Systems and methods for developing a secondary collimator

1. A method for developing a secondary collimator, said method comprising:

orienting a plurality of collimator elements in a plane such that a gap is defined between a first collimator element and a second collimator element of the plurality of collimator elements; and

curving a first end of the first collimator element, the first end facing the second collimator element across the gap, such that a width of the gap varies.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , said curving a first end further comprising:

generating a plurality of scattered beams;

fitting a curve to a plurality of intersection points formed by intersection of the plurality of scattered beams with the plane; and

shaping the first end to match the curve.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 , said generating a plurality of scattered beams further comprising:

generating a primary beam; and

generating the plurality of scattered beams from a point on the primary beam, wherein a first one of the plurality of scattered beams forms a first angle with the primary beam, a second one of the plurality of scattered beams forms a second angle with the primary beam, and a third one of the plurality of scattered beams forms a third angle with the primary beam, wherein a ratio of a difference between the second angle and the first angle divided by the first angle is equal to a ratio of a difference between the third angle and the second angle divided by the second angle.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising attaching at least one of the plurality of collimator elements to a side wall of a gantry.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising curving a second end of the second collimator element, the second end facing the first end of the first collimator element across the gap.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a said curving a first end further comprises curving the first end such that a scatter angle of scattered radiation passing through the gap varies along the gap.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising curving an opposite end of the first collimator element such that the opposite end is a mirror image of the first end.

8. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium, said computer program comprising at least one code segment that configures a processor to:

orient a plurality of virtual collimator elements in a virtual plane such that a virtual gap is defined between a first virtual collimator element and a second virtual collimator element of the plurality of virtual collimator elements; and

curve a first end of the first virtual collimator element, the first end facing the second virtual collimator element across the virtual gap, such that a width of the virtual gap varies.

9. A computer program in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the at least one code segment further configures the processor to:

generate a plurality of virtual scattered beams;

fit a curve to a plurality of intersection points formed by intersection of the plurality of virtual scattered beams with the virtual plane; and

shape the first end to match the curve.

10. A computer program in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the at least one code segment further configures the processor to:

generate a virtual primary beam; and

generate the plurality of virtual scattered beams from a point on the virtual primary beam, wherein a first one of the plurality of virtual scattered beams forms a first angle with the virtual primary beam, a second one of the plurality of virtual scattered beams forms a second angle with the virtual primary beam, and a third one of the plurality of virtual scattered beams forms a third angle with the virtual primary beam, wherein a ratio of a difference between the second angle and the first angle divided by the first angle is equal to a ratio of a difference between the third angle and the second angle divided by the second angle.

11. An imaging system comprising:

a source configured to generate energy;

a detector configured to detect the energy; and

a collimator placed between an object and said detector, said collimator comprising a plurality of collimator elements oriented in a plane such that a gap is defined between a first collimator element and a second collimator element of said plurality of collimator elements, said first collimator element comprising a first curved end, said first curved end facing said second collimator element across the gap, said first curved end at least partially defines a width of the gap such that the width varies.

12. An imaging system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said source is configured to generate a primary beam to interact with the object such that a plurality of scattered beams originates from a point on the primary beam, said first curved end intersects a first one, a second one, and a third one of the plurality of scattered beams, wherein the first one of the plurality of scattered beams forms a first angle with the primary beam, the second one of the plurality of scattered beams forms a second angle with the primary beam, and the third one of the plurality of scattered beams forms a third angle with the primary beam, a ratio of a difference between the second angle and the first angle divided by the first angle is equal to a ratio of a difference between the third angle and the second angle divided by the second angle.

13. An imaging system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein at least one of said plurality of collimator elements is attached to a side wall of a gantry.

14. A computer program in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the at least one code segment further configures the processor to curve an opposite end of the first virtual collimator element such that the opposite end is a mirror image of the first end.

15. A computer program in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the at least one code segment further configures the processor to set a shortest distance between the first virtual collimator element and the second virtual collimator element equal to a selected value.

16. A computer program in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the at least one code segment further configures the processor to size the first virtual collimator element such that the first end extends between a first virtual side wall and a second virtual side wall.

17. An imaging system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said curved first end at least partially defines the width of the gap such that a scatter angle of scattered radiation passing through the gap varies along the gap.

18. An imaging system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said second collimator element comprises a second curved end, said second curved end facing said first curved end of said first collimator element across the gap.