JP4500922B2 - Assembling method of scintillator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is, for example, in the scintillator of the PET (positron emission tomography) apparatus, a multi-stage cell assembly of the detector for identifying a flying three-dimensional position of the radiation, i.e., the cell is directed to the assembly how the aligned scintillators .

  2. Description of the Related Art A PET (positron emission tomography) apparatus is known that administers a drug labeled with a radioisotope to a patient, detects the biodistribution of radioactivity from the outside, and measures the location and concentration with high physiological activity. The PET device includes a scintillator in which scintillator cells are arranged and arranged with a reflector interposed therebetween, and the light emitted from the scintillator due to the incidence of radiation is received by a light receiving element to detect the distribution of radioactivity in the body.

  The scintillator cells are arranged and arranged by manually determining the positional relationship, and the assembly tool of Patent Document 1 has been proposed in order to improve the speed and accuracy of the arrangement and arrangement work. . The assembly tool of Patent Document 1 arranges cells in stages from the end of the V-shaped side, and includes first to third fixing plates provided with serrated irregularities alternately. The process of installing the next stage cell on the fixing plate that fixes the cell, fixing it with another upper fixing plate, and dropping and arranging the next stage cell by retreating the fixing plate that fixes the previous stage cell sequentially Use repeatedly.

JP 2004-150991 A

  By the way, when assembling a multistage scintillator by stacking scintillators with cells arranged in a plane, the positional relationship of the scintillators is determined manually as in the case where the scintillator is configured by arranging the cells in a plane. I was assembling. Therefore, when assembling a multistage scintillator, a method for accurately and quickly assembling the scintillator in multiple stages has been desired.

The present invention has been made to propose view of the above problems, for example, scintillators in assembling the multistage scintillator laminating a multistage scintillator or the like used in the PET apparatus, assembled in a multistage planar scintillator accurately and quickly stacked an object of the present invention is to provide the assembly how.

In the scintillator assembling method of the present invention, a scintillator cell having a scintillator cell arranged in a plane is sandwiched between an outer surface of one scintillator and an outer surface of another scintillator by a clamp device, and the one scintillator and the other scintillator are respectively a step to align the vertical position of the scintillator cell is pressed by the pressing member in a vertical direction, in the clamping device by applying an adhesive to one end surface of one of said scintillator and sandwiched between at least the clamping device on the adhesive placing the one end surface of the other of the scintillator which is sandwiched and pressed by the pressing member one of the scintillator and the other of said scintillator vertically aligned upper and lower positions of the scintillator, one of the scintillator and the other of said scintillator and as factories you remove excess adhesive protruding from between, one of the scintillator and the other of said scintillator The clamping device for lifting sandwich collectively from the outside by a second clamping device, and a step to align the lateral position of one of the scintillator and the other of said scintillator, you wherein at least provided.

Furthermore, the scintillator assembling method of the present invention is characterized in that the clamp device is configured by engaging a plurality of members having hardness lower than that of the scintillator cell with each other, and sandwiching the scintillator on an inner peripheral surface, and the scintillator. A plurality of members having higher hardness than the cell are engaged with each other, and provided with an outer clamp provided outside the inner clamp and tightening the inner clamp from the outside by tightening of the tightening means .

Furthermore, the scintillator assembling method of the present invention is characterized in that the scintillator cell has a quadrangular prism shape .

  Further, the clamp device of the present invention is configured by engaging a plurality of members having hardness lower than that of the cell with each other, and the inner clamp holding the cell assembly on the inner peripheral surface and the members having hardness higher than that of the cell are mutually connected. And an outer clamp provided outside the inner clamp and configured to clamp the inner clamp from the outside by tightening of the tightening means.

  The clamping device of the present invention can be used not only when assembling a multi-stage cell assembly such as a multi-stage scintillator but also when assembling a single-layer cell assembly such as a single-layer scintillator. Further, in the multistage cell assembly according to the present invention, cells other than the multistage cell assembly of detectors for identifying a three-dimensional position where radiation comes, such as a scintillator of a PET apparatus, are arranged and arranged. Various multi-stage cell assemblies are included. In addition, the planar arrangement of cells includes not only the arrangement in a plane, but also the arrangement in a curved surface. In the case of the arrangement in a curved surface, a pressing member having a curved surface with a predetermined curvature. Necessary members and instruments such as are used.

