CN116421211A

CN116421211A - Emission imaging device

Info

Publication number: CN116421211A
Application number: CN202310568702.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 谢思维; 于昕; 张恒; 朱志良; 李文彬; 赵慧萍; 张义彬; 曾家旸; 彭旗宇
Original assignee: Shenzhen Bay Laboratory
Current assignee: Shenzhen Bay Laboratory
Priority date: 2023-05-18
Filing date: 2023-05-18
Publication date: 2023-07-14

Abstract

The invention provides an emission imaging device. The emission imaging device comprises a processor module, a plurality of detector modules, a flexible connecting piece and a fixing piece, wherein the flexible connecting piece is provided with a first mounting surface, and the detector modules are arranged on the first mounting surface through respective photoelectric sensor arrays; the fixing piece comprises a shell and a side shell, and an installation space is formed by enclosing the shell and the side shell; the plurality of detector modules are annularly arranged in the installation space through the flexible connecting piece and are electrically connected with the processor module through the flexible connecting piece, and the first end face is closer to the shell than the second end face. Such emission imaging devices may be worn by small animals. And the detector module with smaller size can realize higher sensitivity when detecting small animals. When the small animals are detected, the small animals do not need to be anesthetized in advance, and the annular detector module is worn by the small animals, so that the real-time detection of the small animals under the normal physiological activities can be realized.

Description

Emission imaging device

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of medical imaging, in particular to an emission imaging device.

Background

The computed tomography technology is a major breakthrough in the field of medical imaging, and positron emission tomography (Positron Emission Computed Tomography, hereinafter referred to as PET) is a development technology capable of displaying the distribution of radionuclides in various layers and stereoscopic distribution images in a living body.

The PET imaging of the small animal has wide application in drug research and development and scientific research, however, the PET imaging of the small animal is carried out under deep anesthesia at present, metabolic images of the small animal under normal physiological activities cannot be obtained, and the PET imaging equipment of the small animal has larger size, so that the problem of insufficient sensitivity exists when imaging a specific organ (such as brain and heart) of the small animal.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to at least partially solve the problems in the prior art, the present invention provides an emissive imaging device. The emission imaging device comprises a processor module and a plurality of detector modules, wherein the detector modules comprise a scintillation crystal array and a photoelectric sensor array, the scintillation crystal array is provided with a first end face and a second end face, the photoelectric sensor array is coupled and connected to the first end face, and the emission imaging device further comprises a flexible connecting piece and a fixing piece; the flexible connecting piece is provided with a first mounting surface, and a plurality of detector modules are arranged on the first mounting surface through respective photoelectric sensor arrays; the fixing piece comprises a shell and a side shell, and an installation space is formed by enclosing the shell and the side shell; the plurality of detector modules are annularly arranged in the installation space through the flexible connecting piece and are electrically connected with the processor module through the flexible connecting piece, and the first end face is closer to the shell than the second end face.

According to the emission imaging device provided by the invention, the flexible connecting piece can bear the detector modules with smaller sizes, and the detector modules can be annularly arranged in the installation space formed by the outer shell and the side shell by virtue of the flexibility of the flexible connecting piece, so that a small animal can wear the annular detector modules, for example, the small animal can wear the annular detector modules on the head, and the detector modules can dynamically detect the head of the small animal positioned in the center of the installation space at the moment so as to obtain detection images of the small animal under normal physiological activities. The detector module in such an emission imaging device is small in size and the overall device is simple in structure, so that the overall size is small and the weight is light, and the emission imaging device can be worn by small animals. Meanwhile, the detector module with smaller size can realize higher sensitivity when detecting small animals. And when the small animals are detected, the small animals do not need to be anesthetized in advance, the annular detector module is worn by the small animals, so that the real-time detection of the small animals under the normal physiological activities can be realized, and the reference significance of the detection result is larger when people research the pathology by using the small animals.

Illustratively, the photosensor array is formed with a connection terminal at an end remote from the scintillator array, and the flexible connector has a slot thereon, and the connection terminal is plugged with the slot. The plurality of detector modules are connected to the flexible connecting piece in a plugging mode, so that the whole device can be conveniently disassembled and assembled, and the device is easy to maintain when faults occur; moreover, the inner diameter of the ring formed by arranging the plurality of detector modules can be adjusted, and the emission imaging device can meet more use scenes.

