High Resolution Detectors for Single Photon Cardiac Imaging

描述（由申请人提供）：用于单光子心脏成像的高分辨率探测器单光子发射计算机断层扫描（SPECT）是一种功能强大的非侵入性医学成像模式，可通过数学方法重建放射性核素在人类患者或研究动物体内的三维分布。通常，所收集的数据被显示和评估为通过所研究的器官或患病区域的一组二维图像。SPECT可以定量研究研究区域的功能，因此是了解器官和组织生理学（包括心脏）的非常有用的工具。SPECT是非常常用的识别以及定位冠状动脉疾病和多达90%的心肌灌注研究，现在使用SPECT进行。因此，SPECT在心脏成像中发挥着关键作用，提供诊断和预后。然而，迫切需要改进目前用于这种成像方式的仪器，并扩大其能力，以充分发挥其潜力。目前，SPECT系统的性能通常受到这些系统中使用的探测器的限制。现代SPECT系统包括耦合到光电倍增管作为探测器的闪烁晶体。对于在SPECT应用中使用的闪烁器的重要要求包括高光输出和高能量分辨率、合理的快速响应和高伽马射线阻止效率。理想地，闪烁体还应当是廉价的、坚固的并且易于制造。目前，NaI（Tl）是SPECT系统中的首选探测器，它相对便宜，光输出相当大。然而，NaI（Tl）的差的能量分辨率常常限制SPECT性能。NaI：Tl的能量分辨率受限于其相对较差的比例性。如果在典型SPECT能量（~140 keV）下具有更高能量分辨率的放大器可用，则散射抑制的基本过程将得到改善。此外，双同位素成像，这是SPECT的一个独特的属性，也将成为可能，如果具有高能量分辨率的闪烁器变得可用。提出的努力的目标是调查一个新的高分辨率探测器SPECT研究。增强的散射抑制可以预期沿着双同位素成像的可能性。第一阶段项目的目的是证明拟议概念的可行性，而第二阶段项目的目的是优化新探测器，实施原型模块和详细的性能评估。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): High Resolution Detectors for Single Photon Cardiac Imaging Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a powerful, noninvasive medical imaging modality that mathematically reconstructs the three dimensional distribution of a radionuclide throughout the body of a human patient or a research animal. Typically, the collected data are displayed and evaluated as a set of two-dimensional images through the organ or diseased area under investigation. SPECT allows quantitative study of the function in the investigated region and therefore is an extremely useful tool for understanding organ and tissue physiology including that in the heart. SPECT is very commonly used in identifying as well as localizing coronary artery disease and as many as 90% of all myocardial perfusion studies are now performed using SPECT. Thus, SPECT is playing a critical role in cardiac imaging, providing both diagnosis as well as prognosis. However, there is urgent need for improvement in the instrumentation that is currently used for this imaging modality and expand its capabilities in order to exploit its full potential. At present, the performance of SPECT systems often is limited by the detectors used in these systems. Modern SPECT systems consist of scintillation crystals coupled to photomultiplier tubes as detectors. Important requirements for scintillators used in SPECT applications include high light output and high energy resolution, reasonably fast response and high gamma ray stopping efficiency. Ideally, the scintillator should also be inexpensive, rugged and easy to manufacture. Currently, NaI(Tl) is the detector of choice in SPECT systems and it is relatively inexpensive and its light output is fairly large. However, the poor energy resolution of NaI(Tl) often limits SPECT performance. The energy resolution of NaI:Tl is limited by its relatively poor proportionality. If scintillators with higher energy resolution at typical SPECT energies (~140 keV) were available, the essential process of scatter rejection would improve. Furthermore, dual-isotope imaging, which is a unique property of SPECT, would also become possible if scintillators with high energy resolution became available. The goal of the proposed effort is to investigate a new high resolution detector for SPECT studies. Enhanced scatter rejection can be expected along with possibility of dual isotope imaging. The Phase I project will be aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed concept, while the Phase II project will be aimed at optimization of the new detector, implementation of the prototype module and detailed performance evaluation.