491 results about "Positron" patented technology

A biomarker generator system for producing approximately one (1) unit dose of a biomarker. The biomarker generator system includes a small, low-power particle accelerator (“micro-accelerator”) and a radiochemical synthesis subsystem having at least one microreactor and / or microfluidic chip. The micro-accelerator is provided for producing approximately one (1) unit dose of a radioactive substance, such as a substance that emits positrons. The radiochemical synthesis subsystem is provided for receiving the radioactive substance, for receiving at least one reagent, and for synthesizing the approximately one (1) unit dose of a biomarker.

The invention is related to nuclear physics, medicine and oil industry, namely to the measurement of x-ray, gamma and alpha radiation; control for trans uranium nuclides in the habitat of a man; non destructive control for the structure of heavy bodies; three dimensional positron-electron computer tomography, etc.The essence of the invention is in additional ingredients in a chemical composition of a scintillating material based on crystals of oxyorthosilicates, including cerium Ce and crystallized in a structural type Lu2SiO5.The result of the invention is the increase of the light output of the luminescence, decrease of the time of luminescence of the ions Ce3+, increase of the reproducibility of grown crystals properties, decrease of the cost of the source melting stock for growing scintillator crystals, containing a large amount of Lu2O3, the raise of the effectiveness of the introduction of SCintillating crystal luminescent radiation into a glass waveguide fibre, prevention of cracking of crystals during the production of elements, creation of waveguide properties in scintillating elements, exclusion of expensive mechanical polishing of their lateral surface.

A camera sub-module is provided for providing tomographic imaging of radiation emissions generated internally by a body. The camera sub-module includes a radiation-emitting layer having a radioactive source for emitting transmission emissions, and at least one radiation-detection layer for contemporaneously detecting and permitting differentiation between the transmission emissions and emissions generated internal to an imaged body administered with a positron-emitting radiotracer. Also provided herein are imaging systems, scanners, and other apparatus and methods.

A cardiovascular imaging and functional analysis system and method is disclosed, wherein a dedicated fast, sensitive, compact and economical imaging gamma camera system that is especially suited for heart imaging and functional analysis is employed. The cardiovascular imaging and functional analysis system of the present invention can be used as a dedicated nuclear cardiology small field of view imaging camera. The disclosed cardiovascular imaging system and method has the advantages of being able to image physiology, while offering an inexpensive and portable hardware, unlike MRI, CT, and echocardiography systems.The cardiovascular imaging system of the invention employs a basic modular design suitable for cardiac imaging with one of several radionucleide tracers. The detector can be positioned in close proximity to the chest and heart from several different projections, making it possible rapidly to accumulate data for first-pass analysis, positron imaging, quantitative stress perfusion, and multi-gated equilibrium pooled blood (MUGA) tests..In a preferred embodiment, the Cardiovascular Non-Invasive Screening Probe system can perform a novel diagnostic screening test for potential victims of coronary artery disease. The system provides a rapid, inexpensive preliminary indication of coronary occlusive disease by measuring the activity of emitted particles from an injected bolus of radioactive tracer. Ratios of this activity with the time progression of the injected bolus of radioactive tracer are used to perform diagnosis of the coronary patency (artery disease).

The invention provides a method and apparatus for preparation of radiochemicals, such as PET molecular imaging probes, wherein the reaction step or steps that couple the radioactive isotope to an organic or inorganic compound to form a positron-emitting molecular imaging probe are performed in a microfluidic environment. The method for synthesizing a radiochemical in a microfluidic environment comprises: i) providing a micro reactor comprising a first inlet port, a second inlet port, an outlet port, and at least one microchannel in fluid communication with the first and second inlet ports and the outlet port; ii) introducing a reactive precursor into the first inlet port of the micro reactor, the reactive precursor adapted for reaction with a radioactive isotope to form a radiochemical; iii) introducing a solution comprising a radioactive isotope into the second inlet port of the micro reactor; iv) contacting the reactive precursor with the isotope-containing solution in the microchannel of the micro reactor; v) reacting the reactive precursor with the isotope-containing solution as the reactive precursor and isotope-containing solution flow through the microchannel of the micro reactor, the reacting step resulting in formation of a radiochemical; and vi) collecting the radiochemical from the outlet port of the micro reactor.