Illustratively, the photosensor array is integrally formed with the flexible connection. Such emission imaging device, the connection reliability between photoelectric sensor array and the flexonics spare is better, and whole device is more stable, when the toy wears such emission former, a plurality of detector modules are difficult for droing, and the detection effect is better.

Illustratively, the flexible connection unit includes a plurality of rigid plates through which the array of photosensors is connected to the flexible connection unit. The setting of stereoplasm board can make a plurality of detector modules more stable when being connected to the flexonics spare, has promoted the stability of whole device.

Illustratively, the fixture includes a locating member by which the plurality of detector modules are spaced apart in the mounting space. The setting of setting element can make a plurality of detector modules more stable in installation space, and the toy can carry out various movements when wearing such emission imaging device, and under such circumstances, a plurality of detector modules also are difficult for droing in the installation space.

Illustratively, the retainer is wedge-shaped. The plurality of wedge-shaped locating pieces arranged in this way can enable a plurality of detector modules which are in cuboid shapes to be arranged in a pairwise symmetrical mode in the installation space, and therefore detection effect is better when the detector modules are used for PET imaging.

The second end face has an end corner, the end corners of two adjacent detector modules abutting each other. The emission imaging device is easier to wear, and meanwhile, the plurality of detector modules are mutually propped against each other, so that the whole structure is more stable.

Illustratively, the mount includes an inner housing defining an annular space therebetween, the plurality of detector modules being arranged within the annular space, the inner housing being closer to the second end face than the outer housing. The internal shell is arranged in the fixing piece, so that the plurality of detector modules are more stable when arranged in the annular space, and small animals are not easy to fall off when wearing the emission imaging equipment due to the internal shell, so that the stability of the whole device when detecting the small animals is improved.

Illustratively, a sling portion is provided on the housing and/or side shells for connecting a sling to suspend the emissive imaging device. When the small animal wears the emission imaging equipment, the weight of the whole device is almost born by the sling, so that the burden on the small animal is smaller, and the detection effect is better; moreover, the emission imaging device is hung in the air, can follow detection when the small animal moves, and can acquire the metabolic information of the small animal in real time when the small animal moves.

Illustratively, the housing and/or side housing has a walking assembly attached thereto, the walking assembly including a carriage and a moving wheel, the carriage being supported by the moving wheel to make the emissive imaging device movable. When the small animal wears the emission imaging equipment, the small animal can freely move, and the whole device can freely move along with the small animal, so that the small animal is restrained less, and the detection effect is better; and the emission imaging device can follow detection when the small animal moves, and acquire the metabolic information of the small animal during the movement in real time.

Illustratively, the housing is provided with a first opening and a second opening, and the flexible connector has a first end and a second end, the first end extending through the first opening and being coupled to the processor module, and the second end extending through the second opening and being coupled to the processor module. The first opening and the second opening on the shell are arranged, so that the flexible mounting part is arranged in the fixing part more conveniently, and the whole device is simpler in structure and easy to realize.

Illustratively, the emissive imaging device includes at least two flexible connectors, the housing being provided with at least two openings, the at least two flexible connectors respectively corresponding to the at least two openings and being coupled to the processor module. Such emissive imaging devices have lower flexibility requirements for flexible connectors and are easier to implement.

In the summary, a series of concepts in a simplified form are introduced, which will be further described in detail in the detailed description section. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Advantages and features of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The following drawings are included to provide an understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. Embodiments of the present invention and their description are shown in the drawings to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings of which there are shown,

fig. 1 is a perspective view of an emission imaging device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the emissive imaging device shown in fig. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a mount according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is another angular perspective view of the mount shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a flexible connection unit in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial schematic diagram of an emissive imaging device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial schematic view of an emissive imaging device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; and

fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of an emissive imaging device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Wherein the above figures include the following reference numerals:

10. an emission imaging device; 100. a processor module; 200. a detector module; 210. a scintillation crystal array; 211. a first end face; 212. a second end face; 2121. end corner portions; 220. a photosensor array; 221. a connection terminal; 300. a flexible connection member; 310. a first mounting surface; 320. a slot; 350. a first end; 360. a second end; 400. a fixing member; 410. a housing; 411. a hanging part; 412. a walking assembly; 4121. a bracket; 4122. a moving wheel; 413. a first opening; 414. a second opening; 420. a side case; 430. a positioning piece; 440. an inner shell.

