US3829688A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High intensity radiation imaging system
Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1972-05-04
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Granted: 1974-08-13
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Expires: 1992-05-04
Abstract
Abstract A nuclear imaging system for mapping a spatially distributed source of high energy nuclear particles from a living organ which has selectively absorbed a radioactive compound in which the nuclear energy is spatially coded by a zone plate positioned between the source and a spatial detector, and a half tone screen is positioned between the source and the zone plate to increase the definition of the image.
Inventors
- 👤 H Barrett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:59
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/16; G01T1/161; G01T1/164; G01T1/1641; G01T1/1645; A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/42; A61B6/4208; A61B6/4258; G01T1/1642; G01T1/1644; G01T1/29; G01T1/2914; G01T1/2921; G01T1/295; G03; G03B; G03B42/00; G03B42/02; G03B42/026
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
200 words
In combination: means for producing a spatially modulated beam of radiant energy having an energy level predominantly above the visible range; said beam having an informational content derived from the emission and/or absorption of said radiant energy by an object comprising living tissue and/or portions of a living body surrounding said tissue and having a component varying as a function of a positional reference code comprising a structure having a plurality of spaced members for absorbing portions of said radiant energy in predetermined spatial patterns; each of said members having a plurality of regions substantially permeable to said radiation separated by intervening regions having substantially less permeability to said radiation than said permeable regions; the thickness of said intervening regions in the average direction of said radiation being less than the average spacing between said substantially permeable apertures; and means for spatially detecting at least a portion of said spatially varying component in said radiant beam comprising means spaced from said structure by a distance at which radiation emanating from, or passing through, a plurality of space points in said living tissue and passing through different of said permeable regions will impinge on a common point of said detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
200 words
In combination: means for producing a spatially modulated beam of radiant energy having an energy level predominantly above the visible range; said beam having an informational content derived from the emission and/or absorption of said radiant energy by an object comprising living tissue and/or portions of a living body surrounding said tissue and having a component varying as a function of a positional reference code comprising a structure having a plurality of spaced members for absorbing portions of said radiant energy in predetermined spatial patterns; each of said members having a plurality of regions substantially permeable to said radiation separated by intervening regions having substantially less permeability to said radiation than said permeable regions; the thickness of said intervening regions in the average direction of said radiation being less than the average spacing between said substantially permeable apertures; and means for spatially detecting at least a portion of said spatially varying component in said radiant beam comprising means spaced from said structure by a distance at which radiation emanating from, or passing through, a plurality of space points in said living tissue and passing through different of said permeable regions will impinge on a common point of said detecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of said members produces a constant spatial periodicity component of the radiation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said structure comprises at least a portion of a Fresnel zone pattern.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein said beam producing means provides radiation which is substantially non-phase cohErent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination in accordance with claim 4 wherein further means are provided for producing an image of said object.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination in accordance with claim 5 wherein said further means comprises a transparency derived from the informational content of said beam.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination in accordance with claim 6 wherein said further means comprises a substantially phase coherent source of radiation directed through said transparency.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination in accordance with claim 7 wherein said structure comprises an off-axis section of a Fresnel zone pattern interposed between said object and said detecting means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
131 words
In combination: an extensive source of substantially non-phase coherent radiation having an energy level above that of visible radiation; means for sequentially spatially coding said radiation from said source with a plurality of spatial frequency patterns, at least one of which varies as a function of the spatial position of said radiation comprising a plurality of spaced masks having regions substantially permeable to said radiation separated by intervening regions less permeable to said radiation than said permeable regions; said intervening regions having a thickness in the average direction of radiation from said source through said masks which is less than the average spacing between said permeable regions; and means for spatially detecting at least components of said patterns of said radiation which have passed through or been emitted by living tissue.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
131 words
In combination: an extensive source of substantially non-phase coherent radiation having an energy level above that of visible radiation; means for sequentially spatially coding said radiation from said source with a plurality of spatial frequency patterns, at least one of which varies as a function of the spatial position of said radiation comprising a plurality of spaced masks having regions substantially permeable to said radiation separated by intervening regions less permeable to said radiation than said permeable regions; said intervening regions having a thickness in the average direction of radiation from said source through said masks which is less than the average spacing between said permeable regions; and means for spatially detecting at least components of said patterns of said radiation which have passed through or been emitted by living tissue.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination in accordance with claim 9 wherein said coding means is spatially symmetrical in at least one dimension.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination in accordance with claim 10 wherein said coding means comprises an off-axis portion of a Fresnel zone pattern.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The combination in accordance with claim 11 wherein said detector means comprises an image intensifier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination in accordance with claim 11 wherein said detecting means comprises means for recording a signal derived from said coding means to form a transparency.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination in accordance with claim 13 wherein said transparency comprises a hologram and wherein means are provided for producing an image of said object from said hologram.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination in accordance with claim 14 wherein means are provided for producing different sections of said object lying at different distances from said detecting means from said hologram.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination in accordance with claim 14 wherein said producing means comprises a substantially phase coherent source of radiation.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
132 words
The method comprising the steps of: forming a spatially coded pattern of high energy particles which have been passed through and/or have been emitted by living tissue; said pattern having at least a component which is substantially symmetrical about an axis substantially parallel to the average direction of motion of said particles comprising absorbing some of said particles in a plurality of apertured masks spaced from each other along said direction, said masks having regions substantially permeable to said radiation separated by intervening regions less permeable to said radiation than said permeable regions; said intervening regions having a thickness in the average direction of radiation from said source through said masks which is less than the average spacing between said permeable regions; and spatially detecting at least a portion of said pattern.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
132 words
The method comprising the steps of: forming a spatially coded pattern of high energy particles which have been passed through and/or have been emitted by living tissue; said pattern having at least a component which is substantially symmetrical about an axis substantially parallel to the average direction of motion of said particles comprising absorbing some of said particles in a plurality of apertured masks spaced from each other along said direction, said masks having regions substantially permeable to said radiation separated by intervening regions less permeable to said radiation than said permeable regions; said intervening regions having a thickness in the average direction of radiation from said source through said masks which is less than the average spacing between said permeable regions; and spatially detecting at least a portion of said pattern.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method in accordance with claim 17, and including the step of deriving an image of said radioactive material in said organ from said spatial detection of said pattern.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method in accordance with claim 18 wherein said image deriving step comprises recording a spatial pattern having at least a component of said spatially coded pattern and deriving an image therefrom with a beam of substantially coherent light.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method in accordance with claim 18 wherein said detection comprises producing electrical signals in response to the detection of said nuclear particles.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method in accordance with claim 17 wherein said spatially coded pattern is formed at least in part by selectively absorbing certain of said particles as a function of said spatial code.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method in accordance with claim 21 wherein said spatially detecting step comprises converting the energy level of said nuclear particles radiated from said organ to radiation of a lower intensity than the intensity of said nuclear particles.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-12 | 1978-02-11 | 1978-08-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-12 | 1982-02-11 | 1982-08-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-12 | 1986-02-11 | 1986-08-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |