Topographic radioisotope camera having an adjustable collimator thereon

Claim 2

A radioisotope camera having a structure consisting of a gamma ray detector having a detecting surface, a multi-hole collimator provided in the vicinity of the detectinG surface of said gamma ray detector and having collimator holes the center axes of which are parallel to each other, and a device capable of displaying the distribution of gamma ray sources in a object by using the signal generated by said gamma ray detector, said camera comprising first means for causing translation motion of said detector without rotation and second means for moving the disposition of said collimator holes in connection with the translation of said detector whereby points on a predetermined tomographical plane parallel to the detecting surface can correspond one to one to points on said detecting surface by way of said collimator holes.

Claim 3

A radioisotope camera having a structure consisting of a gamma ray detector having a detecting surface, a multi-hole collimator provided in the vicinity of the detecting surface of said gamma ray detector and having collimator holes the center axes of which are parallel to each other, and a device capable of displaying the distribution of gamma ray sources in an object by using the signal generated by said gamma ray detector; the direction of the axes of said collimator and the collimator holes being freely changed, said camera comprising first means for translating said detector without rotation and second means for moving or deflecting the collimator or collimator angle or moving and deflecting both simultaneously whereby points on a predetermined tomographical plane parallel to said detecting surface are made to correspond one to one to points on said detecting surface by way of said collimator holes.

Claim 4

A radioisotope camera having a structure consisting of a gamma ray detector having a detecting surface, a multi-hole collimator provided in the vicinity of the detecting surface of said gamma ray detector and having collimator holes the center axes of which are parallel to each other, and a device capable of displaying the distribution of gamma ray sources in an object by using the signal generated by said gamma ray detector; the direction of the axes of said collimator and the collimator holes being freely changed, said camera comprising first means for translating said detector without rotation and second means for moving or deflecting the collimator or collimator angle or moving and deflecting both simultaneously whereby points on a predetermined tomographical plane parallel to said detecting surface are made to correspond one to one to points on said detecting surface by way of said collimator holes.

Claim 5

A radioisotope camera having a structure consisting of a gamma ray detector having a detecting surface, a multi-hole collimator provided in the vicinity of the detecting surface of said gamma ray detector and having collimator holes the center axes of which are parallel to each other, and a device capable of displaying the distribution of gamma ray sources in an object by using the signal generated by said gamma ray detector, said camera comprising first means for causing circular motion of said detector without rotation and second means for revolving said collimator having collimator holes of a constant inclination in synchronization with said detector as well as for causing circular motion of the same, whereby points on a predetermined tomographical plane are made to correspond one to one to points on the detecting surface by way of said collimator holes.

Claim 6

A radioisotope camera having a structure consisting of a gamma ray detector having a detecting surface, a multi-hole collimator provided in the vicinity of the detecting surface of said gamma ray detector and having collimator holes the center axes of which are parallel to each other, and a device capable of displaying the distribution of gamma ray sources in an object by using the signal generated by said gamma ray detector, said camera comprising first means for causing circular motion of said detector without rotation and second means for revolving said collimator having collimator holes of a constant inclination in synchronization with said detector as well as for causing circular motion of the same, whereby points on a predetermined tomographical plane are made to correspond one to one to points on the detecting surface by way of said collimator holes.

Claim 7

A radioisotope camera having a structure consisting of a gamma ray detector having a detecting surface, a multi-hole collimator provided in the vicinity of the detecting surface of said gamma ray detector and having collimator holes the center axes of which are parallel to each other, and a device capable of displaying the distribution of gamma ray sources in an object by using the signal generated by said gamma ray detector, said camera comprising first means for translating said detector without rotation, second means for reciprocating and rotating said collimator and third means for changing the axial direction of said collimator holes in combination with the motion of said collimator whereby points on a predetermined tomographical plane are made to correspond one to one to points on the detecting surface by way of said collimator holes.

Claim 8

A radioisotope camera having a structure consisting of a gamma ray detector having a detecting surface, a multi-hole collimator provided in the vicinity of the detecting surface of said gamma ray detector and having collimator holes the center axes of which are parallel to each other, and a device capable of displaying the distribution of gamma ray sources in an object by using the signal generated by said gamma ray detector, said camera comprising first means for translating said detector without rotation, second means for reciprocating and rotating said collimator and third means for changing the axial direction of said collimator holes in combination with the motion of said collimator whereby points on a predetermined tomographical plane are made to correspond one to one to points on the detecting surface by way of said collimator holes.

