A Very High Resolution SPECT/CT System

描述(由申请人提供)： 这项研究的长期目标是开发一种小动物SPECT/CT系统，利用I-125标记的放射性示踪剂为人类疾病的小动物模型提供显着改善的成像性能。这一发展利用了最近开发和商业上可用的电子轰击电荷耦合器件(EBCCD)技术。与位置灵敏光电倍增管(PSPMT)相比，它在探测低能伽马射线的空间分辨率上有了数量级的提高。探测器技术的这一进步可以转化为对试验动物体内示踪剂分布的更好估计。为了实现这一长期目标，提出了项目期的两个具体目标： 1.实验证明，该EBCCD装置能够显著提高探测1-125低能伽马射线的空间分辨率。预期的关键性能包括：(1)固有的空间分辨率为~0。1 mm，(2)30keV伽马射线的~5个光电子的信号电平，以及(3)总噪声电平显著低于1-125伽马射线的信号电平。 2.证明EBCCD设备的高分辨率可以转化为SPECT/CT成像的极大改善的成像性能。我们将从两个方面展示这一进步。首先，我们希望构建一个SPECT/CT系统的原型，该系统将在实验性能评估中进行测试。其次，我们想用密歇根大学以前开发的理论工具将实际系统性能与分析预测的系统性能进行比较。这将有助于我们深入了解小动物成像系统的需求和适合未来发展的设计工具。 这项调查还将为与密歇根大学SAIRP、安娜堡退伍军人事务部医疗保健系统和欧洲核子研究中心的调查人员合作研究创造机会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long term goal of this investigation is to develop a small animal SPECT/CT system that provides a significantly improved imaging performance for small animal models of human diseases with I-125 labeled radiotracers. This development makes use of the recently developed and commercially available Electron Bombarded Charge Coupled Device (EBCCD) technology. Compared with the position sensitive photomultiplier (PSPMT) tubes, it offers an order of magnitude improvement in the spatial resolution for detecting low energy gamma rays. This advance in detector technology may be translated into better estimates of the tracer distributions within test animals. In order to achieve this long-term goal, two specific aims are proposed for the project period: 1. Experimentally demonstrate that the EBCCD device is capable of providing a significant improved spatial resolution for detecting low energy gamma rays from 1-125. The expected key performances include (1) an intrinsic spatial resolution of ~0. 1mm, (2) a signal level of ~5 photoelectrons for gamma rays with 30keV and (3) a total noise level significantly lower than the signal induced by 1-125 gamma rays. 2. Demonstrate that the very high resolution of the EBCCD device can be translated into much improved imaging performance for SPECT/CT imaging. We will to show this improvement in two ways. First, we would like to construct a prototype SPECT/CT system that will be tested in experimental performance assessments. Second, we would like to compare the actual system performance with that predicted analytically with theoretical tools previously developed in the University of Michigan. This would help us to gain insights into the requirements and suitable design tools for future development of small animal imaging systems. This investigation will also create opportunities for collaborative studies with investigators of the University of Michigan's SAIRP, the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System at Ann Arbor and CERN.