Device and system for improved imaging in nuclear medicine and mammography
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for detecting radiation including x-ray, gamma ray, and particle radiation for radiographic imaging, and nuclear medicine and x-ray mammography in particular, and material composition analysis are described. A detection system employs fixed or configurable arrays of one or more detector modules comprising detector arrays which may be electronically manipulated through a computer system. The detection system, by providing the ability for electronic manipulation, permits adaptive imaging. Detector array configurations include familiar geometries, including slit, slot, plane, open box, and ring configurations, and customized configurations, including wearable detector arrays, that are customized to the shape of the patient. Conventional, such as attenuating, rigid geometry, and unconventional collimators, such as x-ray optic, configurable, Compton scatter modules, can be selectively employed with detector modules and radiation sources. The components of the imaging chain can be calibrated or corrected using processes of the invention. X-ray mammography and scintimammography are enhanced by utilizing sectional compression and related imaging techniques.
1. A method of calibrating a radiation detection system comprising:
providing a radiation source that emits radiation, wherein the source is chosen from the group consisting of a uniform point-like source, a line-like source, a spherical source, a rod-like source, a collimated spot source, a slit source, a slot source, a grid pattern source, a planar flood field, and a shaped three-dimensional flood field,
measuring an energy-dependent modulation transfer function of the detection system, and
measuring the level of radiation emitted from the source that is detected by the detection system, and
calibrating the detection system by evaluating the detected radiation and balancing the system based upon the detected radiation and the energy-dependent modulation transfer function of the detection system.
2. A method of estimating the effects of tissue attenuation on the intensity and energy distribution of an x-ray beam comprising:
calibrating an energy-resolving detector array by determining its energy-dependent modulator transfer function,
aligning the calibrated energy-resolving detector array with the x-ray beam,
measuring a first position-dependent, energy-dependent intensity profile of the x-ray beam at the detector array,
transmitting the x-ray beam through a patient,
measuring a second position-dependent, energy-dependent intensity profile of the x-ray beam at the detector array immediately after the beam has been transmitted through the patient, and
comparing the first and the second position-dependent, energy-dependent intensity profiles of the beam.