure and including an air outlet, a filter and a fan operatively coupled to the enclosure, and a diffusion screen configured to cover the air outlet. The diffusion screen includes a screen frame configured to be removably attachable to the enclosure with at least one releasable fastener, and at least a diffusion layer substantially spanning the screen frame to cover the air outlet to provide unidirectional or laminar air flow from the air outlet.

Abstract: An imaging method using a plurality of radiation detectors (12) is disclosed. A plurality of coincidence radiation events are measured (60) associated with a point radiation source (18). Initial values are assigned (62) for fitting parameters. Lines of response (LOR) are calculated (64) based upon the fitting parameters and the measured radiation events. A figure of merit is generated (66) that characterizes the apparent size of the point radiation source based upon the LOR's. The fitting parameters are optimized (70) using a minimization algorithm which includes iteratively repeating the calculating (64) and generating (66) steps to produce a minimized figure of merit. Correction factors are extracted from the optimized fitting parameters (72). A set of radiation data is acquired from an associated subject. The radiation data is corrected for mechanical camera misalignment by correcting the spatial coordinates of the detected radiation events using the correction factors.

Abstract: An arrangement apparatus comprises a base (10) and an elongated arranging member (12) mounted thereon, wherein the arranging member includes a plurality of channels (123) and a plurality of reference wires (1253) with predetermined colors. The reference wires are arranged in a sequence that corresponds to the arrangement of pins of a connector to be connected with the multi-core round cable. Each reference wire is disposed in alignment with a corresponding channel. The color of each reference wire is the same as the color of a core (21) of the multi-core round cable to be placed in the channel corresponding to that reference wire. An operator can freely pick up any one core and place it in the correct channel simply by matching the color of the reference wire with the color of the selected wire.

Abstract: An arrangement apparatus comprises a base (10) and an elongated arranging member (12) mounted thereon, wherein the arranging member includes a plurality of channels (123) and a plurality of reference wires (1253) with predetermined colors. The reference wires are arranged in a sequence that corresponds to the arrangement of pins of a connector to be connected with the multi-core round cable. Each reference wire is disposed in alignment with a corresponding channel. The color of each reference wire is the same as the color of a core (21) of the multi-core round cable to be placed in the channel corresponding to that reference wire. An operator can freely pick up any one core and place it in the correct channel simply by matching the color of the reference wire with the color of the selected wire.

Abstract: An electrical cable assembly (1) includes an electrical coaxial cable (2), an electrical cable end connector (3) and a printed circuit board (4). The printed circuit board is electrically connected to and supported by the electrical cable end connector. The cable comprises a plurality of wires (21) extending through and physically retained by the printed circuit board. Each wire comprises an electrical center conductor (210) and a metallic braid (211) shielding the electrical center conductor. The electrical center conductor and the metallic braid are soldered to the printed circuit board.