Solid State Beta Imaging Sensor for Radioguided Surgery

描述(由申请人提供)：放射性药物的进步极大地促进了术中伽玛探头在外科手术中的使用。这种探头的好处是，活检获得了更高的组织特异性，最小限度地切开了伤口，并在改善患者康复的同时减少了住院医院的使用率。目前市场上的探头大多为非成像伽马探头，存在着缺乏勘查区域的辅助信息，如恶性组织勾画清晰等问题。此外，来自身体其他部位的高穿透性伽马辐射增加了背景，限制了这些探头的实际使用。我们正在通过设计新一代术中探头来解决这些局限性，该探头旨在用短程贝塔射线快速成像肿瘤床。该探头基于两项创新技术的结合，即高分辨率、高效率闪烁体与高灵敏度、低噪声读出传感器的耦合。拟议的设备将允许对调查区域进行实时成像，以便快速准确地勾勒出病变。第二阶段的研究将集中在开发一种功能齐全的原型，并通过进行详细的动物实验来证明其有效性。这种新的成像技术在医疗和非医疗应用方面都具有巨大的潜力。根据该计划正在开发的探测器和其他技术的估计市场规模远远超过1亿美元。这个市场的很大一部分代表了相关技术将产生重大影响的领域。拟议的研究结果将是一种固态数字术中成像Beta探头(IBP)，将改善实体肿瘤的诊断和治疗，包括头颈部、女性生殖系统、皮肤、腹膜、肠系膜、肺、支气管、结肠和直肠的癌症。对于小肿瘤的检测，这种探头将提供前所未有的空间分辨率、高信号背景分辨率、非常高的灵敏度和实时成像。该探头可与FDG(F18)、I131、P32等常用放射药物一起使用。RMD的成像Beta探头(IBP)将使医疗专业人员受益，并改善患者护理。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Advances in radiopharmaceutical have dramatically escalated the use of intraoperative gamma probes in surgery. Such probes provide benefits of increased tissue specificity obtained for biopsy, minimally accessed incisions, and the reduction of inpatient hospital utilization with an improved patient recovery. At present most of the probes on the market are non-imaging gamma probes that suffer from the lack of ancillary information of the surveyed area, such as clear delineation of malignant tissue. Also, the highly penetrating gamma radiation arising from other parts of the body increases the background and limits the practical use of these probes. We are addressing these limitations by designing a new-generation intraoperative probe intended to rapidly image the tumor bed with short-range beta rays. The probe is based on a combination of two innovative technologies, namely a high resolution, high efficiency scintillator coupled to a high sensitivity, low noise readout sensor. The proposed device will allow real time imaging of the surveyed area for rapid and accurate delineation of lesions. The Phase II research will be focused on developing a fully functional prototype and demonstrating its efficacy by performing detailed animal studies. This new imaging technology has enormous potential in both medical and non-medical applications. The estimated market size for probes and other technologies being developed under this program is well over one hundred million dollars. A significant fraction of this market represents areas where the involved technologies will have a major impact. The outcome of the proposed research will be a solid state digital intraoperative imaging beta probe (IBP) that will improve the diagnosis and treatment of solid tumor cancers, including those of the head and neck, female reproductive system, skin, peritoneum, mesentery, lung, bronchus, colon and rectum. For detecting small tumors, this probe will provide unprecedented spatial resolution, high signal to background discrimination, a very high sensitivity, and a real time imaging. The probe may be used with commonly used with beta emitting radiopharmaceuticals such as FDG (F18), I131, P32, etc. RMD's Imaging Beta Probe (IBP) will benefit medical professionals and improve the patient care.