Detailed Description

In the following description, numerous details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the following description illustrates preferred embodiments of the invention by way of example only and that the invention may be practiced without one or more of these details. Furthermore, some technical features that are known in the art have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the invention.

The operation of a PET imaging device generally comprises: the method comprises the steps of injecting tracers with radioactive substances into organisms, absorbing the tracers by target organs and tissues due to specific molecular structures, enabling unstable radioactive substances in the tracers to decay to emit rays, converting the corresponding rays into electric signals after receiving the corresponding rays by a detector of an imaging device, and finally completing image reconstruction according to a reconstruction algorithm of a processor module. The nuclear medicine imaging technology is a dynamic and functional imaging technology, and can observe information in aspects of metabolism, blood flow state and the like of organs.

The PET imaging equipment is mainly used for detecting diseases such as tumors, lungs, nerves, heart organs and the like. The radionuclide labeled with short half-life is used for metabolizing needed nutrients such as glucose, protein and the like, such as 18F-FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose), and the like, and the radionuclide labeled cells are injected into a human body for imaging. Since metabolism is relatively vigorous at the biological tissue site where cancer cells and the like are located, the nutrient substances with radionuclide marks are accumulated at the position where the cancer cells are located, and positrons generated by decay combine with negative electrons in surrounding tissues to perform annihilation, so that high-energy gamma photon pairs with energy values of 511keV propagating in opposite directions are generated. The high-energy photons are collected by a scintillation crystal detector and then are converted into visible light signals, the light signals are converted into electric signals through a photoelectric sensor, the electric signals are sent into a front-end electronic circuit for circuit processing, the gamma photons from the same annihilation event are judged according to the passing time, and the distribution positions of the gamma photons, namely the distribution positions of radiopharmaceuticals, are obtained in a computer through data processing and image reconstruction, so that the metabolic condition and functional information of biological organs can be represented. Among them, the PET imaging technique of small animals plays an important role in the fields of drug development and development, disease research, gene imaging, etc.

The invention provides an emission imaging device. The emissive imaging device can be realized in smaller sizes and with higher sensitivity. Such an emission imaging device, which can be worn by a small animal to obtain a detected image of the small animal under normal physiological activity, does not require an anesthetic treatment of the small animal when PET imaging the small animal.

Referring to fig. 1, an emissive imaging device 10 may include a processor module 100, a plurality of detector modules 200, a flexible connection 300, and a mount 400.

The processor module 100 may be implemented in any suitable hardware, software, and/or firmware. Illustratively, the processor module 100 may be implemented using a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), a Micro Control Unit (MCU), a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or the like.

Referring to fig. 2, a detector module 200 may include a scintillation crystal array 210 and a photosensor array 220. The scintillator crystal array 210 may include a plurality of scintillator crystals, which refers to crystals that can convert energy of high-energy particles into light energy under the impact of gamma photons. The scintillation crystal may be lutetium yttrium silicate scintillation crystal (LYSO crystal), bismuth germanate scintillation crystal (BGO crystal), cerium doped lutetium silicate scintillation crystal (LSO crystal), gadolinium silicate scintillation crystal (GSO crystal), sodium iodide scintillation crystal (NaI crystal), or crystals of various other materials.

Referring to fig. 6, a scintillator crystal array 210 can have a first end face 211 and a second end face 212, and a photosensor array 220 can be coupled to the first end face 211. The photosensor array 220 may include one or more photosensors, which may be of various types, such as photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), silicon photomultiplier tubes (sipms), etc., either existing or as may occur in the future. The photosensor array 220 may be optically coupled to the first end face 211. Optical coupling means that scintillation light signals can pass between the photosensor array 220 and the scintillation crystal array 210 through the first end face 211. The scintillation light formed in the scintillation crystal can be detected by a photoelectric sensor coupled with the scintillation crystal, the photoelectric sensor can convert scintillation light signals into electric signals and send the electric signals to the processor module 100 at the rear end for data processing and image reconstruction, so that the distribution positions of the radiopharmaceuticals are obtained, and metabolic conditions and functional information representing organ tissues are obtained.

