HyPET Project

The long term goal of this project, in a collaboration grant from NIH between the University of Washington and i3M, is to develop imaging technology that will replace biopsy as the gold standard for PCa diagnosis and staging. The goal of this R21 project is to develop advanced PET detector imaging technology that will enable the industrial transfer of moderate cost, high image resolution, prostate specific PET imaging systems. A two panel detector geometry will be utilized. To support artifact-free prostate imaging, the panel detectors will support time-of-flight (TOF) PET imaging with a goal of <150 psec coincidence timing resolution. To accomplish this goal, a hybrid PET (HyPET) detector will be developed with sub-units that will meet or exceed the overall design goals. We proposed two specific aims. The first was to use Monte Carlo simulation to optimize the blending of HyPET detectors for high spatial resolution, artifact-free imaging for a two curved panel based, prostate, specific PET imaging system.

The second aim was to build and experimentally characterize prototype HyPET detectors.