  In addition, in the present invention, the partial configuration of each invention is changed to another configuration, the partial configuration of each invention is deleted as long as partial effects are achieved, and a higher level conception, What added the structure of another invention to the structure of each invention is contained.

By using the scintillator assembling method and the clamping device of the present invention, when assembling a multi-stage cell assembly such as a multi-stage scintillator used in a PET apparatus, for example, a planar cell assembly is laminated. Accurately and quickly can be stacked and assembled in multiple stages. In addition, since the material of the inner clamp is lower in hardness than the cell, the clamp device can prevent the cell to be pinched from being scratched, and the cell assembly is clamped by clamping with the outer clamp having a higher hardness than the cell. High clamping force and clamping force can be obtained and the cell assembly can be stably held. Therefore, the scintillator and its cell are required to be sandwiched between the scintillator and the cell that are required to prevent or completely prevent the damage.

Hereinafter, the scintillator assembling method and the clamping device of the present invention will be described on the basis of the scintillator assembling method of multi-layers and the embodiments of the clamping device, but the present invention is not limited to such embodiments.

First, the clamp device 10 used in the assembly method will be described.
Clamp clamping device 10 is an annular upon assembly, with its inner peripheral wall, a large number of cells are sandwiched aligned state the cell collection pressing the outer surface in the direction within the respective cell assemblies and aligned in a plane It is.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the clamp device 10 preferably includes an inner clamp 11 and an outer clamp 12 provided along the substantially outer periphery of the inner clamp 11.

The inner clamp 11 has a substantially rectangular frame shape in plan view, and is configured by engaging a pair of substantially rectangular inner clamp members 11a and 11b with engagement portions 111 and 111 having stepped ends. The frame 112 of the inner clamp 11 accommodates a scintillator 2 composed of square columnar scintillator cells 1 that are aligned and arranged in the same shape and size as the frame 112, and the inner surfaces or inner surfaces of the inner clamp members 11 a and 11 b. It is clamped by the inner peripheral surface of the clamp 11. The inner clamp 11 is made of a material whose hardness is lower than the hardness of the scintillator cell 1 such as Gd ₂ SiO ₅ (GSO) crystal to be sandwiched, for example, acrylic resin, and the scintillator cell 1 to be sandwiched is not damaged. .

  The outer clamp 12 also has a substantially square frame shape in plan view, and a pair of substantially rectangular outer clamp members 12a and 12b are arranged in contact with the ends 121a and 121b in a plane. Inside the frame 122 of the outer clamp 12, an inner clamp 11 having substantially the same shape and size is provided, and the inner clamp 11 is sandwiched between the inner surfaces of the outer clamps 12a and 12b or the inner peripheral surface of the outer clamp 12. A screw 13 is screwed into a screw hole provided on each of the four sides of the outer clamp 12, the screw 13 is penetrated to the inner clamp 11, and the outer clamp 12 is screwed to the outer periphery of the inner clamp 11.

Further, a series of screw holes are formed in the end portions 121a and 121b, and the screws 14 are screwed into the screw holes penetrating the respective end portions 121a and 121b located on both sides, and the outer clamp members 12a and 12b are connected to each other. In addition to being coupled, the screwing amount of the screw 14 can be adjusted to adjust the clamping force to the inner clamp 11, that is, the clamping force to the scintillator 2 by the inner clamp 11. The outer clamp 12 is made of a material having a hardness higher than that of the scintillator cell 1 such as Gd ₂ SiO ₅ (GSO) crystal, for example, steel, and can secure a required clamping force or clamping force for the inner clamp 11 or the scintillator 2. It is like that.

  Next, an assembly method for stacking the scintillators 2 in multiple stages using the clamp device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, the details of the screws 13 and 14 of the clamp device 10 and the mounting portions thereof are omitted.

