Fast, High Resolution Pet Detector

72085S03-I 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. Phase I will demonstrate the feasibility of producing a high resolution, fast detector for PET. Simulations and extensive characterization of the detector will be conducted. 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. It should also be applicable in nuclear and high energy physics, astronomy, diffraction, non-destructive studies, safeguards, and bore hole logging.