Isotopes for New Modalities of PET/SPECT Imaging: Experimentation and Evaluation

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The conventional medical imaging by PET and SPECT relies on back projection techniques and it has drawbacks of artifacts due to scattering and absorption of gamma rays, contributing to false negative and/or false positive diagnostics. Dual energy imaging with separate isotopes has been suggested as possible means of improving the image qualities. They invariably involve additional equipment, higher doses and longer exposures etc. We attempt a novel approach of combining PET/SPECT imaging with single isotopes which emit positrons and gamma rays within less than a few nano second time lags. When implemented, we can employ standard 3D- vertex reconstruction technique of nuclear and particle physics experiments. In addition to enhanced contrast, this method provides multiple images based on different software cuts with conventional back projection to evaluate the image artifacts critically and minimize false diagnostics. In identifying candidate isotopes, we focussed on biological compatibility of isotopes to humans, dual energy requirement for attenuation corrections, economic viability and ease of production, stability of materials etc. The candidate isotopes are 43-Sc, 73-Se, 123-Xe, 85-Y, 77-Kr and 75-Br, the elements of which are already in medical use and ingestion.