  As a premise, as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, a planar scintillator 2 is formed by arranging elongated rectangular column-shaped scintillator cells 1 in vertical and horizontal directions. In the case of forming the scintillator 2, for example, the arrangement tool disclosed in Patent Document 1 is used, and the cells 1 and the reflection plates are arranged between the scintillator cells 1 while disposing the reflection plates that are not shown in the figure. The scintillator 2 is formed.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the scintillator 2 is clamped between the substantially square-shaped clamp members of the clamp device 10. At the time of clamping, the inner side surfaces of the inner clamp members 11a and 11b are first brought into contact with the outer side surface of the scintillator 2, and the engaging portions 111 of the inner clamp members 11a and 11b are mutually engaged, and the outer clamps The end portions 121a and 121b of the members 12a and 12b are brought into contact with each other.

  Thereafter, the screws 14 are respectively screwed into the screw holes respectively provided at the end portions 121a and 121b on both sides, and the screws 14 are held so that the inner surfaces of the inner clamp members 11a and 11b hold the scintillator 2 with a substantially predetermined strength. tighten. That is, the inner clamp members 11a and 11b are urged inward by tightening the screws 14 that join the outer clamp members 12a and 12b, and the scintillator 2 that is slightly smaller than the frame 112 before tightening is formed on the inner clamp members 11a and 11b. It is pinched by the inner surface of. In addition, since the height of the clamp member is set lower than the height of the scintillator 2, the clamp member is attached so that the outer surface of the scintillator 2 on the bonding end face side can be seen.

Further, the screw 14 once tightened is slightly loosened, and the scintillator 2 clamped by the clamp device 10 is placed on a flat support base not shown in the figure, and the scintillator 2 is pressed from above by the flat lid 20. The upper and lower positions of the constituent cells 1 are aligned (see FIG. 4), and after the cells 1 are aligned, the screws 14 are tightened again to clamp the scintillator 2 in a state where the cells 1 are aligned. Further, by the same process, the necessary number of different scintillators 2 sandwiched by the clamp device 10 in a state where the vertical positions of the cells 1 are aligned are prepared. Each of the scintillators 2 and the other scintillators 2 has the same shape, size, and number of vertical and horizontal arrangements.
After that, one scintillator 2 sandwiched by the clamp device 10 is placed on a flat support base, and an adhesive having a slow drying rate such as RTV rubber is attached to the upper surface of the scintillator 2 in which the cells 1 are arranged in rows and columns. The scintillator 2 is stacked in two stages by applying the agent, placing the bottom surface of another scintillator 2 on the applied adhesive, with the position of each cell 1 and the entire position corresponding to one scintillator 2. Also in this case, similarly to the above, the screws 14 of each clamp device 10 for holding each scintillator 2 or the clamp device 10 for holding another scintillator 2 are slightly loosened and pressed by the flat lid 20 from above. Then, the vertical positions of the cells 1 constituting the scintillators 2 are aligned (see FIG. 5), and the screws 14 are tightened again so that the vertical positions of the cells 1 are aligned, so that one scintillator 2 and another scintillator 2 are clamped 10 respectively. Hold with. Further, the adhesive protruding from between one scintillator 2 (first stage) and another scintillator 2 (second stage) by pressing the lid 20 is wiped off from the gap between the first and second stage clamping devices. Remove with.

  Then, the two-stage scintillator 2 in which the first and second stages are laminated is placed on the flat support base 30 shown in FIG. 6 together with the clamp device 10 that holds the scintillator 2 before the adhesive is dried. A pair of clamp members 40a and 40b, which are placed and have vertical side walls 41 standing in a plan view, are arranged on the outer periphery of the clamp device 10, and engage the engaging portions 42 and 42 with each other and end portions. 43a and 43b are abutted in a plane, screws are screwed into a series of screw holes formed in the end portions 43a and 43b, and the clamp members 40a and 40b are joined to form a second clamp device. Each side wall 41 of 40a, 40b is contact | abutted to the outer surface of outer clamp member 12a, 12b, respectively, the 1st step | paragraph and the 2nd step | paragraph clamp instrument 10 are clamped, and it clamps collectively.

