Patent ID: 6388257
Filing Date: 2002-05-14
Classification: G01T

Abstract:
A method of diagnostic imaging using a nuclear medicine gamma camera, the method comprising:(a) placing a subject in a subject receiving aperture; (b) injecting the subject with a radiopharmaceutical; (c) positioning at least one radiation source and a plurality of radiation detectors about the subject receiving aperture such that the radiation source is across the subject receiving aperture from a corresponding radiation detector; (d) directing radiation from the radiation source toward the corresponding radiation detector positioned across the subject receiving aperture; (e) incrementally rotating the radiation source and radiation detectors about the subject receiving aperture by a predetermined step size throughout a first 180Â° of rotation about the subject receiving aperture; (f) offsetting the radiation source and radiation detectors about the subject receiving aperture by one-half of the predetermined step size; (g) incrementally rotating the radiation source and radiation detectors about the subject receiving aperture by the predetermined step size throughout the remaining second 180Â° of one complete rotation about the subject receiving aperture; (h) detecting radiation emitted by the injected radiopharmaceutical and transmitted by the radiation source using the plurality of radiation detectors at each angular orientation corresponding to each step of incremental rotation about the subject receiving aperture; (i) generating emission projection data and transmission projection data from the detected emission and transmission radiation; and (j) reconstructing the emission and transmission projection data into a volumetric image representation.