Low cost and high performance time-of-flight PET detectors

项目摘要/摘要 有一个重大的推动，以大幅提高正电子发射断层扫描(PET)的灵敏度 包括增加的晶体体积和具有快速计时能力的探测器的系统，以更好地利用511 飞行时间正电子发射计算机断层扫描(TOF-PET)的kev光子定位。对于这些努力，迫切需要取得进展。 在提供出色符合时间分辨率(CTR)和511keV的TOF-PET探测器技术中 以更低的成本提高光子探测效率。为了解决这个问题，我们建议利用新的读出电子设备 优化了硅的单光子响应形状和单光子时间分辨率 用光电倍增管(SiPM)精确估算511keV光子与混合体相互作用的时间 切伦科夫/发光(MCL)由萌发铋(BGO)产生。SPTR不会对CTR产生强烈影响 适用于快速和明亮的闪烁体，如正硅酸锶闪烁体(LSO/LYSO)。然而，一个温和的 切伦科夫产额与微弱的发光响应混合创造了一个更独特的场景，其中SPTR和 单光子响应形状在可实现的CTR中起着重要作用。使用我们的电子读数，&lt；285 ps 适用于临床PET探测器的长而窄的BGO晶体元件可实现半高宽CTR。这是 相当于由最先进的(SOA)商用PET探测器实现的CTR。一种新型的信号复接技术 我们建议开发的策略将使我们能够在大面积探测器中保持SoA CTR性能 模块的通道密度与传统TOF-PET探测器设计相同或更低。BGO是一种 非常经济的探测器材料，成本比标准LSO/LYSO低4-5倍 所有现代TOF-PET系统中使用的闪烁体。我们将开发TOF-PET探测器模块，并与 前端信号处理和数字读出电子设备。这项技术将为“即插即用”做好准备 集成到降低成本的临床TOF-PET系统和旨在探索超敏感PET的系统中 以更低的成本增加检测量的系统。建议的PET探测器技术可以具有 对定量PET成像有重大影响。图像的信噪比由巨大的 高灵敏度PET系统的计数增加可用于显著减少示踪剂剂量和 缩短扫描时间/增加患者吞吐量，或更好地可视化和量化 重要背景的存在，这是使PET更实用和更低的重要特征 成本，以及有助于扩大其在患者管理中的作用。

Project Summary/Abstract There is a major push to substantially improve the sensitivity of positron emission tomography (PET) with systems comprising increased crystal volume and detectors with fast timing capabilities to better exploit 511 keV photon localization with time-of-flight PET (TOF-PET). For these efforts, there is a vital need for advances in TOF-PET detector technologies that provide excellent coincidence time resolution (CTR) and 511 keV photon detection efficiency at reduced cost. To address this, we propose to leverage novel readout electronics that optimize the single photon response shape and single photon time resolution (SPTR) of silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) to accurately estimate 511 keV photon time of interaction with the mixed Cherenkov/luminescence (MCL) yield from bismuth germinate (BGO). SPTR does not strongly influence CTR for fast and bright scintillators, such as lutetium orthosilicate scintillators (LSO/LYSO). However, a moderate Cherenkov yield mixed with a weak luminescence response creates a more unique scenario where SPTR and single photon response shape play a major role in achievable CTR. With our electronic readout, <285 ps FWHM CTR is achievable for long and narrow BGO crystal elements suitable for clinical PET detectors. This is equivalent to CTR achieved by state-of-the-art (SoA) commercial PET detectors. The novel signal multiplexing strategies we propose to develop will allow us to maintain SoA CTR performance in large area detector modules at the same or reduced channel density than conventional TOF-PET detector designs. BGO is an extremely economical detector material, with a cost that is 4-to-5 fold lower than the standard LSO/LYSO scintillators used in all modern TOF-PET systems. We will develop TOF-PET detector modules with associated front-end signal processing and digital readout electronics. The technology will be ready for “plug-and-play” integration into reduced cost clinical TOF-PET systems and those that aim to explore ultra-sensitive PET systems with increased detection volume at reduced cost. The proposed PET detector technologies can have a significant impact on quantitative PET imaging. The image signal-to-noise-ratio enabled by the enormous boost in counts from high sensitivity PET systems can be employed to substantially reduce tracer dose and shorten scan time/increase patient throughput, or to better visualize and quantify smaller lesions/features in the presence of significant background, which are important features that can make PET more practical and lower cost, as well as help to expand its roles in patient management.