PET Detector Light Guide Arrangement for Cost Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current PET systems face a trade-off between detection performance and cost and complexity, with fewer optical channels leading to reduced performance and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A PET detecting module with a scintillator array and two groups of light guides, where the first group is arranged on the top surface and the second on the bottom, optimizing light guide count to maintain performance while reducing complexity and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the number of optical channels is reduced, then the cost and complexity of the PET system are lowered, but the detection performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dual-sided light guide arrangement by placing light guides on both the top and bottom surfaces of the scintillator array. This dimensional change allows light collection from multiple directions, improving detection performance while using fewer total light guides compared to single-sided arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide array is segmented into multiple groups arranged on different surfaces (top and bottom). This segmentation allows each group to serve specific detection functions, optimizing the overall detection performance with a reduced total number of light guides.
2Ease of manufacture
If the number of optical channels is reduced, then the manufacturing cost is decreased, but the detection precision is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging light guides on both top and bottom surfaces of the scintillator array, the system achieves improved detection precision through multi-directional light collection. This dimensional approach reduces the total number of light guides needed, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining or improving detection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the scintillator array are served by light guides on different surfaces. This local optimization allows each light guide to efficiently collect light from its corresponding scintillator region, improving detection precision with fewer total components.
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 solution enhances detection performance by accurately identifying scintillators interacting with radiation rays and determining interaction depth, reconstructing images effectively while minimizing system complexity and cost.
Implementation Method 1
The scintillator array may be configured to receive a radiation ray and generate optical signals in response to the received radiation ray
Implementation Method 2
Each of the plurality of optical channels may guide a light signal to a photosensor
Data Source
AI summary
A PET detecting module may include a scintillator array configured to receive a radiation ray and generate optical signals in response to the received radiation ray. The scintillator array may have a plurality of rows of scintillators arranged in a first direction and a plurality of columns of scintillators arranged in a second direction. A first group of light guides may be arranged on a top surface of the scintillator array along the first direction. The light guide count of the first group of light guides may be less than the row count of the plurality of rows of scintillators. A second group of light guides may be arranged on a bottom surface of the scintillator array. The light guide count of the second group of light guides may be less than the column count of the plurality of columns of scintillators.