Apparatus and methods are provided that enable the interaction of low-energy electrons and positrons with sample ions to facilitate electron capture dissociation (ECD) and positron capture dissociation (PCD), respectively, within multipole ion guide structures. It has recently been discovered that fragmentation of protonated ions of many biomolecules via ECD often proceeds along fragmentation pathways not accessed by other dissociation methods, leading to molecular structure information not otherwise easily obtainable. However, such analyses have been limited to expensive Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometers; the implementation of ECD within commonly-used multipole ion guide structures is problematic due to the disturbing effects of RF fields within such devices. The apparatus and methods described herein successfully overcome such difficulties, and allow ECD (and PCD) to be performed within multipole ion guides, either alone, or in combination with conventional ion fragmentation methods. Therefore, improved analytical performance and functionality of mass spectrometers that utilize multipole ion guides are provided.

The present application relates to microfluidic devices and related technologies, and to chemical processes using such devices. More specifically, the application discloses a fully automated synthesis of radioactive compounds for imaging, such as by positron emission tomography (PET), in a fast, efficient and compact manner. In particular, this application describe an automated, stand-alone, microfluidic instrument for the multi-step chemical synthesis of radiopharmaceuticals, such as probes for PET and a method of using such instruments.

A Cardiovascular imaging and functional analysis system and method employing a dedicated fast, sensitive, compact and economical imaging gamma camera system that is especially suited for heart imaging and functional analysis. The system uses a dedicated nuclear cardiology small field of view imaging camera, allowing image physiology, while offering inexpensive and portable hardware. In some variations, a basic modular design suitable for cardiac imaging with one of several radionucleide tracers is used. The detector is positioned in close proximity to the chest and heart from several different projections, allowing rapid accumulation of data for first-pass analysis, positron imaging, quantitative stress perfusion, and multi-gated equilibrium pooled blood tests. In one variation, a Cardiovascular Non-Invasive Screening Probe system provides rapid, inexpensive preliminary indication of coronary occlusive disease by measuring the activity of emitted particles from an injected bolus of radioactive tracer.

Tomography by emission of positrons (pet) system dedicated to examinations of human body parts such as the breast, axilla, head, neck, liver, heart, lungs, prostate region and other body extremities which is composed of at least two detecting plates (detector heads) with dimensions that are optimized for the breast, axilla region, brain and prostrate region or other extremities; motorized mechanical means to allow the movement of the plates under manual or computer control, making it possible to collect data in several orientations as needed for tomographic image reconstruction; an electronics system composed by a front-end electronics system, located physically on the detector heads, and a trigger and data acquisition system located off-detector in an electronic crate; a data acquisition and control software; and an image reconstruction and analysis software that allows reconstructing, visualizing and analyzing the data produced during the examination.

A method for acquiring PET images with reduced time coincidence window limits includes obtaining a preliminary image of a patient within a radiation field of view (FOV), determining the spatial location of the patient within the FOV based on the preliminary image, calculating a different time coincidence window based on the spatial location of the patient for each possible pair of oppositely disposed detectors, scanning the patient with a PET scanning system to detect a pair of gamma photons produced by an annihilation event, determining whether the detection of the pair of gamma photons occurs within the time coincidence window, accepting the detected event only if the detection of the gamma photons occurs within the time coincidence window, calculating the spatial location of accepted annihilation event, and adding the calculated spatial location of the annihilation event to a stored distribution of calculated annihilation event spatial locations representing the distribution of radioactivity in the patient.

