COMPTON IMAGING PROBE FOR THE PROSTATE

本R21/R33研究的长期目标是基于康普顿散射相机的思想，开发一种新的前列腺核医学成像探头。当探头靠近感兴趣的器官放置时，可以同时获得高空间分辨率和高计数效率，并且与传统的康普顿相机不同，探头不受多普勒展宽效应的显著影响。由于其接近对象，康普顿探头可以是小的，因此相对便宜的康普顿相机相比，身体成像。在R21阶段，将研究该探针在前列腺成像方面优于传统PET和SPECT仪器的可能性。探针和传统前列腺成像系统的性能将使用几种测量方法进行量化，包括均匀Cramer-Rao界、理想观测器和信道化Hotelling观测器。一个原型探测器将使用现有的硅探测器和C-SPRINT康普顿相机构建。使用探针的幻影测量的统计数据将用于证实性能测量的预测。如果调查表明该探针提供了更好的前列腺图像，那么将在R33阶段全面开发Compton探针并进行初步的患者影像学研究。R33的令人鼓舞的结果将刺激商业化。

The long-term objective of this R21/R33 investigation is to develop a new nuclear medicine imaging probe for the prostate based on the idea of the Compton scatter camera. When placed close to the organ of interest the probe can achieve high spatial resolution and high counting efficiency simultaneously, and unlike the conventional Compton camera, probes are not significantly influenced by the effects of Doppler broadening. Because of its proximity to the object, the Compton probe Can be small and therefore relatively inexpensive in comparison to a Compton camera for body imaging. In the R21 phase, the possibility for this probe to outperform conventional PET and SPECT instrumentation for prostate imaging will be examined. Performance of the probe and conventional systems for imaging the prostate will be quantified using several measures including the uniform Cramer-Rao bound, the ideal observer, and the channelized Hotelling observer. A prototype probe will be constructed using existing silicon detectors and the C-SPRINT Compton camera. Statistics from phantom measurements using the probe will be used to corroborate predictions of the performance measures. ff the investigation indicates that the probe provides significantly better images of the prostate, full-scale development of the Compton probe and preliminary patient imaging studies will be conducted in the R33 phase. Encouraging results in R33 will stimulate commercialization.