Referring again to fig. 6, the flexible connector 300 may have a first mounting surface 310 on which a plurality of detector modules 200 may be disposed by respective photosensor arrays 220. The flexible connection 300 may be in the form of a flexible strap, for example, the flexible connection 300 may be a flex cable. The first mounting surface 310 may be any surface of the flexible connector 300, and when a plurality of detector modules 200 are disposed on the first mounting surface 310, the plurality of detector modules 200 are all disposed on the flexible connector 300 and on the same side of the flexible connector 300. In this way, the flexible connector 300 may be rolled into a ring shape with the first mounting surface 310 facing the interior of the ring shape, and thus the plurality of detector modules 200 disposed on the flexible connector 300 may be facing the interior of the ring shape, thereby allowing detection of living beings located within the interior of the ring shape. In the detector module 200, the scintillator crystal array 210 is optically coupled to the photosensor array 220, and thus, when the photosensor array 220 is disposed on the first mounting surface 310, the entirety of the detector module 200 is also disposed on the first mounting surface 310. The photoelectric sensor array 220 may be disposed on the first mounting surface 310 in various manners such as a clamping connection, a threaded connection, a magnetic attraction connection, or a snap spring connection, for example, the photoelectric sensor array 220 may be disposed on the first mounting surface 310 through a threaded connection, at this time, a threaded connection pin may be disposed on the photoelectric sensor array 220, and a threaded connection mating hole may be disposed on the first mounting surface 310, and the threaded connection pin may pass through the threaded connection mating hole and may be limited by a nut.

Referring to fig. 3 and 4 in combination, the fixing member 400 may include a housing 410 and a side housing 420, and the housing 410 and the side housing 420 may be enclosed to form an installation space. The case 410 may have a polygonal column shape or a cylindrical shape. The side case 420 may be located at either side of the outer case 410 in the axial direction, and the side case 420 may function as a side barrier that may laterally support objects in the installation space. The flexible connector 300 may be accessed from the side where the side case 420 is not mounted into the interior of the fixture 400. The plurality of detector modules 200 may be annularly arranged in the installation space by the flexible connection member 300, at this time, the first installation surface 310 faces the inside of the installation space, the flexible connection member 300 may be annularly arranged in the installation space, and may also be connected with the housing and/or the side housing by various forms such as a clamping connection, a threaded connection, or an interference fit, so long as the flexible connection member 300 may be annularly arranged in the installation space, which falls within the scope of the present application. Illustratively, the fixture 400 may include two side shells 420, such that the fixture 400 is more uniform in shape after both side shells 420 are installed. The plurality of detector modules 200 may be electrically connected to the processor module 100 by flexible connectors 300. The plurality of detector modules 200 may be electrically connected to the flexible connection 300, and the flexible connection 300 and the processor module 100 may be electrically connected, that is, the plurality of detector modules 200 detect the generated scintillation light signal, may be converted into an electrical signal, and further may be transferred to the processor module 100 by the flexible connection 300. The photosensor array 220 may be connected to the flexible connection 300 by an electrical connector, which may include any of the electrical connectors that may be present and that may occur in the future. The flexible connection 300 may include a front-end circuit, for example the flexible connection 300 may include a belt in which the front-end circuit may be disposed, and a plug may be disposed at one end of the flexible connection 300, which may be plugged into a socket on the processor module 100, thereby enabling electrical connection of the plurality of detector modules 200 to the processor module 100. It should be noted that the flexible connector 300 may have various other forms of electrical connection with the processor module 100, which is not specifically limited in this application. Referring to fig. 6, the first end surface 211 may be closer to the case 410 than the second end surface 212. The photosensor array 220 is coupled to the first end surface 211 of the scintillator crystal array 210, and the second end surface 212 is an end of the scintillator crystal array 210 closer to the inside of the installation space when the first end surface 211 is closer to the case 410 than the second end surface 212.