In a medical imaging system including plural imaging section, detection accuracy and examination efficiency for breast cancer are improved by setting appropriate imaging condition. The system includes: a first imaging section for imaging an object to be inspected by using one of radiation, ultrasonic waves, nuclear magnetic resonance, positron, infrared light and fluorescence to generate a medical image; a second imaging section for imaging the object by using another one of radiation, ultrasonic waves, nuclear magnetic resonance, positron, infrared light and fluorescence to generate a medical image; and an imaging condition setting section for setting imaging condition in the second imaging section based on the medical image generated by the first imaging section.

The invention provides a method and apparatus for preparation of radiochemicals wherein the reaction that couples the radioactive isotope to the reactive precursor to form a positron-emitting molecular imaging probe is performed in a microfluidic environment. The method comprises: providing a micro reactor; introducing a liquid reactive precursor dissolved in a polar aprotic solvent into an inlet port of the micro reactor, the reactive precursor adapted for reaction with a radioactive isotope to form a radiochemical; introducing a solution comprising a radioactive isotope dissolved in a polar aprotic solvent into another inlet port of the micro reactor; contacting the reactive precursor with the isotope-containing solution in a microchannel of the micro reactor; reacting the reactive precursor with the isotope-containing solution as the reactive precursor and isotope-containing solution flow through the microchannel of the micro reactor, wherein the reacting step is conducted at a temperature above the boiling point of the polar aprotic solvent at 1 atm and at a pressure sufficient to maintain the polar aprotic solvent in liquid form; and collecting the resulting radiochemical from the micro reactor.

A biomarker generator system for producing approximately one (1) unit dose of a biomarker. The biomarker generator system includes a small, low-power particle accelerator (“micro-accelerator”) and a radiochemical synthesis subsystem having at least one microreactor and / or microfluidic chip. The micro-accelerator is provided for producing approximately one (1) unit dose of a radioactive substance, such as a substance that emits positrons. The radiochemical synthesis subsystem is provided for receiving the radioactive substance, for receiving at least one reagent, and for synthesizing the approximately one (1) unit dose of a biomarker.

An improved method of, and apparatus for, nuclear imaging takes advantage of the ability to determine the depth of gamma ray / electron interaction within a semiconducting gamma ray detector to determine the (most highly probable) location of the first gamma ray / electron interaction within the detector. Lines of interaction constructed between opposing detector arrays, extending between the location of the first gamma ray / electron interaction in each detector associated with the coincident detection of gamma radiation, permits a positron-emitting object of interest to be imaged according to protocols known in the art, but with better spatial resolution than previously believed to have been known.

Method and apparatus for real-time tracking of a target in a human body. In one embodiment of the invention, positron emission marker may be implanted into a target, the positron emission marker having a low activity positron isotope. In one embodiment, annihilation gamma rays associated with the low activity positron isotope may be detected using a plurality of position-sensitive detectors. In another embodiment, the target may be tracked in real-time based on a position of the positron emission marker.

A mobile PET scanner for use in bed side or a surgical environment comprises a mobile support base, with first and a second arm arms extending therefrom. The first arm is configured for placement under a table supporting an individual while the second arm is substantially parallel to and above said first arm with the individual being located between the first and second arms. Multiple module blocks are positioned along the length of the first and second arm. Each modules block comprises scintillators with solid state silicone multipliers or multi-pixel photon counters attached thereto. Positrons emitted from radiation labeled tissue within the individual's body impinge on the multiple scintillators to generate. The photons from each of the scintillator are received by each of a solid state silicone multipliers or multi-pixel photon counters associated therewith and an electrical signal representative of the received photons is then generated. The electrical signal output from each of the solid state silicone multipliers or multi-pixel photon counters is then transmitted to a computerized data collection and analysis system, which substantially instantaneously generates a visual image on a screen showing the location within the individuals body emitted the photons. This image can be coordinated with a photo image or a CT image showing the same portion of the individual's body.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for high-sensitivity Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), and Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The apparatus includes a two-dimensional (2D) gamma detector array that, unlike a conventional SPECT machine, moves to different positions in a three-dimensional (3D) volume space near an emission source and records a data vector g which is a measure of gamma emission field. In particular, the 3D volume space in which emission data g is measured extends substantially along a radial direction r pointing away from the emission source, and unlike a conventional SPECT machine, each photon detector element in the 2D gamma detector array is provided with a very large collimator aperture. Data g is related to the 3D spatial density distribution f of the emission source, noise vector n, and a system matrix H of the SPECT / PET apparatus through the linear system of equations g=Hf+n. This equation is solved for f by a method that reduces the effect of noise.

