Single photon detection for ultra-low dose Molecular Breast Imaging

用于超低剂量分子乳腺成像的单光子检测

• 批准号: 10032607
• 金额: $ 38.08万
• 依托单位: KROMEK LIMITED
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Collaborative R&D
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10032607
• 关键词: Single; photon; detection; ultra; low

Breast screening was introduced in the UK almost 30 years ago and relies principally on x-ray mammography. This technique is effective where there is a significant difference in the density of a cancer tumor and the surrounding breast tissue. Around a third of women have denser breast tissue, such that mammography is unable to clearly image tumors, resulting in undiagnosed cancers. The age for breast screening is gradually extending from 50-70 to 47-73\. As there is a higher prevalence of dense breasts in younger women, the current provision of mammography even less satisfactory.Kromek has identified that earlier diagnosis of breast cancers is possible with an addition of a nuclear imaging technology, Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI), as a primary screening tool for women with dense breast tissue. MBI is a technique whereby a radioactive tracer is used to identify a tumor that is then imaged by a specialist camera. The tracer is concentrated to a much greater extent in malignant breast tissue compared to normal tissue, therefore the malignant tissue shows up as a bright area on the image. MBI currently has the disadvantage of requiring a higher radiation dose than received with a mammogram and longer measurement time.Since 2018, Kromek has been engaged with UCL and NUTH in developing a quantum technology for a faster and safer MBI system addressing these shortcomings and facilitating a change in the screening pathways. Kromek has developed a proprietary MBI camera design based on a new generation of single photon CZT detectors and a conceptually new type of collimator. Combined with novel 3D image reconstruction methods, the new camera will allow uncovering spatial information about tumours and their structure. That information will help to significantly increase chances for early cancer detection and improve cancer staging process required for precise diagnostics and successful treatment prescription.The project will contribute towards the commercialisation of the low-dose quantum technology by proving the feasibility of he single-photon detection methodology for MBI.

乳腺筛查在英国大约 30 年前引入，主要依靠 X 射线乳房 X 光检查。当癌症肿瘤和周围乳腺组织的密度存在显着差异时，该技术是有效的。大约三分之一的女性乳腺组织较致密，因此乳房X光检查无法清晰地对肿瘤进行成像，从而导致未确诊的癌症。乳腺检查的年龄逐渐从50-70岁延长到47-73岁。由于年轻女性中致密乳房的患病率较高，目前的乳房 X 光检查的提供甚至不太令人满意。Kromek 发现，通过增加核成像技术，即分子乳腺成像 (MBI)，可以对乳腺癌进行早期诊断。针对乳房组织致密的女性的主要筛查工具。 MBI 是一种使用放射性示踪剂来识别肿瘤的技术，然后通过专业相机对其进行成像。与正常组织相比，示踪剂在恶性乳腺组织中的集中程度要高得多，因此恶性组织在图像上显示为明亮区域。 MBI 目前的缺点是需要比乳房 X 光检查更高的辐射剂量和更长的测量时间。自 2018 年以来，Kromek 一直与 UCL 和 NUTH 合作开发量子技术，以实现更快、更安全的 MBI 系统，解决这些缺点并促进筛查途径的改变。 Kromek 开发了一种基于新一代单光子 CZT 探测器和概念上新型准直器的专有 MBI 相机设计。结合新颖的 3D 图像重建方法，新相机将能够揭示有关肿瘤及其结构的空间信息。这些信息将有助于显着增加早期癌症检测的机会，并改善精确诊断和成功治疗处方所需的癌症分期过程。该项目将通过证明单光子检测的可行性，为低剂量量子技术的商业化做出贡献MBI 的方法论。