Modular positron emission tomography (PET) gantry
A modular PET gantry is provided herein. A detector module is described, and the detector module includes a plurality of PET detector units. Each detector unit may be bonded to a mounting sleeve. The detector module also includes a mounting frame, wherein each detector unit and mounting sleeve is attached to the mounting frame.
1. A detector module, comprising:
a scintillator block having a block width;
a tube coupled to the scintillator block and configured to acquire light from the scintillator block, the tube having an external tube width;
a mounting sleeve configured to accept the tube, the mounting sleeve having a sleeve width, wherein the sleeve width and the external tube width are less than the block width;
a plurality of PET detector units, wherein each detector unit is bonded to the mounting sleeve;
a light guide, wherein the light guide guides scintillations from the scintillator block to the tube of the detector unit; and
a mounting frame, wherein each detector unit and mounting sleeve are attached to the mounting frame.
2. The detector module of claim 1 , wherein an aspect ratio of the block width to the external tube width is at least four-to-three.
3. The detector module of claim 1 , wherein the mounting sleeve attaches the detector unit to the mounting frame.
4. The detector module of claim 1 , wherein the mounting sleeve includes at least one pin hole, at least one screw hole, or any combination thereof.
5. The detector module of claim 1 , wherein the detector unit is a field replaceable unit.
6. The detector module of claim 1 , wherein the mounting sleeve is attached to the mounting frame via an alignment pin, a locking screw, a rail mechanism, or any combination thereof.
7. The detector module of claim 1 , wherein a rear shield is mounted to the frame to enable sufficient rear end shielding from radioactive scatter outside a field of view.
8. The detector module of claim 1 , wherein the detector module is mounted to a common mechanical mounting structure in a ring formation.
9. The detector module of claim 1 , wherein each detector unit is bonded to a mounting sleeve using a gluing fixture.
10. A detector unit, comprising:
a detection tube having an external tube width;
a mounting sleeve configured to accept the tube, the mounting sleeve having a sleeve width, the mounting sleeve comprising mounting features configured to enable location of the detector unit;
a scintillator block having a block width that is greater than the sleeve width and the external tube width, wherein a light guide guides scintillations from the scintillator block to the detection tube.
11. The detector unit of claim 10 , wherein an aspect ratio of the block width to the external tube width is at least four-to-three.
12. The detector unit of claim 10 , wherein the mounting sleeve enables precision molded connections to a mounting frame, machined pin hole connections to a mounting frame, or any combination thereof.
13. The detector unit of claim 10 , wherein the detection tube is a photomultiplier tube.
14. The detector unit of claim 10 , wherein the detector unit is a silicon photomultiplier based detector unit.
15. The detector unit of claim 10 , wherein the light guide enables transfer of light from scintillator to the detector tube.
16. A modular PET system, comprising:
a plurality of detector modules, wherein the detector modules are arranged in a ring and each detector module comprises:
a plurality of PET detector units each comprising a scintillator block having a block width, a tube having an external tube width, and a mounting sleeve having a sleeve width, the tube configured to acquire light from the scintillator block, the mounting sleeve configured to accept the tube, wherein each detector unit is bonded to a corresponding mounting sleeve, the sleeve width and the external tube width less than the block width;
a plurality of light guides, wherein each light guide enables photons from a scintillator block to travel to a tube of its respective detector unit; and
a mounting frame, wherein each detector unit and mounting sleeve are attached to the mounting frame, wherein neighboring detector units are oriented in a common direction with neighboring scintillator blocks adjacent to one another.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of detector modules are to be arranged in a ring by mounting the plurality of detector modules to a common mechanical mounting structure in a ring formation.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of detector modules are arranged in a ring by mounting the plurality of detector modules to a common mechanical mounting structure in a ring formation, wherein the a plurality of mounting holes of the plurality of mounting sleeves in the ring are machined in a single process to minimize module-to-module location tolerance.
19. The system of claim 16 , comprising a rear shield located in an appropriate axial location, wherein the rear shield is scalable to a number of detector units.
20. The system of claim 16 , wherein each detector module of the plurality of detector modules can be replaced.