Title :
MicroPET: a high resolution PET scanner for imaging small animals
Author :
Cherry, S.R. ; Shao, Y. ; Silverman, R.W. ; Meadors, K. ; Siegel, S. ; Chatziioannou, A. ; Young, J.W. ; Jones, W.F. ; Moyers, J.C. ; Newport, D. ; Boutefnouchet, A. ; Farquhar, T.H. ; Andreaco, A. ; Paulus, M.J. ; Binkley, D.M. ; Nutt, R. ; Phelps, M.E.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Molecular & Med. Pharmacology, California Univ., Los Angeles, CA, USA
fDate :
6/1/1997 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
MicroPET is a high resolution positron emission tomography (PET) scanner designed for imaging small laboratory animals. It consists of a ring of 30 position-sensitive scintillation detectors, each with an 8×8 array of small lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) crystals coupled via optical fibers to a multi-channel photomultiplier tube. The detectors have an intrinsic resolution averaging 1.68 mm, an energy resolution between 15 and 25% and 2.4 ns timing resolution at 511 keV. The detector ring diameter of microPET is 17.2 cm with an imaging field of view of 112 mm transaxially by 18 mm axially. The scanner has no septa and operates exclusively in 3D mode. Reconstructed image resolution 1 cm from the center of the scanner is 2.0 mm and virtually isotropic, yielding a volume resolution of 8 mm3. For comparison, the volume resolution of state-of-the-art clinical PET systems is in the range of 50-75 mm3. Initial images of phantoms have been acquired and are reported. A computer controlled bed is under construction and will incorporate a small wobble motion to improve spatial sampling. This is projected to further enhance spatial resolution. MicroPET is the first PET scanner to incorporate the new scintillator LSO and to our knowledge is the highest resolution multi-ring PET scanner currently in existence
Keywords :
biological techniques; biomedical equipment; image reconstruction; image resolution; medical image processing; photomultipliers; positron emission tomography; solid scintillation detectors; 3D mode; 511 keV; 8 by 8 array; 8×8 array; LuOSiO4; computer controlled bed; energy resolution; high resolution PET scanner; highest resolution multi-ring PET scanner; intrinsic resolution; lutetium oxyorthosilicate crystals; microPET; multi-channel photomultiplier tube; optical fibers; phantoms; position-sensitive scintillation detector ring; positron emission tomography; reconstructed image resolution; scintillator; small animal imaging; small laboratory animals; small wobble motion; spatial resolution; spatial sampling; timing resolution; volume resolution; Animals; Energy resolution; High-resolution imaging; Image resolution; Laboratories; Optical arrays; Optical imaging; Positron emission tomography; Solid scintillation detectors; Spatial resolution;
Journal_Title :
Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on
