US4778997A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process and device for depicting the distribution of high activities of radioactive substances
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1985-09-04
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Granted: 1988-10-18
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Expires: 2005-09-04
Abstract
Abstract Process for depicting the distribution of high activities of radioactive substances by means of a whole-body scintigraphic device having a camera or the like, such as a gamma camera or scanner, characterized in that the radiation incident upon the camera is partially shielded against as a function of its intensity in order to optimize the counting rate, as well as a device for implementing such a process.
Inventors
- 👤 Volker Doring
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 22:54
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/16; G01T1/161; G01T1/164; G01T1/1641; G01T1/1648; A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/42; A61B6/4208; A61B6/4258
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
52 words
A process for depicting the distribution of high activities of radioactive substances by means of a whole-body scintigraphic device having a camera means which detects radiation emitted by a radioactive substance, comprising partially shielding said device from said radiation as a function of radiation intensity in order to optimize the counting rate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
52 words
A process for depicting the distribution of high activities of radioactive substances by means of a whole-body scintigraphic device having a camera means which detects radiation emitted by a radioactive substance, comprising partially shielding said device from said radiation as a function of radiation intensity in order to optimize the counting rate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scintigraphic device comprises a collimator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the whole-body scintigraphic device further comprises a multihole collimator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process as claimed in claim 3, wherein partial shielding is provided by the multihole collimator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process as claimed in claim 2 wherein the collimating region of the collimator is reduced in size in order to diminish the incident radiation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process as claimed in claims 1 or 2, in which the camera means comprises a camera having a whole-body measuring field and a mechanical window, wherein the whole-body measuring field is adapted in shape, size and/or position to the mechanical window.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The process as claimed in claim 1, or 2, in which the camera means comprises a camera having a whole-body measuring field and a mechanical window, wherein only the part of the imageable region in which the dwell time of object points is constant is used to construct the image.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
The process as claimed in claim 1, 24, 25, 4, or 20, in which the camera means comprises a camera having a whole-body measuring field and a mechanical window, wherein at the start and end of each imaging path the numbers of pulses are corrected in accordance with the dwell times of object points in the whole-body field.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
54 words
An apparatus for depicting the distribution of high activities of radioactive substances by means of a whole-body scintigraphic device comprising a camera means for detecting radiation emitted by a radioactive substance, and means for partially shielding said device from said radiation as a function of radiation intensity in order to optimize the counting rate.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
54 words
An apparatus for depicting the distribution of high activities of radioactive substances by means of a whole-body scintigraphic device comprising a camera means for detecting radiation emitted by a radioactive substance, and means for partially shielding said device from said radiation as a function of radiation intensity in order to optimize the counting rate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the camera means comprises a camera having a camera field of view, a whole-body measuring field and a mechanical window wherein the camera field of view and/or the whole-body measuring field is partially shieldable by the mechanical window.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mechanical window has holes formed therein which are distributed over the entire wholebody measuring field or a part of said whole-body measuring field.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said mechanical window has a continuous structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mechanical window is continuously variable in size.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the scintigraphic device further comprises a collimator.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as claimed in 14 wherein said mechanical window is integrated into said collimator by shape, size and position of the collimating region, and the region of the radiation lying outside the mechanical window is largely shielded against.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the collimator comprises a plurality of parts assembled to provide a mechanical window wherein the size of said mechanical window is determined by the choice of the part or parts.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the scintigraphic device comprises a collimator.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the means for partially shielding the device are provided in addition to the collimator.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the collimator comprises a multihole collimator and one or more of the holes of the collimator are shieldable to provide said means for partially shielding.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the camera means comprises a camera having a camera field of view, a wholebody measuring field and a plurality of mechanical windows of different sizes, wherein the camera field of view and/or the whole-body measuring field is partially shieldable by one of the mechanical windows
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4348591A
Cited
JPH102184A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-10-18 | 1992-04-18 | 1992-10-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-10-18 | 1996-04-18 | 1996-10-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-10-18 | 2000-04-18 | 2000-10-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |