PET detector modules utilizing overlapped light guides

摘要

When constructing a nuclear detector module in a gantry, a plurality of overlapping light guide modules (10) are mounted to the gantry in a spaced-apart fashion, and a plurality of underlapping light guide modules (12) are mounted in between each pair of overlapping light guide modules (10). Each of the underlapping modules and the overlapping modules includes a scintillation crystal array (16) on an interior surface thereof, and a plurality of PMTs on an exterior surface thereof. Overlapping modules (10) have overlapping structures (22) that interface with underlapping structures (18) on the underlapping modules (12) and thereby eliminate a seam directly beneath PMTs that overlap the crystal arrays of both an overlapping module and an underlapping module. Optical grease is used to form a resilient grease coupling and reduce light scatter between the underlapping and overlapping modules.

主权项

1. A light guide assembly for a tomography detector module for a nuclear imaging scanner, including:
a plurality of overlapping light guides, with an overlapping structure on of each of a first side and a second side of each overlapping light guide; a plurality of underlapping light guides, each having a underlapping structure on each of a first side and a second side of each underlapping light guide; wherein the overlapping structures of each of the plurality of overlapping light guides interfaces with a underlapping structure of each of two of the plurality of underlapping light guides, such that the plurality of overlapping light guides and underlapping light guides are alternately coupled together to form a continuous ring when mounted to a nuclear scanner gantry.