SSPM Based PET Detector Modules for Breast Imaging

描述(由申请人提供)：本提案的目的是设计和开发新的、实用的基于固态光电倍增管(SSPM)的探测器模块，具有内置的相互作用深度(DOI)能力，适用于专用乳房PET系统。本项目将研究许多重要的探测器和系统配置问题。这项提案中的工作将为开发一种用于乳房成像的紧凑型临床PET系统的最终目标奠定基础，与目前的商业PET系统相比，该系统提供的图像质量显著提高，成本大大降低。这将扩大PET在乳腺癌患者诊断和治疗中的应用。拟议的探测器模块将由一个小的离散的氧硅酸(LSO)闪烁体元件阵列组成，在两端光学连接到两个SSPM阵列。新研制的SSPM阵列具有量子效率高、各单元增益均匀、结构紧凑、死区小等特点。这种新的探测器模块将提供高空间分辨率、高探测效率、出色的计数率性能和符合时间分辨率，以及足够的相互作用分辨率深度，以提高整个视场的空间分辨率的一致性。我们之前已经证明了探测器设计的可行性。在这个方案中，我们将首先通过仔细研究晶体表面处理、外反射器和不同组件的耦合对探测器性能的影响来优化探测器的性能，通过从晶体两端反射和探测光来增加光的收集，并在能量、时间、空间和DOI分辨率之间进行密切的权衡。我们将优化SSPM阵列的工作条件，并使用并行读出电子设备来读出每个探测器通道，以降低噪声水平。我们将构建和评估两个完整的探测器模块，以评估探测器设计概念以及DOI测量能力的重要性。最后，这两个探测器将安装在平移和旋转工作台上，以不同的几何形状(环和旋转板)进行成像实验，从而可以投影整个PET系统的性能。本项目的目的是研究一种新的探测器技术，以显著提高正电子发射断层扫描(PET)的成像性能。该项目的成功将导致开发一种专用的乳房成像PET系统，与目前的商业通用PET系统相比，该系统有望以极低的成本提供卓越的成像质量。这将对患者和公众健康具有持久的社会效益和经济效益，以较低的成本大幅提高临床诊断的准确性，并对PET技术的进步产生新的研究潜力和影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The aim of this proposal is to design and develop new and practical solid state photomultiplier (SSPM) based detector modules, with built-in depth of interaction (DOI) capability, suitable for use in a dedicated breast PET system. Many important detector and system configuration questions will be studied in this project. The work in this proposal will provide the foundation for the ultimate goal of developing a compact clinical PET system for breast imaging that provides images of significantly improved quality at substantially lower cost compared with current commercial PET systems. This will extend the application of PET in the diagnosis and management of patients with breast cancer. The proposed detector module will consists of an array of small discrete lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) scintillator elements, optically connected to two SSPM arrays at both ends. The newly developed SSPM array has high quantum efficiency, uniform and high gain among all elements, and is compact in size with small dead space. This new detector module will provide high spatial resolution, high detection efficiency, excellent count rate performance and coincidence timing resolution, and sufficient depth of interaction resolution to improve the uniformity of spatial resolution across the field of view. We have previously demonstrated the feasibility of the detector design. In this proposal, we will first optimize the detector performance by carefully studying the effects of crystal surface treatment, external reflector and couplings of different components, increase the light collection by reflecting light and detecting them from both ends of the crystal, and pay close attenuation to the trade-off among energy, timing, spatial and DOI resolution. We will optimize the operating conditions of the SSPM array, and use parallel readout electronics to read out each detector channel in order to reduce noise levels. We will construct and evaluate two full detector modules to assess the detector design concepts, as well as the importance of the DOI measurement capability. Finally, the two detectors will be mounted on translational and rotational stages to perform imaging experiments with different geometry (ring and rotating plate), allowing the performance of an entire PET system to be projected. The aim of this project is to investigate a new detector technology to significantly improve the imaging performance of Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The success of this project will lead to the development a dedicated breast-imaging PET system which is expected to provide superior imaging quality at fraction of the cost compared with current commercial general-purpose PET systems. This will have lasting values in its social and economic benefits to the patients and public health with substantially improved clinical diagnosis accuracy at lower cost, and new research potential and impact to the advances of PET technology as well.