16
A Design
of a New Readout Sensor for SPECT--Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc., 44
Hunt Street, Watertown, MA 02472-4699;
617-926-1167, www.rmdinc.com
Dr. Vivek V.
Nagarkar, Principal Investigator, Vnagarkar@rmdinc.com
Dr. Gerald
Entine, Business Official, GEntine@rmdinc.com
DOE Grant No.
DE-FG02-03ER83762
Amount:
$100,000
With the ever increasing number of smaller animals, such as
mice and rats, being used as human disease models, the demand for small animal
imaging also has increased. In
particular, the pharmaceutical industry requires the in vivo quantification of biological processes, to measure the
mechanism of action of a pharmacological agent and its concentration at the site
of action. High-resolution nuclear
imaging technologies such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)
has the potential to contribute unique information at these finely-graded
levels. However, the main barriers
to using SPECT in studies of laboratory animals have traditionally been poor
spatial resolution, low sensitivity, and high cost.
To address these deficiencies, this project will develop a novel detector
based on a new, position-sensitive readout coupled to a microcolumnar
scintillator. This new readout
combines properties of a conventional CCD and an avalanche photodiode.
In Phase I, properties of the new readout sensor will be characterized to
demonstrate its suitability for radionuclide imaging.
Also, research will be performed towards developing and characterizing
thick microcolumnar scintillator structures.
The resulting detector will be characterized to demonstrate its
effectiveness for the SPECT application.
Commercial
Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:
The new detector design should have widespread use in new small
animal/human SPECT systems in particular and nuclear medicine systems in
general. Additionally, the readout
sensor should have applications in high sensitivity x-ray imaging,
bioluminescence imaging, nondestructive testing, etc.