According to the emission imaging device provided by the invention, the flexible connecting piece 300 can bear the detector modules 200 with smaller sizes, and the plurality of detector modules 200 can be annularly arranged in the installation space formed by the outer shell 410 and the side shell 420 by virtue of the flexibility of the flexible connecting piece 300, so that a small animal can wear the annular detector modules, for example, the small animal can wear the annular detector modules on the head, and the plurality of detector modules 200 can dynamically detect the head of the small animal positioned in the center of the installation space at the moment so as to obtain detection images of the small animal under normal physiological activities. The detector module 200 in such an emission imaging device is small in size and the overall device is simple in structure, and thus small in overall size and light in weight, and can be worn by small animals. At the same time, the smaller size of the detector module 200 may enable higher sensitivity for detection of small animals. And when the small animals are detected, the small animals do not need to be anesthetized in advance, the annular detector module is worn by the small animals, so that the real-time detection of the small animals under the normal physiological activities can be realized, and the reference significance of the detection result is larger when people research the pathology by using the small animals.

In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to fig. 3 and 4 in combination, the outer case 410 of the fixing member 400 may have a cylindrical shape, the fixing member 400 may include an inner case 440, the inner case 440 may have a cylindrical shape, and the inner case 440 may be sleeved inside the outer case 410. An annular space may be formed between the inner case 440 and the outer case 410, and the side case 420 may be located at either side between the inner case 440 and the outer case 410 in the form of an annular baffle. The flexible connection 300 may be disposed in an annular shape within the annular space, whereby the plurality of detector modules 200 may be arranged within the annular space, the first end face 211 may be closer to the outer housing 410 than the second end face 212, and the inner housing 440 may be closer to the second end face 212 than the outer housing 410. For example, the second end face 212 of the scintillator crystal array 210 can rest against the inner housing 440. Such emission imaging device is provided with the inner shell 440 in the fixing member 400, so that the plurality of detector modules 200 are more stable when arranged in the annular space, and the small animals are not easy to fall off when wearing such emission imaging device due to the inner shell 440, so that the stability of the whole device when detecting the small animals is improved.

In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to fig. 2 and 3 in combination, the fixing member 400 may include a positioning member 430, and the positioning member 430 may have various shapes such as wedge shape, prismatic shape or cylindrical shape, and the positioning member 430 may be designed in various shapes and sizes according to the needs of the specific situation by those skilled in the art. The fixing member 400 may have a plurality of positioning members 430 disposed therein, and the plurality of positioning members 430 may have the same shape and size, or may have different shapes and sizes. The flexible connector 300 may be installed on the plurality of positioning members 430 in the installation space, whereby the plurality of detector modules 200 may be arranged at intervals in the installation space by the positioning members 430. Illustratively, the positioning members 430 may make the plurality of detector modules 200 located in the installation space in pairs and be symmetrical in position, and the pair of detector modules 200 that are symmetrical in position may have better detection effect when used for PET imaging. The positioning member 430 may be provided to make the plurality of detector modules 200 more stable in the installation space, and a small animal may perform various movements while wearing such a transmission imaging apparatus, in which case the plurality of detector modules 200 are also not easily detached from the installation space. The plurality of positioning members 430 may be arranged in specific positions and in various sizes according to actual needs by those skilled in the art, whereby it is achieved that the plurality of detector modules 200 may take on various arrangements as desired within the installation space.

Illustratively, referring to fig. 3, the retainer 430 may be wedge-shaped. A plurality of wedge-shaped locators 430 may be provided within the fixture 400. In the illustrated embodiment, the wider dimension of such a wedge may correspond to the spacing between the plurality of photosensor arrays 220 and the narrower dimension of such a wedge may correspond to the spacing between the plurality of scintillator arrays 210. The plurality of wedge-shaped positioning members 430 arranged in this way can enable the plurality of rectangular parallelepiped-shaped detector modules 200 to be arranged in a pairwise symmetrical manner in the installation space, so that the detection effect is better when used for PET imaging. In other embodiments, not shown, a plurality of wedge-shaped positioning members 430 having different sizes may be disposed in the fixing member 400, which will not be described herein.

For example, referring to fig. 3 and 6 in combination, the second end face 212 may have end corners 2121, and the end corners 2121 of two adjacent detector modules 200 may abut against each other. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of wedge-shaped positioning members 430 are disposed in the fixing member 400, and end corners 2121 of two adjacent detector modules 200 in the plurality of detector modules 200 abut against each other, so that the second end face 212 of the scintillation crystal array 210 can form a circular closed loop, and the emission imaging device is easier to wear, and meanwhile, the plurality of detector modules 200 abut against each other, so that the overall structure is more stable.

