A simultaneous PET/MR system for whole body imaging

我们计划开发一种高性能的全身正电子发射断层扫描(PET)系统，该系统可以插入到磁共振(MR)系统中，以同时进行PET/MR成像，而不会降低两个系统的性能。PET系统将被配置为一个内径约52厘米、轴向尺寸约20厘米的环，适合直径60厘米的全身3T磁共振系统。NSERC的资金支持将帮助我们建立必要的基础设施和三分之一的完整系统来进行原则证明。建议的全身PET/MR与以前的设计有很大的技术差异。首先，PET探测器是基于硅光电倍增管(SiPM)的，表现出优异的性能。其次，采用了一种使用激光二极管的电光耦合方案，以最小化两个系统之间的潜在干扰。如果成功，这项提议将导致一个真正同步的PET/MR混合系统，用于全身成像。除了PET/CT的好处外，MR的解剖信息和PET的功能/分子信息的多样性将使癌症筛查/分期、心脏成像、治疗监测和阿尔茨海默病的特征方面的疾病诊断、预后和治疗成为新的范式。拟议的系统将帮助医生在早期阶段发现疾病，提高特异性，并更有效地管理治疗计划。我们相信，同步的PET/MR系统最终将对加拿大医疗技术的进步和生活质量的提高产生重大影响。还有望通过与行业合作伙伴的合作实现商业化和技术许可带来的经济效益。

We plan to develop a high performance whole body Positron Emission Tomography (PET) system that can be inserted into an Magnetic Resonance (MR) system for simultaneous PET/MR imaging without performance degradation for both systems. The PET system will be configured as a ring of approximately 52 cm inner diameter and 20 cm axial dimension that fits within a whole body 3T MR system of 60 cm diameter bore. The NSERC financial support will help us build the necessary infrastructures and a 1/3rd of the full system for proof-of-principle. There are significant technology differences between the proposed whole body PET/MR and previous designs. First, the PET detectors are based upon silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) and exhibit superior performances. Second, an electro-optically coupling scheme using laser diodes is deployed to minimize potential interferences between two systems. If successful, this proposal will lead to a truly simultaneous PET/MR hybrid system for whole body imaging. In addition to the benefits of PET/CT, the multiplicity of MR's anatomical information and PET's functional/molecular information will enable new paradigms for diseases diagnosis, prognosis and treatment in cancer screening/staging, cardiac imaging, therapy monitoring, and characterization of Alzheimer's disease. The proposed system will help physicians to detect diseases in the early stage with increase specificity and manage treatment plans more effectively. We believe that a simultaneous PET/MR system could ultimately make great impacts for advancing healthcare technology and improving quality of life in Canada. Economic benefits from commercialization and technology licensing through collaboration with industry partners are also expected.