The invention relates to the medical slice imaging and nuclear-imaging field, in particular to a first-group board card, a signal buffering unit, a second-group receiving board card, a data buffering unit, a reference clock 17, a clock adjusting unit and an on-site programmable gate array that are used for a conforming system in a positron slice scanning device; the method is characterized in that the on-site programmable gate array is utilized to judge the time, the position and the energy among all matters, and two matters that pass through the judging and selecting regulations form a conforming case. By inducting the on-site programmable gate array, the case information captured by a front-end detector module of a PET apparatus can be processed fast and high-efficiently by compiling hardware description language, so as to ensure whether the conforming matters happen or not. The method is an improvement of the process of the prior PET conforming system. The method can finish the process of the conforming system high-efficiently and fast by using a piece of FPGA and can lead the system not to be inducted into the dead time while the high system sensitivity is obtained.

The present application is directed to radiolabeled cyclic peptidomimetics, pharmaceutical compositions comprising radiolabeled cyclic peptidomimetics, and methods of using the radiolabeled cyclic peptidomimetics. Such peptidomimetics can be used in imaging studies, such as Positron Emitting Tomography (PET) or Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT).

Positron emitting compounds and methods of their production are provided. The compounds have the formula: (F)m G (R)n wherein each R is a group comprising at least one carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus or sulfur atom and G is joined to R through said carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus or sulfur atom; G is silicon or boron; m is 2 to 5 and n is 1 to 3 with m+n=3 to 6 when G is silicon; m is 1 to 3 and n is 1 to 3 with m+n=3 to 4 when G is boron; and wherein the compound further comprises one or more counterions when the above formula is charged; and wherein at least one F is 18 F.

Inventions relates to scintillation substances and they may be utilized in nuclear physics, medicine and oil industry for recording and measurements of X-ray, gamma-ray and alpha-ray, nondestructive testing of solid states structure, three-dimensional positron-emission tomography and X-ray tomography and fluorography. Substances based on silicate comprising lutetium and cerium characterized in that compositions of substances are represented by chemical formulae CexLu2+2y−xSi1−yO5+y, CexLiq+pLu2−p+2−y−x−zAzSi1−yO5+y−p, CexLiq+pLu9.33−x−p−z□0.67AzSi6O26−p, where A is at least one element selected from group consisting of Gd, Sc, Y, La, Eu, Tb, x is value between 1×10−4 f.units and 0.02 f.units., y is value between 0.024 f.units and 0.09 f.units, z is value does not exceeding 0.05 f.units, q is value does not exceeding 0.2 f.units, p is value does not exceeding 0.05 f.units. Achievable technical result is the scintillating substance having high density, high light yield, low afterglow, and low percentage loss during fabrication of scintillating elements.

Image quality deterioration due to a drop in resolution or lowering of S / N ratio while reducing the amount of data stored during a 3D data acquisition process, and shortening the time from the start of an examination to the end of imaging. The method and apparatus of this invention perform, in parallel with the 3D data acquisition process, addition of sinograms, reading of subsets of the sinograms having been added, and image reconstruction. Consequently, the amount of data stored is reduced, and the time from the start of an examination to the end of imaging is shortened. At the same time, since 3D iterative reconstruction is not accompanied by conversion from 3D data to 2D data, a drop in resolution due to errors occurring with the conversion from 3D data to 2D data is avoided. The 3D iterative reconstruction can directly incorporate processes such as an attenuation correction process. It is thus possible to avoid also a lowering of S / N ratio resulting from an indirect incorporation of such processes.

