Energy-Independent Single Photon Molecular Imaging Technology

能量独立的单光子分子成像技术

• 批准号: 8461629
• 负责人: Yonggang Cui
• 金额: $ 55.81万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-05-01 至 2015-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8461629
• 关键词: Algorithms; Area; Beds; Brain; Breast; Cadmium; Clinical; Clinical Management; Collimator; Computational algorithm; Computer software; Coupling; Custom; Data; Dependency; Detection; Development; Diagnosis; Disadvantaged; Electronics; Future; Gamma Rays; Goals; Human body; Image; Imaging Techniques; Imaging technology; Isotopes; Medical; Medical Imaging; Mind; Nuclear; Photons; Physics; Physiological; Positron-Emission Tomography; Procedures; Process; Prostate; Prostatic; Radioactive; Radiopharmaceuticals; Resolution; Role; Security; Signal Transduction; Speed; Staging; System; Techniques; Technology; Testing; Time; Trust; Tube; Uncertainty; X-Ray Computed Tomography; Zinc; base; cadmium telluride; data acquisition; design; detector; fluorodeoxyglucose; human disease; image reconstruction; imaging modality; innovation; man; molecular imaging; new technology; novel; operation; photomultiplier; public health relevance; radiation detector; radiotracer; reconstruction; simulation; single photon emission computed tomography; solid state; tool

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose to develop a completely new single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system using novel technologies employing cadmium zinc telluride (CZT), customized application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), innovative collimator design, and ultrafast graphics processing unit (GPU) specialized for heaving computation in medical image reconstruction. With our proposed SPECT system, a single photon molecular imaging technology that will not require changes of collimators for different photon energies can be realized, at least for potential applications (breast, brain, and prostate) of small volume SPECT applications targeted by the proposed imaging system. By coupling the detectors to custom-built ASIC readout electronics, we can obtain high energy-resolution signals and bin the signals in multiple specific energy windows without requiring time-consuming list-mode acquisition and postprocessing. With these specific goals in mind, we emphasize that the primary goal is to remove the energy dependency of SPECT collimators so that the SPECT technology continues to be viable in the future. Our hypotheses are: Hypothesis 1: The CZT's excellent energy resolution and stopping power can distinguish background photons (photons scattered from human body and collimator septa) from quality photons regardless of emission energy. Hypothesis 2: A single collimator that provides high sensitivity can be used for the wide variety of SPECT radiotracers. Hypothesis 3: A fast computer algorithm that can correct the collimator-dependent blurring can provide excellent spatial resolution comparable to PET spatial resolution in the wide range of SPECT radiotracers using a single collimator. Our specific aims to test the hypotheses are: Aim 1: We will develop a pair of small-pitch (1.5 mm) and large-area (20 cm x 20 cm) pixelated CZT detectors and associated application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The ASIC-driven electronics will be designed to acquire SPECT data using multiple narrow energy windows from CZT, not requiring list-mode data acquisition. Aim 2: We will develop a parallel-hole collimator with holes matched with CZT pixels to maximize the detection efficiency. We will use a Monte Carlo simulation tool to design the collimator to assess energy profiles from different photon energies for SPECT imaging. Aim 3: We will develop novel reconstruction algorithms that will compensate energy uncertainties and collimator-dependent blurring using high-speed computing techniques such as specialized novel graphics processing unit (GPU) that is heavily parallelized for computation in medical imaging.

描述（由申请人提供）：我们建议使用碲化镉锌（CZT）、定制专用集成电路（ASIC）、创新准直器设计和超快新技术开发一种全新的单光子发射计算机断层扫描（SPECT）系统专门用于医学图像重建中的起伏计算的图形处理单元 (GPU)。通过我们提出的 SPECT 系统，可以实现单光子分子成像技术，不需要针对不同光子能量改变准直器，至少对于所提出的成像所针对的小体积 SPECT 应用的潜在应用（乳房、大脑和前列腺）而言是这样的系统。通过将探测器与定制的 ASIC 读出电子器件耦合，我们可以获得高能量分辨率信号，并将信号分类在多个特定能量窗口中，而无需耗时的列表模式采集和后处理。考虑到这些具体目标，我们强调首要目标是消除 SPECT 准直器的能量依赖，以便 SPECT 技术在未来继续可行。我们的假设是： 假设 1：无论发射能量如何，CZT 出色的能量分辨率和阻止能力都可以将背景光子（从人体和准直器隔膜散射的光子）与优质光子区分开来。假设 2：提供高灵敏度的单个准直器可用于多种 SPECT 放射性示踪剂。假设 3：一种可以校正准直器相关模糊的快速计算机算法可以使用单个准直器在各种 SPECT 放射性示踪剂中提供与 PET 空间分辨率相当的出色空间分辨率。我们测试假设的具体目标是： 目标 1：我们将开发一对小间距 (1.5 mm) 和大面积 (20 cm x 20 cm) 像素化 CZT 探测器以及相关的专用集成电路 (ASIC)。 ASIC 驱动的电子设备将设计为使用 CZT 的多个窄能量窗口采集 SPECT 数据，而不需要列表模式数据采集。目标2：我们将开发一种平行孔准直器，其孔与CZT像素匹配，以最大限度地提高检测效率。我们将使用蒙特卡罗模拟工具来设计准直器，以评估 SPECT 成像中不同光子能量的能量分布。目标 3：我们将开发新颖的重建算法，使用高速计算技术来补偿能量不确定性和准直器相关的模糊，例如专门用于医学成像计算的高度并行化的新型图形处理单元（GPU）。