In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to fig. 5 and 6 in combination, the photosensor array 220 may be formed with a connection terminal 221 at an end remote from the scintillator crystal array 210, and the flexible connector 300 may have a socket 320 thereon, and the connection terminal 221 may be plugged with the socket 320. The connection terminals 221 and the slots 320 may be mating connections of various electrical connectors, for example, the connection terminals 221 may be in the form of conductive contacts and the slots 320 may be in the form of conductive grooves corresponding to the conductive contacts. In such an emission imaging apparatus, the photosensor array 220 is electrically connected to the flexible connector 300 in a plug-in manner, that is, the plurality of detector modules 200 and the flexible connector 300 are independent from each other, and when the detector modules 200 need to be disassembled, the individual detector modules 200 can be disassembled independently. Specifically, the emission imaging device includes ten detector modules 200, each detector module 200 being connected to the flexible connector 300 by way of a plug-in connection. When it is desired to change the inner diameter of the ring formed by the arrangement of the plurality of detector modules 200, the fixture 400 may be removed and then the number of detector modules 200 may be reduced, for example, four detector modules 200 may be plugged onto the flexible connector 300, it being understood that for the same detector module 200, the inner diameter of the ring formed by the arrangement of four detector modules 200 is much smaller than the inner diameter of the ring formed by the arrangement of ten detector modules 200. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples for ease of description and the present application is not limited to a particular number of detector modules 200. Therefore, the plurality of detector modules 200 are connected to the flexible connector 300 in a plug-in manner, so that the whole device can be conveniently disassembled and assembled, and the device is easy to maintain when faults occur; and the inner diameter of the ring shape formed by arranging the plurality of detector modules 200 can be adjusted, so that the emission imaging device can meet more use scenes.

In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to fig. 5, the flexible connection 300 may include a plurality of rigid plates, and the photosensor array 220 may be connected to the flexible connection 300 through the rigid plates. The hard plate may be a hard area within a vicinity of the socket 320, e.g., the hard plate may be in the form of a base of the socket 320. The hard plate may be formed after the hard external object is connected to the flexible connection unit 300, or may be integrally formed with the flexible connection unit 300. The plurality of hard plates may be arranged on the flexible connecting member 300 at intervals, and it is understood that the arrangement of the plurality of hard plates does not affect the flexibility of the flexible connecting member 300, and the flexible connecting member 300 provided with the plurality of hard plates may still be bent or folded. The socket 320 may be provided on a hard board when the plurality of detector modules 200 are connected to the flexible connector 300 in a plug-in manner. In an embodiment not shown, a threaded connection pin may be provided on the photosensor array 220, a threaded connection hole may be provided on the hard plate, and the photosensor array 220 may be connected to the flexible connection member 300 in a threaded connection manner. The provision of the stiff plate may make the plurality of detector modules 200 more stable when connected to the flexible connection 300, improving the stability of the overall device.

In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to FIG. 7, the photosensor array 220 may be integrally formed with the flexible connector 300. The integral molding refers to that the photo sensor array 220 and the flexible connection member 300 may be connected by gluing or integral injection molding, the photo sensor array 220 may be directly coupled to the flexible connection member 300, and the plurality of photo sensor arrays 220 in the plurality of detector modules 200 may be integrally molded with the flexible connection member 300, respectively. Such emission imaging device, the connection reliability between the photoelectric sensor array 220 and the flexible connector 300 is better, the whole device is more stable, and when the small animal wears such emission forming device, the plurality of detector modules 200 are not easy to fall off, and the detection effect is better.

In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to fig. 2, 3 and 4 in combination, a hanging portion 411 may be provided on the housing 410, and the hanging portion 411 may be used to connect a sling to hang the emission imaging device 10. The hanging portion 411 may be in the form of a perforated ear protruding from the edge of the housing 410, and an external sling may be passed through a hole in the hanging portion 411 to hang the emissive imaging device 10. When a small animal wears the emission imaging device 10, the weight of the whole device is almost born by the sling, so that the burden on the small animal is smaller, and the detection effect is better; moreover, such a radiation imaging apparatus 10 is suspended in the air and can follow detection while the small animal is moving, and can acquire metabolic information of the small animal while moving in real time.

