Nuclear medicine imaging systems and methods of imaging patient tissue

摘要

Nuclear medicine (NM) imaging system including first and second NM cameras having camera surfaces that are configured to face each other while imaging patient tissue therebetween. The NM imaging system also includes an immobilization plate that is configured to be positioned between the first and second NM cameras and extend parallel to the camera surface of the first NM camera. The immobilization plate is movable to and from the camera surface of the first NM camera to compress the patient tissue, and the second NM camera is movable to and from the immobilization plate. The second NM camera is oriented with respect to a roll axis that extends parallel to the immobilization plate. The second NM camera is rotatable about the roll axis while the immobilization plate and the first NM camera have fixed positions with respect to each other with the patient tissue therebetween.

主权项

1. A nuclear medicine (NM) imaging system comprising:
a gantry; first and second NM cameras coupled to the gantry, the first and second NM cameras having first and second camera surfaces, respectively, that are configured to be parallel to each other such that the first and second NM cameras directly face each other while imaging patient tissue therebetween, wherein at least one of the first and second NM cameras is configured to acquire a 2D-estimating image of the patient tissue during an image-acquisition stage; and an immobilization plate configured to be positioned between the first and second NM cameras and extend parallel to the first camera surface, the immobilization plate being movable to and from the first camera surface to compress the patient tissue, the second NM camera including a detector and a collimator that is coupled to the detector, the collimator having parallel holes that are perpendicular to the second camera surface, the second NM camera being movable to and from the immobilization plate, wherein the second NM camera is oriented with respect to an axis that extends parallel to the immobilization plate, the second NM camera being rotatable about the axis while the immobilization plate and the first NM camera have fixed positions with respect to each other with the patient tissue therebetween; at least one processor configured to analyze the 2D-estimating image to determine a 2D location of a lesion within the patient tissue, the second NM camera being configured to shift laterally along the immobilization plate to move a side area of the second camera surface relative to the lesion, the side area being defined by a side edge of the second camera surface, wherein the second NM camera is configured to acquire a plurality of depth-estimating images in which the side edge of the second camera surface is adjacent to the immobilization plate, wherein, for each of the depth-estimating images, the side area of the second camera surface forms an acute angle with respect to the immobilization plate and has a lateral position that is based on the 2D location of the lesion, the second NM camera having different lateral positions for the plurality of depth-estimating images.