Portable Gamma Camera Integration for Compact Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable gamma cameras with small measuring areas face challenges in achieving compactness and ease of handling due to the weight and volume of electronic components, which compromises spatial resolution and practicality for medical diagnostics, especially in operating rooms and small organ examinations.
Innovation Solution
A portable gamma camera design featuring a compact, box-shaped containment body with integrated shielding, a scintillation measuring structure, and a miniaturized electronic controller unit that includes optoelectronic converters and a low-power microcontroller system, allowing for a low energy absorption and reduced dimensions, enabling easy handling and high spatial resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the measuring area is reduced to decrease detector weight, then ease of handling is improved, but spatial resolution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the detector unit with the control and display unit into a single integrated portable gamma camera system. This merging eliminates the need for separate heavy shielding components and allows the display to be positioned immediately adjacent to the detector, maintaining high spatial resolution while reducing overall weight to an acceptable range (1-2 kg).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a separated detector-control unit configuration to a fully integrated three-dimensional compact design. By reconfiguring the system in a new spatial arrangement where the display is positioned directly behind or adjacent to the detector within the same housing, it achieves both weight reduction and maintained spatial resolution through optimized dimensional integration.
2Weight of moving object
If the detector is separated from the control and display unit to reduce weight, then ease of handling is improved, but image display correspondence deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control and display unit with the detector into a single integrated assembly. The display is positioned immediately adjacent to or behind the detector within the same housing, ensuring that the operator can directly observe images corresponding to the exact anatomical area being examined, eliminating spatial disorientation and maintaining perfect image-display correspondence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a direct visual copy of the detected radiation distribution on the display screen that is spatially aligned with the detector position. This immediate visual representation allows the operator to accurately correlate displayed image features with the actual physical area being examined, preserving diagnostic information integrity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If large detectors are used to allow position adjustments, then adaptability is improved, but ease of handling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a collimator with adjustable or interchangeable elements that can be dynamically reconfigured to adapt to different examination areas and organs. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to maintain versatility for various diagnostic applications while keeping the overall detector size and weight within manageable limits for easy handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the collimator into separable or adjustable components that can be reconfigured for different examination scenarios. This segmentation allows adaptability for examining various organs and tissue areas without requiring a large fixed detector, maintaining ease of handling while providing versatile positioning capabilities.
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
The design achieves a high spatial resolution with low weight and compact dimensions, facilitating easy handling and efficient diagnostic imaging without the need for external connections, suitable for medical applications and small organ examinations.
Implementation Method 1
a scintillation measuring structure (3) receiving a radiation
Implementation Method 2
an electronic controller unit (6) positioned behind the scintillation structure (3) and designed to convert the optical photons
Data Source
Figure 1~1C
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Described is a portable gamma camera comprising a containment body (2), a scintillation measuring structure (3) housed in the containment body (2), a collimator (4) associated with the measuring structure (3), a display (5) positioned on the containment body (2) and an electronic controller unit (6), operating between the measuring structure (3) and the display (5) for generating on the display (5) images representing the radiation intercepted by the measuring structure (3).