High Resolution Small Animal SPECT

描述(由申请人提供)： 第一阶段：SPECT是一种非侵入性成像技术，它提供了放射性核素在任何切片上通过研究器官的三维分布的图像。这些图像可以研究被研究区域的新陈代谢，是诊断癌症和心肌缺血等疾病症状的有用工具。SPECT在小实验动物体内的生物过程成像方面也显示出了希望。最近，在这种小动物身上建立人类疾病模型的研究取得了重大进展。因此，对小动物的高分辨率SPECT研究可以提高我们对人类疾病的理解。目前，SPECT系统中使用的探测器经常限制其性能(用于临床和小动物成像)。现代SPECT探测器由耦合到PMT的闪烁体组成。SPECT中使用的闪烁体的重要要求包括高光输出、高能量分辨率、良好的阻止效率、快速响应和低成本。目前，没有一种成熟的闪烁体能满足所有这些要求。拟议工作的目标是研究在第一阶段研究中使用一种新的闪烁体进行SPECT成像的可行性，并在第二阶段项目中使用这种闪烁体阵列建立和评估一个小动物SPECT系统。 核医学包括单光子发射计算机断层扫描和正电子发射断层扫描、放射学、无损检测、材料研究、X射线衍射、核和高能物理研究、天文学和地质勘探。 第二阶段：核医学技术(如SPECT和PET)正在成为对小型实验室动物的生物过程进行成像的强有力的新工具。随着包括癌症在内的人类疾病模型的不断增加，特别是在小鼠和大鼠等较小的动物中，高分辨率核医学技术提供独特信息的潜力对许多研究人员来说变得越来越明显。核医学程序的关键优势是，它们允许以非侵入性方式获得功能信息，因此每种动物都可以进行重复研究。因此，很明显，小动物的核医学成像是非常可取的。临床放射性核素系统不适合用于小动物的成像，因为它们的空间分辨率不足。因此，与目前临床SPECT扫描仪相比，需要专用、低成本的仪器来进行空间分辨率更高的小动物研究。这项拟议工作的目标是建立和评估一种高分辨率的小动物SPECT系统，该系统使用一种有前途的新闪烁体阵列与硅雪崩光电二极管相耦合。核医学包括单光子发射计算机断层扫描和正电子发射断层扫描、放射学、无损检测、材料研究、X射线衍射、核和高能物理研究、天文学和地质勘探。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Phase I: SPECT is non-invasive imaging technique which provides an image of the three dimensional distribution of radionuclide in any slice through an organ under study. These images allow investigation of metabolism in the region being studied and are a useful tool for diagnosing symptoms of diseases such as cancer and myocardial ischemia. SPECT is also showing promise in imaging of biological processes in small laboratory animal in vivo. Recently, there have been significant advances in development of human disease models in such small animals. High resolution SPECT studies of small animals can therefore improve our understanding of human diseases. At present, the detectors used in SPECT systems often limit their performance (for clinical and small animal imaging). Modern SPECT detectors consist of scintillators coupled to PMTs. Important requirements for scintillators used in SPECT include high light output, high energy resolution, decent stopping efficiency, fast response, and low cost. At present, no established scintillator meets all these requirements. The goal of the proposed effort is to investigate the feasibility of using a new scintillator in SPECT imaging in the Phase I research and build and evaluate a small animal SPECT system using arrays of such a scintillator in the Phase II project. Nuclear medicine including single photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography, radiology, non-destructive testing, materials research, X-ray diffraction, nuclear and high energy physics research, astronomy, and geological exploration. Phase II: Nuclear medicine techniques (such as SPECT and PET) are becoming powerful new tools in imaging biological processes in small laboratory animals. With the ever increasing number of human disease models including cancer, particularly in the smaller animals such as mice and rats, the potential of high resolution nuclear medicine technology to contribute unique information is becoming apparent to many researchers. The critical advantage of nuclear medicine procedures is that they allow functional information to be obtained non-invasively, so each animal can be studied repeatedly. Thus, it is clear that nuclear medicine imaging of small animals is highly desirable. Clinical radionuclide systems are not suitable for imaging small animals because their spatial resolution is inadequate. Hence, dedicated, low cost instruments are required for conducting small animal studies with higher spatial resolution than what is currently achieved with clinical SPECT scanners. The goal of the proposed effort is to build and evaluate a high resolution small animal SPECT system using arrays of a promising new scintillator coupled to silicon avalanche photodiodes. Nuclear medicine including single photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography, radiology, non-destructive testing, materials research, X-ray diffraction, nuclear and high energy physics research, astronomy, and geological exploration.