Claim 9

In a device for imaging the volume distribution of radionuclides throughout an object under investigation, in combination: a radiation detector, including a substantially planar radiation sensitive transducer, of the type producing an output representing plane position coordinates of each quantum of radiation impinging on said transducer; radiation shielding means interposed between said transducer and said object defining a substantially uniform radiation acceptance direction for each elemental area of said transducer; and driving means operatively associated with said radiation detector and said radiation shielding means for changing the position of said radiation detector with respect To said object and said radiation acceptance direction defined by said radiation shielding means with respect to said transducer in a synchronous manner to produce predetermined patterned movement of images generated on said transducer by quanta of radiation emanating from radionuclides in elemental volumes of said object, said predetermined patterned movement differing in accordance with the volume position coordinates of each said elemental volume such that the output from said radiation detector may be translated into useful information concerning the distribution of radionuclides across a plane through said object at any selected distance from said transducer.

Claim 10

In a device for imaging the volume distribution of radionuclides throughout an object under investigation, in combination: a radiation detector, including a substantially planar radiation sensitive transducer, of the type producing an output representing plane position coordinates of each quantum of radiation impinging on said transducer; radiation shielding means interposed between said transducer and said object defining a substantially uniform radiation acceptance direction for each elemental area of said transducer; and driving means operatively associated with said radiation detector and said radiation shielding means for changing the position of said radiation detector with respect To said object and said radiation acceptance direction defined by said radiation shielding means with respect to said transducer in a synchronous manner to produce predetermined patterned movement of images generated on said transducer by quanta of radiation emanating from radionuclides in elemental volumes of said object, said predetermined patterned movement differing in accordance with the volume position coordinates of each said elemental volume such that the output from said radiation detector may be translated into useful information concerning the distribution of radionuclides across a plane through said object at any selected distance from said transducer.

Claim 11

The combination as claimed in claim 5, wherein said radiation shielding means comprises a collimator of substantially radiation opaque material defining an array of mutually spaced apertures, each of said apertures having a common non-normal axial orientation with respect to said transducer; said collimator being rotatably mounted adjacent said transducer; said driving means comprising means operative to produce a precession of said detector in a circle of preselected radius and a rotation of said collimator in synchronism such that said predetermined patterned movement of each image is substantially circular, the center of each said circular movement corresponding to the plane position coordinates of its associated elemental volume and the radius of said circular movement being a predetermined function of the separation distance between said associated elemental volume and said transducer, said axial orientation of said apertures and said preselected radius of said circular precession.

Claim 12

Apparatus for imaging an object having a three dimensional distribution of radionuclides therethroughout, comprising: a radiation detector including a radiation sensitive transducer having a two dimensional radiation detecting capability and output means associated with said transducer operative to produce visible elemental output signals corresponding in time and relative spatial displacement to the position of impingement of a quantum of radiation on said transducer; a multichannel radiation collimator rotatably mounted in a position adjacent said transducer, the axis of each channel of said collimator having substantially the same non-normal angular orientation with respect to said transducer; driving means operatively associated with said detector and said collimator for moving said detector in a circular precession of a selected radius over said object and for rotating said collimator in a synchronous relation to said detector, whereby said output signals from said detector provide an in-focus image of the distribution of radionuclides across a particular plane through said object depending upon said angular orientation and said selected radius.

Claim 13

Apparatus for imaging an object having a three dimensional distribution of radionuclides therethroughout, comprising: a radiation detector including a radiation sensitive transducer having a two dimensional radiation detecting capability and output means associated with said transducer operative to produce visible elemental output signals corresponding in time and relative spatial displacement to the position of impingement of a quantum of radiation on said transducer; a multichannel radiation collimator rotatably mounted in a position adjacent said transducer, the axis of each channel of said collimator having substantially the same non-normal angular orientation with respect to said transducer; driving means operatively associated with said detector and said collimator for moving said detector in a circular precession of a selected radius over said object and for rotating said collimator in a synchronous relation to said detector, whereby said output signals from said detector provide an in-focus image of the distribution of radionuclides across a particular plane through said object depending upon said angular orientation and said selected radius.