Dual Mode, Hand-held Intraoperative Imager

描述（由申请人提供）：放射性核素引导术中探针增加组织活检的特异性，实现最小切口，减少住院患者的住院率，并有助于改善患者的康复。目前，市场上的此类探针大多是非成像的，无法提供所调查区域的辅助信息，如恶性组织的清晰划定。我们的目标是开发一种革命性的新型成像探针，成像β ProbeTM (IBPTM)，旨在通过感应伽马射线快速定位病变，然后实时高灵敏度成像短程β粒子或正电子。这种符合人体工程学设计的探针体积小，在手术中易于使用，并通过RMD最近开发的位置敏感固态光电倍增管（PS-SSPM）和混合闪烁技术成为可能。探头将向外科医生提供连续的实时音频和/或视频反馈，以快速准确地描绘和精确切除病变，最大限度地减少周围健康组织的损失。在切除可疑组织后，IBPTM将允许外科医生检查肿瘤床和边缘是否有任何剩余的癌性和癌前组织、细肿瘤或其他组织（如子宫内膜）能够吸收所给的示踪剂，否则会被本底辐射掩盖。我们提出的成像β探针设计的动机是，它将为几十年来的探针技术带来第一次根本性的变化，最重要的是，

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Radionuclide-guided intraoperative probes increase the specificity of tissue biopsies, enable minimal- access incisions, reduce inpatient hospital utilization, and contribute to improved patient recovery. At present, most such probes on the market are non-imaging, and provide no ancillary information of surveyed areas, such as clear delineations of malignant tissues. Our goal is to develop a revolutionary new imaging probe, the Imaging Beta ProbeTM (IBPTM), intended for rapid localization of lesions by sensing gamma rays, followed by real-time high-sensitivity imaging of short-range beta particles or positrons. This ergonomically designed probe will be small and easy to use during surgery, and is made possible by the recent development of position- sensitive solid-state photomultiplier (PS-SSPM) and hybrid scintillation technologies at RMD. The probe will provide continuous real-time audio and/or video feedback of emissions from surveyed areas to the surgeon for rapid and accurate delineation and precise excision of lesions, with minimal sacrifice of surrounding healthy tissue. After excision of suspect tissue, the IBPTM will allow the surgeon to check the tumor bed and margins for any remaining cancerous and pre-cancerous tissue, fine tumors or other tissues (e.g., endometrial) capable of uptake of the administered tracer, that are otherwise obscured by background radiation. Our motivation in pursuing our proposed Imaging Beta Probe design is that it will provide the first radical change in probe technology in decades and, most importantly, significant improvement in and broadening of the clinical capabilities of intraoperative and external diagnostic probes. Development of this technology provides an imaging tool for surgeons to detect PET-positive lesions intraoperatively, which will advance their ability to confirm data provided by PET scans with biopsy material. Furthermore, these tools may allow a surgeon to perform a PET-guided exploration and therapeutic excision of a small lesion that would otherwise be undiscovered by conventional exploration or treated by a harsh empiric regimen of chemotherapy or radiation.