Positron emission tomography (PET)-scanning device
A positron emission tomography (PET)-scanning device is provided having a detector ring for detecting emitted PET-radiation and a main supporting structure to which is attached a U-shaped portion with two arms for holding the detector ring between the arms ( 341 ). The detector ring is held by the two arms in such a way that the detector ring can be rotated about an axis of rotation that extends through the U-shaped portion, in particular through the two arms of the U-shaped portion. The main supporting structure has a guide rail to which the U-shaped portion is attached in such a way, that the U-shaped portion can be displaced along the guide rail, wherein the guide rail extends along an inclined direction relative to the direction of gravity.
1 . A positron emission tomography (PET)-scanning device comprising:
a detector ring for detecting emitted PET-radiation; and
a main supporting structure to which is attached a U-shaped portion with two arms for holding the detector ring between the arms;
wherein the detector ring is held by the two arms in such a way that the detector ring can be rotated about an axis of rotation that extends through the U-shaped portion, in particular through the two arms of the U-shaped portion,
wherein the main supporting structure comprises a guide rail to which the U-shaped portion is attached in such a way, that the U-shaped portion can be displaced along the guide rail, and
wherein the guide rail extends along an inclined direction relative to the direction of gravity.
2 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 1 , wherein the main supporting structure and the U-shaped portion together form a Z-shaped structure.
3 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 1 , additionally comprising a weight-compensation device for compensating the weight of the U-shaped portion and the detector ring, in order to facilitate the displacement of the U-shaped portion along the guide rail for the user.
4 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 3 , wherein the weight-compensation-device comprises a counterweight, which is connected to the U-shaped portion via a pulley, and which is preferably arranged on the opposite side of the main supporting structure with respect to the U-shaped portion.
5 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 4 , wherein the counterweight is attached to a further guide rail in such a way, that the counterweight can be displaced along the further guide rail.
6 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 1 , wherein a first motor unit is provided for displacing the U-shaped portion along the guide rail.
7 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 1 , wherein a second motor unit is provided for rotating the detector ring about the axis of rotation.
8 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 1 , additionally comprising a first brake device for preventing an undesired displacement of the U-shaped shaped portion along the guide rail.
9 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 8 , wherein the first brake device is an electromagnetically actuated brake device, which generates a braking effect when not activated and releases the braking effect upon activation.
10 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 1 , additionally comprising a second brake device for preventing an undesired rotation of the detector ring about the axis of rotation.
11 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 10 , wherein the second brake device is an electromagnetically actuated brake device, which generates a braking effect when not activated and releases the braking effect upon activation.
12 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 1 , wherein the axis of rotation, about which the detector ring can be rotated, extends through the centre of mass of the detector ring.
13 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 1 , additionally comprising one or more weights, which are movably attached to the detector ring and/or which are detachably attachable to the detector ring, in order to balance the centre of mass of the detector ring with respect to the axis of rotation.
14 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 1 , wherein the two arms of the U-shaped portion extend obliquely upwards in relation to the direction of gravity.
15 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 1 , wherein the PET-scanning device comprises one or more detector encoders, in particular one or more electronic detector encoders, for detecting the displacement position of the U-shaped portion along the guide rail and/or the rotation angle of the detector ring about the axis of rotation.
16 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 1 , additionally comprising a scanning support, which allows a subject to be scanned, preferably a human patient, to be positioned, preferably in a sitting or lying position, with respect to the detector ring for a PET-scanning procedure, wherein the scanning support comprises one or more support encoders, in particular one or more electronic support encoders, for detecting the position of the patient.
17 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 16 , wherein the scanning support is adapted to position a patient's breast within the detector ring.
18 . A positron emission tomography (PET)-scanning device comprising:
a detector ring for detecting emitted PET-radiation; and
a main supporting structure to which is attached a U-shaped portion with two arms for holding the detector ring between the arms;
wherein the detector ring is held by the two arms and configured so that the detector ring is rotatable about an axis of rotation that extends through the U-shaped portion through the two arms of the U-shaped portion,
wherein the main supporting structure comprises a guide rail to which the U-shaped portion is attached so that the U-shaped portion is displaceable along the guide rail, and
wherein the guide rail extends along an inclined direction relative to the direction of gravity, wherein the inclined direction is at an angle that is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the direction of gravity.
19 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 17 , wherein the inclined direction is at an angle between 10° and 50°.
20 . The PET-scanning device according to claim 17 , wherein the inclined direction is at an angle between 20° and 40°.