Fluid Cooled Variable Gantry Bore for PET Detectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical imaging machines, such as PET scanners, face challenges in accommodating varying patient sizes due to fixed gantry bore sizes, leading to increased costs when more detectors are required for larger bore sizes.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for a fluid-cooled variable size gantry bore that uses interchangeable adaptor plates with different bore sizes, allowing for the adjustment of the number of PET detectors based on the gantry bore size, with cooling options including air-cooled and liquid-cooled configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the gantry bore size is increased to accommodate larger patients, then the imaging machine can serve a broader patient population, but the number of detectors required increases leading to higher system costs
Solution Approach 1:
The detector system is segmented into multiple interchangeable detector arrays that can be selectively installed based on the required bore size. Instead of having a fixed large-scale detector system, the invention divides the detection capability into modular units that can be configured for pediatric, adult, or mixed patient populations, reducing the total number of detectors needed in any single configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The gantry bore size and detector configuration are made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The system allows interchangeability of detector arrays and adaptor plates to change the effective bore size and detector count based on the imaging requirements, enabling the same physical system to adapt to different patient sizes without permanently installing all possible detectors.
2Reliability
If more detectors are installed to support larger bore sizes, then the imaging capability for adult patients is improved, but the system cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system is designed with universal adaptor plates and interchangeable detector arrays that can be configured for different imaging scenarios. A single base system with multiple detector arrays can serve pediatric, adult, and mixed patient populations by simply changing the detector configuration, eliminating the need for separate imaging systems for different patient types and reducing overall system cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows changing the operational parameters by interchangeably installing detector arrays with different quantities and configurations. Instead of permanently installing a large number of detectors to cover all possible scenarios, the system enables parameter changes (detector count, array geometry) based on the specific imaging task, optimizing the balance between imaging capability and system cost.
3Device complexity
If the number of detectors is reduced for smaller bore sizes, then the system cost is reduced, but the cooling requirements for the detectors must still be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is extracted as a separate, reusable infrastructure component independent of the detector arrays. The cooling system with its conduits and fluid circulation capability is installed once in the gantry structure and can support different numbers and types of detector arrays. This allows the cooling capability to be maintained while using fewer detectors in smaller bore configurations, as the cooling infrastructure remains in place but is simply underutilized when fewer detectors are installed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables cost-effective imaging systems by allowing for the use of fewer detectors with smaller bore sizes, reducing overall system costs while maintaining effective cooling of detectors through air or liquid cooling methods.
Implementation Method 1
conduits for a cooling fluid to flow through, the cooling fluid to be used to cool the plurality of detectors
Implementation Method 2
conduits for a cooling fluid to flow through, the cooling fluid to be used to cool the plurality of detectors
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging system comprises an adaptor plate configured to be removably coupled to a gantry structure of the imaging system, a plurality of detectors configured to be removably coupled to the adaptor plate, and one or more conduits for a fluid to flow through, wherein the fluid is used to cool the imaging system.