A New Photon Sensor to Improve Molecular Cancer Imaging

一种改善分子癌症成像的新型光子传感器

• 批准号: 6681420
• 负责人: CRAIG S LEVIN
• 金额: $ 16.19万
• 依托单位: VETERANS MEDICAL RESEARCH FDN/SAN DIEGO
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-08-01 至 2004-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6681420
• 关键词: bioimaging /biomedical imaging; breast neoplasms; diagnosis design /evaluation; diagnosis quality /standard; electromagnetic radiation; neoplasm /cancer classification /staging; neoplasm /cancer radiodiagnosis; positron emission tomography; scintillation cameras; semiconduction

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose to explore a new position sensitive detector concept for positron emission tomography (PET). Although this new photon sensor concept could in principle be utilized in any high resolution PET cancer imaging system, we are focusing on breast cancer applications because there is particular potential for high impact. PET has shown promise for breast cancer imaging, but is not part of standard practice due to inadequate breast cancer specificity and sensitivity, and high cost. If successful, our developments will have impact on increasing the role of PET in breast cancer evaluation by addressing all of these issues. First, this project will impact the PET breast cancer sensitivity issue. As a long term goal of this program we will incorporate the new sensors into a camera dedicated to breast imaging of positron emitting tracers. This system will have < 1 mm spatial resolution and high signal to noise ratio in order to visualize tiny structures of high focal uptake as indication of early breast cancer. This camera will allow close-proximity breast imaging for optimal count sensitivity to help realize the desired high spatial resolution proposed. PET breast imaging poses particular challenges since typically the tracer may also be taken up significantly in the nearby heart, producing high background Compton scatter and random coincident photon rates and lower lesion to background contrast. The high energy and temporal resolutions and flexible orientation proposed will help to reduce photon scatter and random coincidence effects on image contrast. This system will also help breast cancer researchers to evaluate more specific breast cancer tracers and potential treatments by providing a dedicated breast imaging system that can rapidly generate high quality images. For this two-year project we will design, develop and evaluate a novel position sensitive detector array, and analyze potential designs for the full imaging system that incorporates these units. This array module pushes the limits of PET detector technology. This innovative device will have ultra-high (<1 mm) intrinsic coincidence spatial resolution, high 511 keV photon detection efficiency, and will maintain nearly perfect (>95%) scintillation light collection efficiency for optimal detector signals. The design uses scintillation crystals coupled in a novel manner to new, highly compact semiconductor photodetector arrays, and custom readout electronics.

描述（由申请人提供）： 我们建议探索一种新的位置敏感探测器的概念，正电子发射断层扫描（PET）。尽管这种新的光子传感器概念原则上可以用于任何高分辨率PET癌症成像系统，但我们专注于乳腺癌应用，因为它具有特别的高影响潜力。PET已显示出用于乳腺癌成像的前景，但由于乳腺癌特异性和灵敏度不足以及成本高，PET不是标准实践的一部分。如果成功的话，我们的发展将通过解决所有这些问题来增加PET在乳腺癌评估中的作用。首先，该项目将影响PET乳腺癌敏感性问题。作为该计划的长期目标，我们将把新的传感器集成到一个专用于正电子发射示踪剂乳房成像的相机中。该系统将具有< 1 mm的空间分辨率和高信噪比，以便将高病灶摄取的微小结构可视化为早期乳腺癌的指示。该相机将允许近距离乳房成像，以获得最佳计数灵敏度，以帮助实现所需的高空间分辨率。PET乳腺成像提出了特别的挑战，因为通常示踪剂也可能在附近的心脏中被显著吸收，产生高背景康普顿散射和随机重合光子率以及较低的病变与背景对比度。提出的高能量和时间分辨率以及灵活的方向将有助于减少光子散射和随机重合对图像对比度的影响。该系统还将帮助乳腺癌研究人员评估更具体的乳腺癌示踪剂和潜在的治疗方法，提供一个专用的乳腺成像系统，可以快速生成高质量的图像。在这个为期两年的项目中，我们将设计、开发和评估一种新型的位置敏感探测器阵列，并分析结合这些单元的完整成像系统的潜在设计。该阵列模块推动了PET探测器技术的极限。该创新设备将具有超高（<1 mm）的固有符合空间分辨率，高511 keV光子探测效率，并将保持近乎完美（>95%）的闪烁光收集效率，以获得最佳探测器信号。该设计使用闪烁晶体耦合在一个新的方式，新的，高度紧凑的半导体光电探测器阵列，和定制的读出电子。