High Resolution Collimators for Nuclear Medicine

描述(申请人提供)：准直器决定分辨率和 用于平面闪烁成像和单光子成像的伽马相机的灵敏度 核医学中的发射计算机断层扫描(SPECT)。我们建议开发 深X射线光刻/电镀方法制作准直器。这是一项新的 该方法具有以下特点：(A)隔壁可薄于100 pm (B)该技术既适用于平行孔，也适用于收敛 连续聚焦的准直器。(C)像素在形状和大小上可以在 同一架飞机。(D)准直器可以具有不均匀的厚度。高分辨率 具有最佳灵敏度的准直器将是可以实现的。在第一阶段，我们 建议：(A)制造具有隔壁的平行孔、引导式准直器 对于两台小型动物伽马相机，厚度小于100 PM；(B)描述 对准直器进行了实验测试，并与理论计算结果进行了比较。 预测；(C)开发金的电镀和抛光技术；(D) 开发用于会聚准直器的优化准直器设计 不再受现有准直器制造参数限制，(E) 设计用于小动物SPECT的各种会聚光束准直器和(F) 对这些设计执行光线跟踪模拟。基因组研究进展 激发了人们对分子医学发展的极大兴趣；这 菲尔德在小鼠和大鼠身上广泛使用了基因敲除的动物模型。 使用放射性示踪剂的非侵入性成像技术将在 这种努力和准直器是决定 核医学中图像的灵敏度和分辨率。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Collimators determine the resolution and sensitivity of the gamma cameras used in planar scintigraphy and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in nuclear medicine. We propose to develop deep x-ray lithography/electroplating method to fabricate collimators. This new method has the following features: (a) Septal walls can be thinner than 100 pm. (b) The technology is applicable to parallel hole as well as converging collimators with continuous focus. (c) Pixels can vary in shape and size in the same plane. (d) The collimator can have non-uniform thickness. High-resolution collimators with optimized sensitivity would be achievable. In Phase 1, we propose to: (a) fabricate parallel hole, lead collimators with septal walls thinner than 100 pm for two small animal gamma-cameras; (b) characterize the collimator t experimentally, and compare the results with theoretical predictions; (c) develop electroplate and polishing technology for gold; (d) develop optimized collimator designs for converging collimators that are no longer restricted by existing collimator fabrication parameter limitations, (e) design various converging beam collimators for a small animal SPECT and (f) perform ray-tracing simulations of these designs. Progress in genome research has stimulated great interest in the development of molecular medicine; this field makes extensive use of knockout-gene, animal models in mice and rats. Non-invasive imaging techniques using radiotracers will play a major role in this effort and collimators is the most crucial element in determining the sensitivity and resolution of images in nuclear medicine.