Single photon detection for ultra-low dose Molecular Breast Imaging

乳腺癌筛查在英国大约30年前就开始了，主要依靠X射线乳房X光检查。这种技术在癌症肿瘤和周围乳腺组织的密度存在显著差异的情况下有效。大约三分之一的女性乳房组织密度较高，因此乳房X光检查无法清晰地对肿瘤进行成像，从而导致未确诊的癌症。乳房检查的年龄从50 - 70岁逐渐延长到47 - 73岁。由于年轻女性中致密乳腺的患病率较高，目前提供的乳房X光检查更不令人满意。Kromek已经确定，通过增加核成像技术，分子乳腺成像（MBI），作为致密乳腺组织女性的主要筛查工具，可以早期诊断乳腺癌。MBI是一种放射性示踪剂用于识别肿瘤的技术，然后由专业相机成像。与正常组织相比，示踪剂在恶性乳腺组织中的集中程度要大得多，因此恶性组织在图像上显示为明亮区域。MBI目前的缺点是需要比乳房X光检查更高的辐射剂量和更长的测量时间。自2018年以来，Kromek一直与UCL和NUTH合作开发量子技术，以更快，更安全的MBI系统解决这些缺点，并促进筛查途径的改变。Kromek开发了一种基于新一代单光子CZT探测器和概念上新型准直器的专有MBI相机设计。结合新的3D图像重建方法，新相机将允许揭示有关肿瘤及其结构的空间信息。这些信息将有助于显著增加早期癌症检测的机会，并改善精确诊断和成功治疗处方所需的癌症分期过程。该项目将通过证明MBI单光子检测方法的可行性，为低剂量量子技术的商业化做出贡献。

Breast screening was introduced in the UK almost 30 years ago and relies principally on x-ray mammography. This technique is effective where there is a significant difference in the density of a cancer tumor and the surrounding breast tissue. Around a third of women have denser breast tissue, such that mammography is unable to clearly image tumors, resulting in undiagnosed cancers. The age for breast screening is gradually extending from 50-70 to 47-73\. As there is a higher prevalence of dense breasts in younger women, the current provision of mammography even less satisfactory.Kromek has identified that earlier diagnosis of breast cancers is possible with an addition of a nuclear imaging technology, Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI), as a primary screening tool for women with dense breast tissue. MBI is a technique whereby a radioactive tracer is used to identify a tumor that is then imaged by a specialist camera. The tracer is concentrated to a much greater extent in malignant breast tissue compared to normal tissue, therefore the malignant tissue shows up as a bright area on the image. MBI currently has the disadvantage of requiring a higher radiation dose than received with a mammogram and longer measurement time.Since 2018, Kromek has been engaged with UCL and NUTH in developing a quantum technology for a faster and safer MBI system addressing these shortcomings and facilitating a change in the screening pathways. Kromek has developed a proprietary MBI camera design based on a new generation of single photon CZT detectors and a conceptually new type of collimator. Combined with novel 3D image reconstruction methods, the new camera will allow uncovering spatial information about tumours and their structure. That information will help to significantly increase chances for early cancer detection and improve cancer staging process required for precise diagnostics and successful treatment prescription.The project will contribute towards the commercialisation of the low-dose quantum technology by proving the feasibility of he single-photon detection methodology for MBI.