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EP-4735110-A1 - MODULAR PET DETECTOR SYSTEM FOR RADIOTHERAPY SYSTEMS

EP4735110A1EP 4735110 A1EP4735110 A1EP 4735110A1EP-4735110-A1

Abstract

Disclosed herein are variations of a modular positron emission tomography (PET) detector system. In some variations, the modular PET detector system is part of a radiotherapy system. The modular PET detector system comprises a rotatable ring and a PET cassette reversibly coupled to the rotatable ring. The rotatable ring may have a cooling circuit comprising a cooling conduit having a fluid therein. The PET cassette may be reversibly coupled to the rotatable ring such that the PET cassette is in thermal contact with the cooling circuit. The thermal contact or interface between the PET cassette and the cooling circuit promotes the transfer of heat without transferring any fluid between the cooling circuit and the PET cassette. The circuit board of the PET cassette may be aligned perpendicularly with respect to a photon detection surface, which may reduce forces on the cassette when the PET cassette is coupled to the rotatable ring.

Inventors

  • DUGONI, Jackson Rand
  • GADERLUND, BLAKE
  • HALE, Layton
  • KNAPP, William Roy
  • LAURENCE, JR., Thomas Leroy
  • PEARCE, WILLIAM JORGE
  • ULLRICH, Max Magee

Assignees

  • RefleXion Medical, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240625

Claims (17)

  1. 1. A modular PET detector system for a radiotherapy system comprising: a rotatable gantry, wherein the rotatable gantry has a cooling circuit mounted thereon, and wherein the cooling circuit comprises a cooling conduit having a fluid therein; and a PET cassette reversibly coupled to the gantry and in thermal contact with the cooling circuit without transfer of the fluid between the cooling conduit and PET cassette, wherein the PET cassette comprises a cooling bar and at least one photon detection module mounted on the cooling bar.
  2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling circuit further comprises a plurality of heat sinks.
  3. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the PET cassette further comprises a radiation shield.
  4. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling bar also functions as a radiation shield.
  5. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the PET cassette further comprises at least one alignment pin for engagement with a socket on the rotatable gantry.
  6. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least two PET cassettes.
  7. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the rotatable gantry is configured to rotate at least at 60 RPM.
  8. 8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a therapeutic radiation source, wherein the therapeutic radiation source comprises a linear accelerator (linac) and a magnetron.
  9. 9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a multi-leaf collimator.
  10. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling bar comprises tungsten.
  11. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling conduit comprises a first segment and a second segment parallel to the first segment, wherein the first segment is configured to cool the at least one photon detection module.
  12. 12. A modular PET detector system comprising: a rotatable gantry configured to rotate at least at 60 RPM; and a PET cassette reversibly coupled to the rotatable gantry, wherein the PET cassette comprises a photon detection surface, and at least one photon detection module having a printed circuit board that is aligned perpendicularly with respect to the photon detection surface, such that forces on the cassette are reduced when the PET cassette is coupled to the gantry.
  13. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the alignment of the printed circuit board perpendicularly with respect to the photon detection surface further reduces radiation damage on the PET cassette when the PET cassette is coupled to the gantry.
  14. 14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a therapeutic radiation source, wherein the therapeutic radiation source comprises a linear accelerator (linac) and a magnetron.
  15. 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the PET cassette further comprises at least one alignment pin for engagement with a socket on the rotatable gantry.
  16. 16. The system of claim 12, further comprising at least two PET cassettes.
  17. 17. The system of claim 12, wherein the rotatable gantry comprises a cooling circuit mounted thereon, wherein the cooling circuit comprises a cooling conduit having a fluid therein.

Description

MODULAR PET DETECTOR SYSTEM FOR RADIOTHERAPY SYSTEMS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/511,098 filed June 29, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND [0002] A positron emission tomography (PET) system comprises an array of detectors and supporting electronics that are mounted on a gantry, typically a circular gantry. The gantry may be stationary, as is in the case of most diagnostic PET imaging systems, or may be rotatable, as in the case of a radiotherapy system for biology -guided radiotherapy (BgRT). [0003] Repairing, replacing, and otherwise servicing a PET system and its individual components can be cumbersome and challenging. For example, the weight of a PET detector arc that has an angular span of 90° may be more than 200 pounds. In some cases, servicing a single detector may require the removal of the entire PET detector arc from the gantry, which may be bulky and difficult to maneuver, and may involve the disconnection and re-connection of hundreds of electrical wires, buses, and tubing for cooling fluid(s). Accordingly, improved PET detector systems are desirable. SUMMARY [0004] Disclosed herein are variations of a modular positron emission tomography (PET) detector system. The modular PET detector system comprises a rotatable ring and a PET cassette reversibly coupled to the rotatable ring. In some variations, the rotatable ring may be configured to rotate at a rate of about 60 RPM or more. A cooling circuit may be mounted onto the rotatable ring and may comprise a cooling conduit having a fluid therein. The PET cassette may comprise at least one photon detection module and may be reversibly coupled to the rotatable ring such that the PET cassette is in thermal contact with the cooling circuit. In one variation, the thermal contact or interface between the PET cassette and the cooling circuit may promote the transfer of heat without transferring any fluid between the cooling circuit and the PET cassette. The circuit board connected to the photon detection module may be aligned perpendicularly with respect to a photon detection surface, such that deflection forces on the cassette are reduced when the PET cassette is coupled to the rotatable ring. This may help reduce or eliminate the risk of the circuit board becoming dislodged and/or damaged during high-speed rotation of the ring. The modular PET detector systems described herein may be included as a sub-system of a radiotherapy system that comprises a therapeutic radiation source. [0005] Described herein are variations of a modular PET detector system. In one variation, a modular PET detector system may comprise a rotatable gantry, where the rotatable gantry has a cooling circuit mounted thereon, and where the cooling circuit comprises a cooling conduit having a fluid therein, and a PET cassette reversibly coupled to the gantry and in thermal contact with the cooling circuit without transfer of the fluid between the cooling conduit and PET cassette. The PET cassette may comprise a cooling bar and at least one photon detection module mounted on the cooling bar. The cooling bar may comprise tungsten. The cooling circuit may further comprise a plurality of heat sinks. The PET cassette may further comprise a radiation shield, and optionally, the cooling bar may also function as a radiation shield. In some variations, the PET cassette may further comprise at least one alignment pin for engagement with a socket on the rotatable gantry. The modular PET detection system may comprise at least two PET cassettes, for example, three PET cassettes, five PET cassettes, seven PET cassettes or more. The rotatable gantry may be configured to rotate at least at 60 RPM. In some variations, the modular PET detector system may comprise a therapeutic radiation source. The therapeutic radiation source may comprise a linear accelerator (linac) and a magnetron, and optionally, a multi-leaf collimator. In some variations, the cooling conduit may comprise a first segment and a second segment parallel to the first segment, and the first segment may be configured to cool the at least one photon detection module. [0006] One variation of a modular PET detector system may comprise a rotatable gantry configured to rotate at least at 60 RPM, and a PET cassette reversibly coupled to the rotatable gantry. The PET cassette may comprise a photon detection surface and at least one photon detection module having a printed circuit board that is aligned perpendicularly with respect to the photon detection surface, such that forces on the cassette are reduced when the PET cassette is coupled to the gantry. The alignment of the printed circuit board perpendicularly with respect to the photon detection surface may help further reduce radiation damage on the PET cassette when the PET cassette is coupled to the gantry. In some variations, the mod