Small Animal SPECT Camera for Quantitative Molecular Medicine--Photon Imaging, Inc., 19355 Business Center Drive, Suite 8, Northridge, CA 91324-3503; 818-709-2468
Dr. Lawrence MacDonald, Principal Investigator
Dr. Bradley E. Patt, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-99ER82854
Amount: $750,000

In vivo animal studies are extremely valuable in the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately adequate instrumentation does not exist to accurately image the distribution of these pharmaceutical agents in small animals. Through the development of solid-state gamma-ray detectors, new instrumentation could provide image and energy resolution that far surpasses existing technology. This project will implement solid-state design into a high resolution, three-dimensional rodent-imaging gamma camera for this application. The Phase I project developed sophisticated computer modeling of the physics of the high resolution system and performed experimental measurements on individual components and miniature prototypes. The results showed that the proposed technology was feasible. In Phase II, a full prototype rodent imaging tomographic gamma will be constructed by coupling a large-area detector array to high density readout electronics and software for system control and image processing. Rodent imaging using newly developed pharmaceuticals will be conducted with the prototype.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The product will meet a growing commercial demand for systems capable of facilitating the development of pharmaceuticals for the study and treatment of neurological disease, oncology, cardiology, and other applications. The system should have improved performance, compactness, and lower cost compared to existing technology