11
Fast,
High Resolution PET Detector--Radiation
Monitoring Devices, Inc.,
Dr.
Gerald Entine, Principal Investigator,
Dr.
Gerald Entine, Business Official, gentine@rmdinc.com
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-03ER83760
Amount:
$750,000
Proton
Emission Technology (PET) is a powerful imaging tool that can provide diagnosis
for symptoms of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, head trauma, and stroke.
However, the performance of current clinical PET systems is limited by
available detector technology, and improved PET instrumentation will be needed
to exploit the full potential of this promising technique.
This project will investigate a new detector material for PET with fast
response and high energy resolution. The
new detector not only would significantly reduce scatter and random errors, the
main limitations in three-dimensional PET, but also would make time-of-flight
PET a possibility. In Phase I, the detector was extensively characterized, and the the
feasibility of producing a high resolution, fast detector for PET was
demonstrated. Phase II will conduct
an extensive evaluation of the preparation and properties of large crystal
samples, particulary with regard to their use in a PET imaging detector.
Simulation studies of the new detector for use in PET imaging are also
planned.
Commercial
Applications and Other Benefits as
described by awardee: The detector
technology should be very promising for PET and other medical imaging modalities
such as SPECT (single photon emission computed
tomography). It should also
be applicable in nuclear and high energy physics, astronomy, diffraction,
non-destructive studies, safeguards, and bore hole logging.