Imaging Probe

Abstract

The design of a compact, handheld, solid-state and high-sensitivity imaging probe and a micro imager system is reported. These instruments can be used as a dedicated tool for detecting and locating sentinel lymph nodes and also for detecting and imaging radioactive material. The reported device will use solid state pixel detectors and custom low-noise frontend/readout integrated circuits. The detector will be designed to have excellent image quality and high spatial resolution. The imaging probes have two different embodiments, which are comprised of a pixelated detector array and a highly integrated readout system, which uses a custom multi-channel mixed signal integrated circuit. The instrument usually includes a collimator in front of the detector array so that the incident photons can be imaged. The data is transferred to an intelligent display system. A hyperspectral image can also be produced and displayed. These devices are designed to be portable for easy use.

1 . A portable imaging device comprising:
 a first position sensitive detector mounted to a first side of the device, wherein the first detector receives a plurality of particles from a portion of an organism emitting particles that produce a plurality of signals;   a first readout circuit mounted to the first detector that receives and processes the plurality of signals;   a processor coupled to the readout circuit to process at least a portion of the plurality of signals to produce an image; and   a screen mounted on a second side of the device different from the first side of the device, wherein the screen is coupled to the processor, and wherein the screen displays the image of the portion of the organism.   
     
     
         2 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , further comprising a first collimator coupled to the first detector. 
     
     
         3 . The portable imaging device of  claim 2 , further comprising a second collimator that is interchangeable with the first collimator. 
     
     
         4 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , further comprising a control button mounted on a side of the device that controls the image displayed on the screen. 
     
     
         5 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , further comprising a circuit board coupled to the integrated circuit and the processor that provides power to the portable imaging device. 
     
     
         6 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the first detector comprises an active area of at most 5×5 cm 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the first detector comprises an active area of at most 3×3 cm 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the first detector is selected from the group consisting of silicon pad detectors, silicon pixel detectors, double sided silicon microstrip detectors, double sided silicon strip detectors, CdZnTe pixel detectors, and CdTe pixel detectors. 
     
     
         9 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the first detector comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Silicon, HPGe, BGO, CdWo4, CsF, Nal(TI), CsI(Na), CsI(TI), CdTe, CdZnTe, HgI2, GaAs, and PbI2. 
     
     
         10 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the first detector comprises ohmic electrodes. 
     
     
         11 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the first detector comprises blocking type electrodes. 
     
     
         12 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second position sensitive detector layered with the first detector. 
     
     
         13 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the first readout circuit composes a circuit board that is mounted within the device. 
     
     
         14 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of comparators that filters the plurality of signals by selecting an energy window around a nuclear line. 
     
     
         15 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the screen has an image area that is as large as an active area of the first detector. 
     
     
         16 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the screen comprises a ruler corresponding to the active dimensions of the first detector. 
     
     
         17 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , further comprising a memory that stores the image. 
     
     
         18 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second readout circuit daisy-chained with the first readout circuit. 
     
     
         19 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the readout circuit comprises an analog readout section and a digital readout section. 
     
     
         20 . The portable imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the second side of the device is opposite from the first side of the device. 
     
     
         21 . A method of producing an imaging device, comprising:
 mounting a first position sensitive detector array to a first side of an imaging device, wherein the first detector receives a plurality of particles from a portion of an object emitting particles that produce a plurality of signals;   mounting a first readout circuit to the first detector wherein the first readout circuit receives and processes the signals produced by the first detector;   coupling a processor to the circuit to convert the processed signals to an image; and   mounting a screen on a second side of the device different from the first side of the device, wherein the screen is coupled to the processor, and wherein the screen displays the image of the portion of the object.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising mounting a first collimator coupled to the first detector. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising mounting a second collimator that is interchangeable with the first collimator. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a control button mounted on a side of the device that controls the image displayed on the screen. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising mounting a circuit board to the integrated circuit and the processor, wherein the circuit board provides power to the portable imaging device. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first detector comprises an active area of at most 5×5 cm 2 . 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first detector comprises an active area of at most 3×3 cm 2 . 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first detector is selected from the group consisting of silicon pad detectors, silicon pixel detectors, double sided silicon microstrip detectors, double sided silicon strip detectors, CdZnTe pixel detectors, and CdTe pixel detectors. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first detector comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Silicon, HPGe, BGO, CdWo4, CsF, Nal(TI), CsI(Na), CsI(TI), CdTe, CdZnTe, HgI2, GaAs, and PbI2. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first detector comprises ohmic electrodes. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first detector comprises blocking type electrodes. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising layering a second position sensitive detector with the first detector. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first readout circuit composes a circuit board that is mounted within the device. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a pair of comparators that filters the plurality of signals by selecting an energy window around a nuclear line. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the screen has an image area that is as large as an active area of the first detector. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the screen comprises a ruler corresponding to the active dimensions of the first detector. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising coupling a memory to the processor that stores the image. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising daisy-chaining a second readout circuit with the first readout circuit. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the readout circuit comprises an analog readout section and a digital readout section. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the second side of the device is opposite from the first side of the device.