Kirk L Duffin

US Patent:

20130015352, Jan 17, 2013

Filed:

Apr 4, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/638314

Inventors:

Nicholas Karonis - West Chicago IL, US
George Coutrakon - Redlands CA, US
Kirk Duffin - Dekalb IL, US
Bala Erdelyi - Romeoville IL, US
Kevin Naglich - Elgin IL, US
Scott Penfold - Adelaide, AU
Paul Rubinov - Batavia IL, US
Victor Rykalin - Aurora IL, US
Vishnu Zutshi - Dekalb IL, US

Assignee:

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY - DeKalb IL
UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG - NSW
FERMI RESEARCH ALLIANCE, LLC - Batavia IL

International Classification:

G01T 1/164

US Classification:

250307, 250309

Abstract:

A proton computed tomography (pCT) detector system, including two tracking detectors in sequence on a first side of an object to be imaged, two tracking detectors in sequence on an opposite side of the object to be imaged, a calorimeter, and a computer cluster, wherein the tracking detectors include plastic scintillation fibers. All fibers in the detector system are read out by Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM). A method of imaging an object by emitting protons from a source through two tracking detectors, through and around the object, and through two opposite tracking detectors, detecting energy of the protons with a calorimeter, and imaging the object.

US Patent:

20230126392, Apr 27, 2023

Filed:

Oct 20, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/970240

Inventors:

- Naperville IL, US
- DeKalb IL, US
Victor Rykalin - Naperville IL, US
Nicholas Karonis - DeKalb IL, US
Kirk Duffin - DeKalb IL, US
Caesar Ordonez - DeKalb IL, US
John Winans - DeKalb IL, US

International Classification:

G01T 5/08
G01T 1/29
G01T 1/16

Abstract:

A novel method and a related system are configured to place measured trajectories into a voxel space, which moves with respect to a particle detector system. The trajectories are measured in a detector reference frame. The voxel space, typically fixed with respect to the object being imaged, is tracked optically with markers and a camera system. A decipherable correlation is established between a set of markers and a set of detector elements. This correlation provides coordinate transformation definitions to place the trajectories into the voxel space in medical imaging, treatment planning, and/or therapeutic applications. The novel method provides a clever process to register an optical tracking system with a particle detector system, which improves quality assurance, accuracy, speed, and operating cost efficiencies of ion, particle, and/or radiation-based imaging, treatment planning, or therapies. This novel method may be utilized in proton imaging, helium imaging, other ion-based imaging, or x-ray imaging.

US Patent:

20210204896, Jul 8, 2021

Filed:

Jan 15, 2021

Appl. No.:

17/149948

Inventors:

- Dekalb IL, US
- Naperville IL, US
Kirk DUFFIN - Batavia IL, US
Nicholas KARONIS - Batavia IL, US
Caesar ORDOÑEZ - Batavia IL, US
John WINANS - Batavia IL, US

International Classification:

A61B 6/00
A61B 6/03

Abstract:

A computer-implemented system and method for generating a medical image is provided. In some embodiments, the medical image is generated by determining a location and an alignment for a first tracking detector with respect to a particle beam system. The direction of a beam generated from the particle beam system is determined. A first position of a first particle from a detected particle hit on the first tracking detector is also determined. A determination is made as to a first residual range of the first particle from a detected particle hit on a residual range detector. The system reconstructs a path for the first particle based on the location, the alignment, the first position, and the first residual range of the first particle. The resulting medical image that is generated by the system is based on the reconstructed path for the first particle.

US Patent:

20190200946, Jul 4, 2019

Filed:

Dec 27, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/233533

Inventors:

- Dekalb IL, US
- Naperville IL, US
Kirk DUFFIN - Batavia IL, US
Nicholas KARONIS - Batavia IL, US
Caesar Ordoñez - Batavia IL, US
John WINANS - Batavia IL, US

International Classification:

A61B 6/00
A61B 6/03

Abstract:

A computer-implemented system and method for generating a medical image is provided. In some embodiments, the medical image is generated by determining a location and an alignment for a first tracking detector with respect to a particle beam system. The direction of a beam generated from the particle beam system is determined. A first position of a first particle from a detected particle hit on the first tracking detector is also determined. A determination is made as to a first residual range of the first particle from a detected particle hit on a residual range detector. The system reconstructs a path for the first particle based on the location, the alignment, the first position, and the first residual range of the first particle. The resulting medical image that is generated by the system is based on the reconstructed path for the first particle.