Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
GLOBETECH PUBLISHING LLC

Download Mobile App




Ultrafast Timing Enables Reconstruction-Free PET Imaging

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 18 Nov 2021
An experimental technique based on Cherenkov photon detection could create cross-sectional images without the need for tomographic reconstruction, according to a new study.

Under development at the University of California Davis (UCD; USA), Hamamatsu Photonics (Japan), the University of Fukui (Japan), and other institutions, the new technique is based on the theory that if detected fast enough, back-to-back annihilation of photons can be directly localized in 3D space using time-of-flight information without tomographic reconstruction. More...
Until now this has not been possible, as photon detectors were too slow to precisely pinpoint their location based on time shifts.

The researchers successfully developed new Cherenkov photon detector technology that when combined with a convolutional neural network (CNN) for timing estimation, resulted in an average timing precision of 32 ps (corresponding to a spatial precision of 4.8 mm), which they consider is sufficient to produce cross-sectional images of a positron-emitting radionuclide directly from the detected coincident annihilation photons, without the need for further tomographic reconstruction algorithms. The study was published on October 14, 2021, in Nature Photonics.

“We're literally imaging at the speed of light, which is something of a holy grail in our field. Images can also be created more quickly with this method, potentially even in real time during the PET scan, as no after-the-fact reconstruction is needed,” concluded senior author Professor Simon Cherry, PhD, of UCD, and colleagues. “This new discovery involves a compact equipment setup, and could lead to inexpensive, easy and accurate scans of the human body using radioactive isotopes.”

In positron emission tomography (PET) scans, molecules tagged with trace amounts of a radioactive isotope are injected in the body. The unstable isotope emits positrons as it decays; whenever one of these positrons encounters an electron in the body, they annihilate each other and simultaneously give off two annihilation photons. Tracking the origin and trajectory of the photons creates an image of the tissues tagged with isotopes. But till now, tomographic reconstruction was required, as the detection process was too slow.

Related Links:
University of California Davis
Hamamatsu Photonics
University of Fukui



Silver Member
X-Ray QA Meter
T3 AD Pro
40/80-Slice CT System
uCT 528
X-Ray Illuminator
X-Ray Viewbox Illuminators
Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy & Visualization Tools
Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) Guided Devices
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to MedImaging.net and get access to news and events that shape the world of Radiology.
  • Free digital version edition of Medical Imaging International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of Medical Imaging International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of Medical Imaging International in digital format
  • Free Medical Imaging International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Nuclear Medicine

view channel
Image: The diagnostic tool could improve diagnosis and treatment decisions for patients with chronic lung infections (Photo courtesy of SNMMI)

Novel Bacteria-Specific PET Imaging Approach Detects Hard-To-Diagnose Lung Infections

Mycobacteroides abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacteria that primarily affects immunocompromised patients and those with underlying lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary... Read more

Imaging IT

view channel
Image: The new Medical Imaging Suite makes healthcare imaging data more accessible, interoperable and useful (Photo courtesy of Google Cloud)

New Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite Makes Imaging Healthcare Data More Accessible

Medical imaging is a critical tool used to diagnose patients, and there are billions of medical images scanned globally each year. Imaging data accounts for about 90% of all healthcare data1 and, until... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.