Split bridge for PET-MR scanner

1. A PET-MRI apparatus comprising:

a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system having a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a bore of a magnet, and an RF coil assembly coupled to a pulse generator to emit an RF pulse sequence and arranged to receive resulting MR signals from a subject of interest in the bore;

a positron emission tomography (PET) system having a detector array positioned around a PET tube encircling the bore, with the detector array being controlled to acquire PET emissions of the subject of interest;

a coil matrix array (CMA); and

a patient support assembly configured to provide for support and movement of the subject of interest through the bore to enable acquisition of the MR signals and the PET emissions from the subject of interest, the patient support assembly comprising:

a cradle configured to accommodate the subject of interest;

a carriage assembly configured to attach to the cradle and cause the cradle to selectively travel through the bore;

a rear bridge configured to receive the cradle and carriage assembly and provide for translation therealong, the rear bridge extending outwardly from a back edge of the PET tube outside a volume of the bore;

a front bridge configured to receive the cradle and carriage assembly and provide for translation therealong, the front bridge being mounted to the PET tube and including:

a first section extending from a front edge of the PET tube into the volume of the bore;

a second section extending from the back edge of the PET tube into the volume of the bore, wherein the second section is spaced apart from the first section so as to form a gap in the front bridge between the first section and the second section in an area adjacent the detector array of the PET system; and

a coil positioning area configured to house the CMA, the coil positioning area including portions of the first and second sections of the front bridge adjacent one another and including the gap formed between the first section and the second section, with the coil positioning area being a cut-out area of the first and second sections of the front bridge that houses the CMA such that the CMA does not contact the cradle when the cradle traverses over the coil positioning area;

wherein the rear bridge and front bridge include an anti-tip rail assembly configured to interact with the cradle and the carriage assembly so as to prevent tipping thereof when traversing over the gap between the first and second sections of the front bridge.

2. The PET-MRI apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the rear bridge and the front bridge further comprise a plurality of roller bearings configured to enable translation of the cradle and carriage assembly through the MRI system and PET system in a direction parallel to an axis of the bore.

3. The PET-MRI apparatus of claim 2 wherein a number of the plurality of roller bearings are positioned in the portions of the first and second sections of the front bridge forming the coil positioning area, wherein the number of roller bearings in the coil positioning area are positioned so as to pass through open slots formed in the CMA such that there is no load transfer from the roller bearings to the CMA.

4. The PET-MRI apparatus of claim 1 wherein the front bridge further comprises a set of lateral wheels for lateral positioning of cradle and carriage assembly on the front bridge, in a direction perpendicular to travel of the cradle and carriage assembly along the front bridge.

5. The PET-MRI apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anti-tip rail assembly comprises a pair of anti-tip guide rails positioned on opposing sides of the rear bridge and the front bridge, each of the pair of anti-tip guide rails including an upper flange formed thereon.

6. The PET-MRI apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of the cradle and the carriage assembly further includes slide blades formed thereon configured to interact with the flange on the anti-tip guide rails so as to prevent the cradle and carriage assembly from tipping when traversing over the gap between the first and second sections of the front bridge.

7. The PET-MRI apparatus of claim 5 wherein the each of the anti-tip guide rails comprises adjustable ball plungers or rollers positioned thereon configured to apply a downward pressure onto the slide blades as the carriage assembly traverses over the gap between the first and second sections of the front bridge.

8. The PET-MRI apparatus of claim 1 wherein the PET system comprises a PET tube skin positioned between the PET tube and the subject of interest, and wherein the PET tube skin is spaced apart from the PET tube by a set of mounting blocks embedded on the PET tube, the mounting blocks configured to provide for mounting of the first and second sections of the front bridge to the PET tube.

9. The PET-MRI apparatus of claim 1 wherein the carriage assembly further comprises a dual drive configured to cause the cradle and carriage assembly to move along the front and rear bridges.

10. The PET-MRI apparatus of claim 1 wherein the patient support assembly further comprises a rear pedestal structure configured to support the rear bridge.

11. The PET-MRI apparatus of claim 1 wherein the patient support assembly further comprises a patient table attachable to the front bridge, at the front edge of the PET tube.

12. The PET-MRI apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cradle is composed of a fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) so as to minimize PET attenuation resulting from the cradle; and

wherein each of the rear bridge and front bridge comprise a foam core with a skin of FRP.