High Sensitivity X-ray Detector for PET/CT

描述(由申请人提供)： 成像技术的巨大进步，特别是小动物成像，已经成为分子和基因组成像领域建立的重要推动力。这些新技术之一，microPET，在小动物模型的研究中显示了巨大的潜力，可以测量生物学参数，并可以在体内对转基因表达进行成像。虽然信息内容丰富，但由于PET图像缺乏解剖学信息，这些研究的数据解释可能非常困难。因此，目前的趋势是将PET和CT结合起来，使来自PET的功能信息可以与CT提供的解剖信息相互关联。然而，这种强大的组合模式的使用受到当前X射线探测器的限制，这些探测器提供了良好的空间分辨率，但灵敏度较低，信噪比(SNR)较差，导致对动物的高剂量。 为了提高信噪比并减少对动物的X射线剂量，我们建议开发一种用于PET/CT组合系统的新型X射线探测器。该探测器将基于一个高效率闪烁体，与一个新的成像传感器耦合，同时提供高分辨率、内部雪崩增益和非常低的总噪声。该系统将使用以显著减少的剂量获得的优质解剖CT图像，显著改善PET数据的可视化、解释和量化。高灵敏度、高分辨率、大面积X射线探测器的问世将使新一代组合式小动物成像仪的开发成为可能，这将为癌症等疾病的研究提供强大的工具。因此，这种探测器将引起制药行业的极大兴趣。除了小动物成像外，该探测器还将在医学成像、结构生物学、无损检测等领域具有巨大的应用潜力。目前X射线探测器的市场估计价值数亿美元，其中很大一部分是所提出的技术将有很大帮助的应用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Dramatic advances in imaging technology, especially for small-animal imaging, have been an important driving force in establishing the field of molecular and genomic imaging. One of these new technologies, microPET, has demonstrated a tremendous potential in the study of small animal models, allowing the measurement of biological parameters and permitting in vivo imaging of transgene expression. Although rich in information content, interpretation of data for these studies can be very difficult due to the fact that PET images lack anatomical information. Thus, current trends are towards combining PET with CT so that the functional information from PET can be co-related to the anatomic information provided by CT. However, the use of this powerful combined modality is limited by the current x-ray detectors which provide excellent spatial resolution, but have low sensitivities and poor signal to noise ratios (SNR), resulting in a high dose to the animal. To improve the SNR and to reduce the x-ray dose to the animal, we propose to develop a novel x-ray detector for combined PET/CT systems. The detector will be based on a high efficiency scintillator coupled to a new imaging sensor that simultaneously provides high resolution, an internal avalanche gain, and a very low total noise. The system will allow for dramatic improvements in visualization, interpretation, and quantification of PET data using superior anatomical CT images obtained at a substantially reduced dose. The availability of a high-sensitivity, high-resolution, large area x-ray detector will allow development of new generation of combined small animal imagers, which provide a powerful tool for studies of such disease as cancer. As such, this detector will be of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry. In addition to the small animal imaging, the detector will have tremendous application potential in areas such as medical imaging, structural biology, nondestructive testing etc. The current market for x-ray detector is estimated to be in hundreds of millions of dollars, a significant fraction of which represents applications where proposed technology would be of great help.