Similarly, the side case 420 may also be provided with a hanging portion 411, which will not be described herein. In order to enhance the stability of the emission imaging device 10 when suspended, a plurality of hanging parts 411 may also be provided.

In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to fig. 8, housing 410 may be coupled with a walking assembly 412, and walking assembly 412 may include a bracket 4121 and a moving wheel 4122, and bracket 4121 may be supported by moving wheel 4122 to make emissive imaging device 10 movable. The bracket 4121 may be coupled between the housing 410 and the moving wheel 4122 in various shapes. A plurality of moving wheels 4122 may be provided on one of the brackets 4121. Specifically, two traveling assemblies 412 may be symmetrically disposed on the housing 410, each traveling assembly 412 including a bracket 4121 and a moving wheel 4122. When the small animal wears the emission imaging device 10, the small animal can freely move, and the whole device can freely move along with the small animal, so that the small animal is restrained less, and the detection effect is better; moreover, such an emission imaging device 10 may follow the detection as the small animal moves, acquiring metabolic information of the small animal while moving in real time.

Similarly, the side case 420 may also be provided with a walking assembly 412, which is not described herein. In order to enhance the stability of the radiation imaging apparatus 10 when moving, a plurality of traveling assemblies 412 may also be provided.

In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to fig. 3, 4 and 5 in combination, the housing 410 may be provided with a first opening 413 and a second opening 414. The first opening 413 and the second opening 414 may have a shape and size that matches a cross-section of the flexible connection unit 300 such that the flexible connection unit 300 may pass through the first opening 413 and the second opening 414. For ease of description, the flexible connector 300 may have a first end 350 and a second end 360, where the first end 350 and the second end 360 merely serve as a distinction between the two ends of the flexible connector 300. The first end 350 extends out of the first opening 413 and is connectable to the processor module 100, and the second end 360 extends out of the second opening 414 and is connectable to the processor module 100. It will be appreciated that the detector module 200 cannot pass through the first opening 413 and the second opening 414. When such a flexible connection unit 300 is inserted into the fixing unit 400 shown in fig. 3, the first end 350 may be inserted through the first opening 413, the plurality of detector modules 200 are disposed between the first end 350 and the second end 360, and the second end 360 may be inserted through the second opening 414, at this time, the plurality of detector modules 200 are annularly arranged in the fixing unit 400, and the plurality of detector modules 200 cannot be inserted through the first opening 413 and the second opening 414. Specifically, in such a fixture 400, the flexible connector 300 would have a greater bend at the second opening 414. In other embodiments not shown, the first opening 413 and the second opening 414 may be disposed at other positions on the housing 410 of the fixing element 400, which will not be described herein. The provision of the first opening 413 and the second opening 414 on the housing 410 makes it more convenient to provide the flexible mounting member 300 in the fixing member 400, and the overall device structure is simpler and easy to implement.

In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to fig. 2, the emission-imaging device 10 may include at least two flexible connectors 300, and the housing 410 may be provided with at least two openings, and the at least two flexible connectors 300 may respectively protrude from the at least two openings and may be connected with the processor module 100. Specifically, the emissive imaging device includes two flexible connectors 300, and the housing 410 is provided with a first opening 413 and a second opening 414. The first end 350 of one of the two flexible connectors 300 extends out of the first opening 413 to the exterior of the mount 400 and connects to the processor module 100, and the first end 350 of the other extends out of the second opening 414 to the exterior of the mount 400 and connects to the processor module 100. The second ends 360 of both flexible connectors 300 are located inside the mount 400. The portions of the two flexible connection units 300 respectively located inside the fixing unit 400 may together form a ring shape. In other embodiments not shown, the number of the flexible connectors 300 is not particularly limited, and accordingly, the housing 410 may be provided with a corresponding number of openings, and the plurality of flexible connectors 300 may respectively pass through the openings and may be connected to the processor module 100. Such an emission imaging device 10 is easy to disassemble and assemble, and when a part of the detector modules 200 need maintenance, the corresponding flexible connectors 300 can be disassembled and assembled first, and the emission imaging device 10 has lower requirement on flexibility of the flexible connectors 300 and is easier to realize.

