Gamma Camera and CT System

Abstract

A nuclear medicine camera having an X-ray imaging capability. The camera comprises at least one gamma camera mounted on a gantry and an X-ray CT imager mounted on the same gantry. The at least one gamma camera and the X-ray imager are capable of simultaneously rotating about a common axis at different rotation rates.

1 . A nuclear medicine camera having an X-ray imaging capability, comprising: 
 at least one gamma camera mounted on a gantry; and    an X-ray CT imager mounted on the same gantry,    wherein the at least one gamma camera and said X-ray imager are capable of simultaneously rotating about a common axis at different rotation rates.    
     
     
         2 . A nuclear medicine camera according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one gamma camera and said X-ray imager are capable of simultaneously rotating about a common axis at the same rotation rate.  
     
     
         3 . A method of producing a nuclear medicine image of a subject, comprising: 
 acquiring nuclear imaging data suitable to produce a nuclear tomographic image of the subject, said nuclear image data being acquired by a gamma camera head rotating about the subject;    acquiring X-ray imaging data suitable to produce an X-ray tomographic image of the subject for attenuation correction of the gamma camera image, said X-ray imaging data being acquired by detectors irradiated by an X-ray source rotating around the subject for a plurality of rotations;    averaging X-ray imaging data of a same view taken at different rotations of the X-ray source to produce averaged X-ray imaging data;    reconstructing an attenuation corrected cardiac gated nuclear medicine image utilizing the nuclear imaging data and averaged ungated X-ray imaging data.    
     
     
         4 . Apparatus for producing attenuation corrected nuclear medicine images of patients, comprising; 
 a plurality of gamma camera heads that acquire nuclear image data suitable to produce a nuclear tomographic image at a plurality of positions about an axis;    at least one X-ray CT imager that acquires X-ray data suitable to produce an attenuation image for correction of the nuclear tomographic image at a plurality of positions about and axis, said X-ray CT imager comprising a stationary anode X-ray tube.    
     
     
         5 . Apparatus for producing a nuclear medicine image of a subject, comprising: 
 at least one gamma camera having at least one detector mounted on a gantry and capable of rotating about an axis and of acquiring nuclear imaging data suitable to produce a nuclear tomographic image;    a C-T X-ray imager including an X-ray source, mounted on said gantry and capable of rotating about the axis and X-ray detectors separate from detectors of the gamma camera, acquiring X-ray imaging data suitable to produce an X-ray tomographic image for attenuation correction of the gamma camera image; and    circuitry capable of reconstructing an attenuation corrected nuclear medicine image utilizing the nuclear imaging data and X-ray imaging data, said C-T X-ray imager having a capability of producing a C-T image having an RMS noise level of only about 10 Hounsfield numbers or more.    
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the RMS noise level is more than 15 Houndsfield numbers.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the RMS noise level is more than 20 Houndsfield numbers.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the RMS noise level is more than 50 Houndsfield numbers.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the RMS noise level is more than 100 Houndsfield numbers.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the RMS noise level is less than about 200 Houndsfield numbers.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the X-ray imager is only capable of producing a tomographic image having a resolution poorer than about 4 lp/cm in a transaxial direction.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the X-ray imager is only capable of producing a tomographic image having a resolution poorer than about 4 lp/cm in a transaxial direction.  
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the X-ray imager is only capable of producing a tomographic image having a resolution poorer than about 4 lp/cm in a transaxial direction.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the X-ray imager is only capable of producing a tomographic image having a resolution poorer than about 4 lp/cm in a transaxial direction.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the X-ray imager is only capable of producing a tomographic image having a resolution poorer than about 4 lp/cm in a transaxial direction.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the X-ray imager is only capable of producing a tomographic image having a resolution poorer than about 4 lp/cm in a transaxial direction.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the resolution is poorer than about 3 lp/cm.  
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the resolution is poorer than about 2 lp/cm.  
     
     
         19 . Apparatus for producing a nuclear medicine image of a subject, comprising: 
 at least one gamma camera having at least one detector mounted on a gantry and capable of rotating about an axis and of acquiring nuclear imaging data suitable to produce a nuclear tomographic image;    a C-T X-ray imager including an X-ray source, mounted on said gantry and capable of rotating about the axis and X-ray detectors separate from detectors of the gamma camera, acquiring X-ray imaging data suitable to produce an X-ray tomographic image for attenuation correction of the gamma camera image; and    circuitry capable of reconstructing an attenuation corrected nuclear medicine image utilizing the nuclear imaging data and X-ray imaging data, said C-T X-ray imager having a capability of producing a C-T image having a resolution of only about 4 lp/cm or less.    
     
     
         20 . Apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the resolution is poorer than about 3 lp/cm.  
     
     
         21 . Apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the resolution is poorer than about 2 lp/cm.