Non-destructive testing apparatus may comprise a photon source and a source material that emits positrons in response to bombardment of the source material with photons. The source material is positionable adjacent the photon source and a specimen so that when the source material is positioned adjacent the photon source it is exposed to photons produced thereby. When the source material is positioned adjacent the specimen, the specimen is exposed to at least some of the positrons emitted by the source material. A detector system positioned adjacent the specimen detects annihilation gamma rays emitted by the specimen. Another embodiment comprises a neutron source and a source material that emits positrons in response to neutron bombardment.

The invention addresses possible fault scenarios including exposure to electromagnetic interference (EMI) which can include radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation due to one or more security and / or communication regimens as well as various imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron electron transmission (PET) imaging or the like. In one aspect, an active implantable medical device (AIMD) is configured to sense a physiologic parameter of a patient and provide a therapy such as cardiac pacing, high-energy cardioversion / defibrillation therapy and / or a drug or substance delivery regimen. An implantable physiologic sensor (IPS) couples to the AIMD with coaxial conductors with the inner conductor carrying the IPS output signals thus avoiding output signal degradation due to EMI. That is, the outer conductor couples to ground providing electromagnetic protection (e.g., like a Faraday cage) to the inner conductive and the output signals.

Macro- and microfluidic devices and related technologies, and chemical processes using such devices. More specifically, the devices may be used for a fully automated synthesis of radioactive compounds for imaging, such as by positron emission tomography (PET), in an efficient, compact and safe to the operator manner. In particular, embodiments of the present invention relate to an automated, multi-run, microfluidic instrument for the multi-step synthesis of radiopharmaceuticals, such as PET probes, comprising a remote shielded mini-cell containing radiation-handing components.

Activity-based probes, which are specific for certain active cysteine proteases (caspase, cathepsin and legumain) and carry radioactive labels, are disclosed. The present probes comprise an acyloxymethyketone (AOMK) “warhead” that binds only to active enzyme. The probes further comprise peptide-like structure that targets the probe to a specific cysteine protease or protease family, and a radiolabel on the probe, which is bound to the targeted enzyme. It has been found that the present probes are stable in vivo and give specific target images distinguishable over background. The preferred probes are labeled with a positron-emitting agent such as 64Cu, 125I (SPECT) and 99mTc (PET). The probes show in vivo half-life and stability well suited for imaging.

A camera sub-module is provided for providing tomographic imaging of radiation emissions generated internally by a body. The camera sub-module includes a radiation-emitting layer having a radioactive source for emitting transmission emissions, and at least one radiation-detection layer for contemporaneously detecting and permitting differentiation between the transmission emissions and emissions generated internal to an imaged body administered with a positron-emitting radiotracer. Also provided herein are imaging systems, scanners, and other apparatus and methods.

Detector crystals in a positron emission tomography (PET) apparatus gantry are cooled by directing cooling gas flow into a cooling duct bounded by the crystals and a cover defining the patient scanning field within the gantry. The cooling gas cools the crystals. Cooling gas may also be directed radially outwardly from the cooling duct into spatial gaps defined between detector enclosures that include the crystals, further isolating heat generated by other components within gantry from the detector crystals. Cooling gas is provided by a cooling system that may be incorporated within the gantry, external the gantry or a combination of both. Cooling gas can be provided by directing air within the gantry in contact with internal gantry cooling tubes and routing cooled air directly into the cooling duct with a powered fan.

A patient imaging system includes a patient support table, an MRI system including a cylindrical magnet and a PET system including positron detectors mounted in a ring. The magnet defines a cylindrical bore for receiving the patient on the table where the magnet is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on a slew ring carried on rails allowing longitudinal movement. The PET ring is mounted in the bore for longitudinal movement. The quench tube for the magnet passes through the slew ring with a rotary union at the axis. The shielding covers include a fixed upper part and a lower part which rotates about the axis with the magnet. The magnet is arranged in a two or three room diagnostic configuration in which a holding bay houses the magnet and the diagnostic patients are organized in the three rooms each cooperating with the magnet bay as the magnet is rotated.