Technologies to advance hybrid multimodality positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The practice of clinical nuclear medicine has been revolutionized in the past decade through the introduction of hybrid combined positron emission tomography (PET) with x-ray computed tomography (CT) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with CT. This highly synergistic combination of functional and anatomical imaging allows for improved diagnosis and staging of many diseases including cancer and Alzheimer's Disease. It is anticipated that the coming decade will see the widespread adoption of hybrid PET and SPECT with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) due to the advantages of MRI over CT such as no radiation dose and exquisite soft tissue contrast. In this application we propose to develop technologies that will advance the capabilities of hybrid PET/MRI. Together with my students and post-doctoral fellows, I will construct compact, high resolution detectors for PET imaging, based on new silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) technology, that are MR compatible and will enable simultaneous PET/MRI imaging. We will create tools to facilitate the process of PET detector characterization, examine approaches to create low-cost imaging systems and implement high channel count electronics that will enable the construction of our prototype PET/MR system. These technologies will result in improved imaging system design for both clinical and pre-clinical imaging systems. These improvements in clinical imaging systems will benefit patient care through improved diagnostic accuracy of images and the improvements in preclinical animal imaging systems will allow for an improved understanding of animal models of human disease, reducing the time required to develop new therapeutics.