Ultra Portable Low Cost Cardiac Camera

Nuclear angiography is considered the superior technique for accurate quantitative measurementof ventricular function. Despite this, a growing and predominant fraction of such measurements areperformed via echo- cardiography. Two factors have strongly influenced this shift to a less than optimaltechnology: 1) equipment costs of echo devices are substantially less than nuclear angiography devices,and 2) the smaller size and portability of echo devices is highly advantageous in portable applications.We will develop an ultra-portable low cost nuclear angiography camera based upon the multiwireproportional camera and 178Ta generator produced radiopharmaceutical whose cost and portability aredirectly competitive with echo devices. The camera will incorporate a powerful removable computerwith color graphic display and a high speed multiwire sensor. Bedside production of radiopharmaceuticalwill be provided by an onboard 178W/178Ta computer controlled generator equipped with integral dosecalibration. Such technology will provide superior ventricular function assessment on a cost competitivebasis as well as a substantial advance in portability relative to any current nuclear camera. Thus, avariety of important portable applications will be made available and cost of laboratory studies such asrest/exercise ventricular assessment will be substantially reduced.