High Resolution Small Animal SPECT

描述（由申请人提供）： 第一阶段：SPECT是一种非侵入性的成像技术，它提供了一个图像的放射性核素在任何层面上的三维分布通过一个器官的研究。这些图像允许研究正在研究的区域中的代谢，并且是诊断诸如癌症和心肌缺血等疾病症状的有用工具。SPECT在小实验动物体内的生物过程成像中也显示出希望。最近，在这种小动物中开发人类疾病模型方面取得了重大进展。因此，对小动物的高分辨率SPECT研究可以提高我们对人类疾病的理解。 目前，SPECT系统中使用的探测器通常限制其性能（用于临床和小动物成像）。 现代SPECT探测器由耦合到PMT的闪烁器组成。SPECT中使用的闪烁器的重要要求包括高光输出、高能量分辨率、良好的停止效率、快速响应和低成本。 目前，还没有一种已确定的闪烁体满足所有这些要求。拟议的努力的目标是调查的可行性，使用一种新的闪烁体在SPECT成像在第一阶段的研究和建立和评估一个小动物SPECT系统，使用这样的闪烁体阵列在第二阶段的项目。 核医学，包括单光子发射计算机断层扫描和正电子发射断层扫描，放射学，无损检测，材料研究，X射线衍射，核和高能物理研究，天文学和地质勘探。 第二阶段：核医学技术（如SPECT和PET）正在成为对小型实验室动物的生物过程进行成像的强大新工具。随着包括癌症在内的人类疾病模型的不断增加，特别是在小鼠和大鼠等较小动物中，高分辨率核医学技术提供独特信息的潜力对许多研究人员来说变得越来越明显。核医学程序的关键优势在于它们允许非侵入性地获得功能信息，因此可以重复研究每个动物。 因此，很明显，小动物的核医学成像是非常可取的。临床放射性核素系统不适用于小动物成像，因为它们的空间分辨率不足。因此，需要专用的低成本仪器来进行小动物研究，其空间分辨率高于目前临床SPECT扫描仪所实现的空间分辨率。所提出的努力的目标是建立和评估一个高分辨率的小动物SPECT系统，使用阵列的一个有前途的新的闪烁体耦合到硅雪崩光电二极管。 核医学，包括单光子发射计算机断层扫描和正电子发射断层扫描，放射学，无损检测，材料研究，X射线衍射，核和高能物理研究，天文学和地质勘探。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Phase I: SPECT is non-invasive imaging technique which provides an image of the three dimensional distribution of radionuclide in any slice through an organ under study. These images allow investigation of metabolism in the region being studied and are a useful tool for diagnosing symptoms of diseases such as cancer and myocardial ischemia. SPECT is also showing promise in imaging of biological processes in small laboratory animal in vivo. Recently, there have been significant advances in development of human disease models in such small animals. High resolution SPECT studies of small animals can therefore improve our understanding of human diseases. At present, the detectors used in SPECT systems often limit their performance (for clinical and small animal imaging). Modern SPECT detectors consist of scintillators coupled to PMTs. Important requirements for scintillators used in SPECT include high light output, high energy resolution, decent stopping efficiency, fast response, and low cost. At present, no established scintillator meets all these requirements. The goal of the proposed effort is to investigate the feasibility of using a new scintillator in SPECT imaging in the Phase I research and build and evaluate a small animal SPECT system using arrays of such a scintillator in the Phase II project. Nuclear medicine including single photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography, radiology, non-destructive testing, materials research, X-ray diffraction, nuclear and high energy physics research, astronomy, and geological exploration. Phase II: Nuclear medicine techniques (such as SPECT and PET) are becoming powerful new tools in imaging biological processes in small laboratory animals. With the ever increasing number of human disease models including cancer, particularly in the smaller animals such as mice and rats, the potential of high resolution nuclear medicine technology to contribute unique information is becoming apparent to many researchers. The critical advantage of nuclear medicine procedures is that they allow functional information to be obtained non-invasively, so each animal can be studied repeatedly. Thus, it is clear that nuclear medicine imaging of small animals is highly desirable. Clinical radionuclide systems are not suitable for imaging small animals because their spatial resolution is inadequate. Hence, dedicated, low cost instruments are required for conducting small animal studies with higher spatial resolution than what is currently achieved with clinical SPECT scanners. The goal of the proposed effort is to build and evaluate a high resolution small animal SPECT system using arrays of a promising new scintillator coupled to silicon avalanche photodiodes. Nuclear medicine including single photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography, radiology, non-destructive testing, materials research, X-ray diffraction, nuclear and high energy physics research, astronomy, and geological exploration.