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US3777142A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

High resolution radioactivity distribution detection system

Assignee: Scinticor Inc
•
Filing: 1971-07-08
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Granted: 1973-12-04
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Expires: 1991-07-08
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Abstract

Abstract Radiation emitted from a subject positioned on a programmable X, Y platform is detected by means of an array of sensing devices. The platform, which is in spaced relationship with the subject, is moved along its X and Y axes in incremental steps defining a programmed scanning pattern, each step being an integral multiple of the distance between adjacent sensing devices. The radioactive events, which are detected at each step, are temporarily held in a memory and then stored on a recording medium. Upon completion of the programmed scanning sequence, the stored data which represents the radioactivity detected at each step is recalled from the recording medium and applied to a display via the memory for presentation as a combined pictorial representation of the detected radioactive events at each step.

Inventors

  • 👤 R Grenier
  • 👤 E Jacobson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 18:15
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/16; G01T1/161; G01T1/164; G01T1/1641; G01T1/1644; G01T1/29; G01T1/2914; G01T1/2978; A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/42; A61B6/4208; A61B6/4258

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 153 words
A radiation monitoring system for detecting radioactivity in a subject, said system comprising: a. radiation sensing means defining an array of sensing zones, each said radiation sensing means defining a unique spatial segment in the subject; b. a plurality of photo detecting devices optically coupled to said array, a unique combination of said photo detecting devices defining a selected sensing zone; c. memory means operatively connected to said photo detecting devices for storing sensed data; d. means operatively connected to said memory means for recording said sensed data; e. movable platform means on which the subject is positioned in spaced relationship with said array; f. means for moving said platform means in incremental steps defining a scanning pattern, radioactivity events for each unique spatial segment in the subject being detected at each incremental step; and g. means operatively connected to said recording means for presenting said recorded data as a combined pictorial display.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 153 words
A radiation monitoring system for detecting radioactivity in a subject, said system comprising: a. radiation sensing means defining an array of sensing zones, each said radiation sensing means defining a unique spatial segment in the subject; b. a plurality of photo detecting devices optically coupled to said array, a unique combination of said photo detecting devices defining a selected sensing zone; c. memory means operatively connected to said photo detecting devices for storing sensed data; d. means operatively connected to said memory means for recording said sensed data; e. movable platform means on which the subject is positioned in spaced relationship with said array; f. means for moving said platform means in incremental steps defining a scanning pattern, radioactivity events for each unique spatial segment in the subject being detected at each incremental step; and g. means operatively connected to said recording means for presenting said recorded data as a combined pictorial display.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
The radiation monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said movable platform means is an X,Y table.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 62 words
The radiation monitoring system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for moving includes a pair of stepping motors, one of said stepping motors operating to move said X,Y table in a first direction and the other of said stepping motor operating to move said X,Y table in a second direction, said first and second direction being perpendicular to each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 97 words
The radiation monitoring system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for moving includes: a. a pair of clutch means, one of said clutch means operatively connected to one of said stepping motors and the other of said clutch means operatively connected to the other of said stepping motors; and b. means operatively connected to each said clutch means for disengaging each said clutch means, said X,Y table being manually movable in said first direction when the correlative clutch means is disengaged and manually movable in said second direction when the correlative clutch means is disengaged.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 24 words
The radiation monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensing means is a plurality of scintillators arranged in intersecting columns and rows.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The radiation monitoring system as claimed in claim 5 wherein each said scintillator is formed with a collimator bore.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 23 words
The radiation monitoring system as claiMed in claim 1 wherein said memory means is in the form of a coincident current core memory.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 152 words
A radiation monitoring system for detecting radioactivity in a subject, said system comprising: a. a plurality of individual scintillators arranged in intersecting rows and columns defining an array; b. a photo detecting device associated with each of said rows and columns for detecting radioactivity events; c. light conducting means optically coupling each of said scintillators to a unique pair of said photo detecting devices; d. memory means operatively connected to each said photo detecting device for storing detected events; e. means operatively connected to said memory means for recording said stored data; f. movable platform means in spaced relationship with said array, said subject positioned on said movable platform means; g. means for moving said movable platform means in incremental steps defining a scanning pattern, radioactivity events being detected at each incremental step; and h. means operatively connected to said recording means for presenting said recorded data as a combined pictorial display.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 152 words
A radiation monitoring system for detecting radioactivity in a subject, said system comprising: a. a plurality of individual scintillators arranged in intersecting rows and columns defining an array; b. a photo detecting device associated with each of said rows and columns for detecting radioactivity events; c. light conducting means optically coupling each of said scintillators to a unique pair of said photo detecting devices; d. memory means operatively connected to each said photo detecting device for storing detected events; e. means operatively connected to said memory means for recording said stored data; f. movable platform means in spaced relationship with said array, said subject positioned on said movable platform means; g. means for moving said movable platform means in incremental steps defining a scanning pattern, radioactivity events being detected at each incremental step; and h. means operatively connected to said recording means for presenting said recorded data as a combined pictorial display.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
The radiation monitoring system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said means for presenting is a cathode ray tube.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 60 words
The radiation monitoring system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said means for moving includes a pair of stepping motors, one of said stepping motors operating to move said platform in a first direction and the other of said stepping motors operating to move said platform in a second direction, said first and second directions being mutually perpendicular to eachother.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 27 words
The radiation monitoring system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first direction is along an X axis and said second direction is along a Y axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 24 words
The radiation monitoring system as claimed in claim 11 including means operatively connected to said platform for moving said platform along a Z axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 94 words
The radiation monitoring system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said means for moving includes: a. a pair of clutch means, one of said clutch means operatively connected to one of said stepping motors and the other of said clutch means operatively connected to the other of said stepping motors; and b. means operatively connected to each said clutch means for disengaging each said clutch means, said platform manually movable in said first direction when the corresponding clutch means is disengaged and manually movable in said second direction the other clutch means is disengaged.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3116416A Cited
US3221731A Cited
US3465145A Cited
US3509341A Cited
US3594577A Cited
US3634688A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-12-03 1977-06-04 1977-12-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-12-03 1981-06-04 1981-12-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-12-03 1985-06-04 1985-12-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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