Patent ID: 6525321
Filing Date: 2003-02-25
Classification: A61B,G01T

Abstract:
A single photon emission computed tomography system for producing multiple tomographic images of the type representing a three-dimensional distribution of a photon-emitting radioisotope, said system comprising:a base including a patient support for supporting a human patient such that a portion of the patient's torso is located in a field of view, the patient's torso extending generally vertically such that the patient's head is substantially higher than the patient's hips, a longitudinal axis being defined through the field of view, with the longitudinal axis being generally vertical; a detector assembly adjacent the field of view, said detector assembly including a photon-responsive detector operable to detect if a photon strikes the detector, said detector assembly operable to scan for photons emitted from the portion of the patient's torso located in the field of view; a collimating assembly including at least two spaced apart collimating vanes of photon-attenuating material, each of said vanes being disposed between said detector and the field of view; a photon-blocking member disposed between the field of view and said detector, said blocking member having an aperture slot defined therethrough for passage of photons aligned with said aperture slot, a line of response being defined from said detector through said aperture; and a displacement actuator for moving said photon-blocking member relative to said detector such that said aperture is displaced relative to said detector and said line of response is swept across at least a portion of the field of view; wherein the patient and the photon responsive detector remain stationary during a scan.