New Detectors for Small Animal SPECT

Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography has become a powerful new tool in imaging biological processes in small laboratory animals. Performance of this modality is limited by the properties of the detectors available at present. The goal of the proposed project is to investigate a new solid state detector which appears to be very promising due to its high efficiency, high signal to noise ratio and possibility of excellent energy resolution. Large crystals of the new material will be grown, detectors will be fabricated and their properties will be extensively examined in our study for eventual use in small animal SPECT imaging. The Phase I project was aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of applying the new solid state detectors towards small animal SPECT imaging. Single crystals of the proposed material were grown and the detector performance was evaluated. Energy resolution studies were conducted. The Phase II research will be targeted towards optimization of the proposed detection technology and institution of imaging detectors based on the proposed technology for small animal SPECT imaging. Appropriate multichannel readout electronics and collimators will be integrated to the proposed detectors. Commercial and Scientific Potential: Over and above the use in nuclear medicine, the new detectors will be applicable to particle physics, homeland defense, geological exploration, industrial imaging and nuclear remediation.