In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the azimuth or positional relationships indicated by the azimuth terms such as "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "transverse", "vertical", "horizontal", and "top", "bottom", etc., are generally based on the azimuth or positional relationships shown in the drawings, merely for convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and these azimuth terms do not indicate and imply that the apparatus or elements referred to must have a specific azimuth or be constructed and operated in a specific azimuth, without limiting the scope of protection of the present invention; the orientation terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer relative to the outline of the components themselves.

For ease of description, regional relative terms, such as "above … …," "above … …," "upper surface at … …," "above," and the like, may be used herein to describe regional positional relationships of one or more components or features to other components or features illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the relative terms of regions include not only the orientation of the components illustrated in the figures, but also different orientations in use or operation. For example, if the element in the figures is turned over entirely, elements "over" or "on" other elements or features would then be included in cases where the element is "under" or "beneath" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "above … …" may include both orientations of "above … …" and "below … …". Moreover, these components or features may also be positioned at other different angles (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other angles), and all such cases are intended to be encompassed herein.

It is noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments in accordance with the present application. As used herein, the singular is also intended to include the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and furthermore, it is to be understood that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising" when used in this specification are taken to specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, components, assemblies, and/or combinations thereof.

It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," and the like in the description and claims of the present application and the above figures are used for distinguishing between similar objects and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the data so used may be interchanged where appropriate such that embodiments of the present application described herein may be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein.

The present invention has been illustrated by the above-described embodiments, but it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are for purposes of illustration and description only and are not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments described. In addition, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and that many variations and modifications are possible in light of the teachings of the invention, which variations and modifications are within the scope of the invention as claimed. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. An emission imaging device comprising a processor module and a plurality of detector modules, the detector modules comprising a scintillation crystal array and a photosensor array, the scintillation crystal array having a first end face and a second end face, the photosensor array coupled to the first end face, characterized in that the emission imaging device further comprises a flexible connection and a fixture;

the flexible connecting piece is provided with a first mounting surface, and a plurality of detector modules are arranged on the first mounting surface through respective photoelectric sensor arrays;

the fixing piece comprises a shell and a side shell, and an installation space is formed by enclosing the shell and the side shell;

the plurality of detector modules are annularly arranged in the installation space through the flexible connecting piece and are electrically connected with the processor module through the flexible connecting piece, and the first end face is closer to the shell than the second end face.

2. The emissive imaging device of claim 1, wherein the photosensor array has a connection terminal formed at an end remote from the scintillator array, the flexible connector having a slot thereon, the connection terminal mating with the slot.

3. The emissive imaging device of claim 1, wherein the photosensor array is integrally formed with the flexible connection.

4. The emissive imaging device of claim 1, wherein the flexible connection comprises a plurality of stiff plates through which the array of photosensors is connected to the flexible connection.

5. The emission imaging device of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fixture includes a positioning member by which a plurality of the detector modules are arranged at intervals in the installation space.

6. The emissive imaging device of claim 5, wherein the positioning member is wedge-shaped.

7. The emission imaging device of claim 5, wherein the second end face has end corners, the end corners of adjacent two of the detector modules abutting each other.

8. The emissive imaging device of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mount comprises an inner housing, an annular space being formed between the inner housing and the outer housing, a plurality of the detector modules being arranged in the annular space, the inner housing being closer to the second end face than the outer housing.

9. The emission-imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a hanging portion for connecting a sling to hang the emission-imaging device is provided on the outer case and/or the side case.

10. The emission-imaging device of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing and/or the side case has a walking assembly connected thereto, the walking assembly including a carriage and a moving wheel, the carriage being supported by the moving wheel to make the emission-imaging device movable.

11. The emissive imaging device of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing has a first opening and a second opening, the flexible connector has a first end and a second end, the first end extends out of the first opening and is coupled to the processor module, and the second end extends out of the second opening and is coupled to the processor module.

12. The emissive imaging device of any of claims 1 to 4, comprising at least two of the flexible connectors, the housing being provided with at least two openings, the at least two flexible connectors respectively corresponding to the at least two openings and being coupled to the processor module.