Since the cells 1 of the first stage and scintillator 2 and the cells 1 of the second stage of scintillator 2 are arranged completely corresponding to each other by the tightening and clamping, when stacking in two stages, one stage in that state The adhesive interposed between the eyes and the second scintillator 2 is dried. If necessary,
The first stage and second stage scintillators 2 sandwiched by the clamp apparatus 10 in the clamp apparatus 40 are pressed by the lid 20 from above to move the upper and lower sides of each cell 1 of the first stage and second stage scintillators 2. You may dry an adhesive, aligning a position and continuing a press state.

In the case of stacking more layers, after the batch clamping , the second clamping device is once removed, and the third stage clamped by the clamping device 10 in a state where the vertical positions of the cells 1 are aligned by the same process as described above. The scintillator 2 is prepared, the third-stage scintillator 2 is laminated on the laminated body of the first-stage and second-stage scintillators 2 in the same manner as described above, and the second clamping device is attached again in the same manner as described above. Thereafter, through the same process as described above, the scintillator 2 having a required number of steps of the finished product, such as a laminated body of four-stage scintillators 2, is formed.

In addition, you may apply | coat an adhesive agent to both surfaces which the upper and lower scintillators to laminate | stack contact. Moreover, it can also be collectively clamped with the 2nd clamp instrument at the end which laminated | stacked special. Further, between the inner clamp and outer clamp, for example, a predetermined elastic member layer such as rubber is provided, when tightening the screws 14 may be a cell collection as to clamp at a constant pressure.

Assembly how the scintillator of the present invention can be utilized for example when such assembling the multistage scintillator or the like used in the PET device.

The top view which shows the clamp instrument in embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the clamp device taken along line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective explanatory view showing a state where the scintillator is held by the clamp device of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a perspective explanatory view showing a state in which the pressing member is pressed against the scintillator held by the clamp device. And a perspective explanatory view showing a state in which the pressing member is pressed against the two-stage scintillator held by the clamp device. FIG. 6 is a perspective explanatory view showing a state in which the two-stage scintillator held by the clamp device is held by the second clamp device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Scintillator cell 2 Scintillator 10 Clamp instrument 11 Inner clamp 11a, 11b Inner clamp member 111, 42 Engagement part 112 Frame 12 Outer clamp 12a, 12b Outer clamp member 121a, 121b End part 122 Frame 13, 14 Screw 20 Lid 30 Support Table 40a, 40b Clamp member 41 Side wall 42 Engagement part 43a, 43b End part

Claims (3)

The scintillator cells are arranged in a plane and the outer surface of one scintillator and the outer surface of the other scintillator are each clamped by a clamping device, and the one scintillator and the other scintillator are respectively pressed by a pressing member in the vertical direction. Aligning the vertical position of the scintillator cell ;
Placing the one end surface of the other of said scintillator sandwiched by the clamping device the adhesive is applied onto the adhesive on one end face of one of said scintillator and sandwiched between at least the clamping device, and one said scintillator aligning the upper and lower positions of the scintillator is pressed by the pressing member and another of said scintillator vertically, as engineering you remove excess adhesive protruding from between one said scintillator and other of the scintillators and,
The clamping device for clamping one of said scintillator and other of said scintillator sandwiched collectively from the outside by a second clamping device, and a step to align the lateral position of one of the scintillator and the other of said scintillator,
Method of assembling a scintillator you wherein at least provided. The clamp device is configured by engaging a plurality of members having hardness lower than that of the scintillator cell, and an inner clamp that sandwiches the scintillator on an inner peripheral surface and a plurality of members having hardness higher than that of the scintillator cell. The scintillator assembling method according to claim 1, further comprising an outer clamp that is configured in combination, and that is provided outside the inner clamp and that clamps the inner clamp from the outside by tightening the tightening means . The scintillator assembling method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the scintillator cell has a quadrangular prism shape .

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