Description

In this project we plan to design and build a completely novel cardiac Positron Emission Tomography (cardiac PET) system that allows simultaneous PET scanning and patient movement. The proposed cardiac PET system will allow to visualize and measure function of the heart under stress conditions, such as during exercise. The proposed system will deal with limited angle tomography, imposed by the specific geometry of the cardiac PET system we propose in this project, through outstanding TOF resolution (~350ps). Currently, there are no imaging techniques that are able to evaluate the functional operation of the heart while performing exercise including a limited movement of the patient. To make it possible we plan to use 3D position markers that transmit the patient`s chest position to the data acquisition system for recording and inclusion of patient movement in the image reconstruction algorithm. Currently, these kinds of cardiac tests stress are artificially induced through the use of drugs that are associated with considerable side effects. Moreover, Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance techniques which are usually used in these diagnostic procedures do not provide direct functional metabolic information on the status of myocardium tissue cells. In contrast Molecular Imaging, such as PET, is able to provide not only information on heart perfusion but also on the functionality of the myocardium tissue. In addition to the results related to the investigation carried out along the project period, it is also the aim of the researches to obtain applicable results which could be technologically transferred to the industry.

CARDIO-PET DESIGN

This project has beed co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Este proyecto ha sido co-financiado por la Unión Europea a través del Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER).

OBJECTIVES & GOALS

These are the main objectives of the whole project:

Objective 1: To develop a new compact modular time-of-flight (TOF) PET system for simultaneous high spatial resolution and sensitivity. Static image intrinsic resolution (no movement) FWHM: ~1-2mm. Active (during patient movement): ~3-5mm. Efficiency goal ~3-5%. System TOF resolution ~350ps for other organ background rejection. Moreover TOF PET system performance will allow high uniform reconstruction for incomplete angular projections.

Objective 2: To develop an optical monitoring system for accurate patient-PET relative position measurement. Goal for spatial accuracy in detector module monitoring relative to the patient chest throughout the exercise session of ~ 1mm with a time frame of 0.1s (i.e. determination of PET-patient relative position every 0.1 s).

Objective 3: To develop a system capable to combine the cardiac PET data with ECG data to obtain Multifunctional cardiac information. The ECG signal will be used to gate each cardiac cycle, organized into the different phases of the heartbeat according to the information from the ECG. The systems should not interfere with each other. The analysed data available from the ECG will be taken into account during PET image reconstruction algorithm.

Objective 4: To develop a cardiac PET system compatible with high magnetic fields. In this sense, although we do not propose to test in this project the developed cardiac PET system within MRI devices, it is our intention to use fully compatible high magnetic field components that assures future development of PET-MRI multi-modal device.

CARDIO-PET is a coordinated project between the Detectors for Molecular Imaging Laboratory group (DMIL) in charge for the hardware and Medical Imaging Reconstruction group (MIRG) in charge of the software aspects of the project. These research groups belong to the i3M.

Project Hardware Goals

  1. To develop highly efficient and fast gamma ray detector modules not sensible to strong magnetic fields. Alternative photosensors to conventional photomultipliers, such as SiPM will be used.

  1. To develop all the associated readout electronics and DAQ system with TOF capabilities.

  1. To develop all the mechanical support needed for PET detector modules integration, including optical system for patient-PET relative position monitoring.

Project Software Goals

  1. To develop fast PET image reconstruction software capable to deal with the limited angle projection problem and the sensitivity correction problem imposed by the specific design of the cardiac PET system.

  2. To develop software for merging information for PET and ECG data integration. An algorithm will be developed to assure that PET/ECG combined data acquisition is implemented in efficient way in order to produce simultaneous and synchronized information of the PET and ECG.

  3. To develop all needed algorithms to include motion tracking information in the image PET reconstruction methodology. The reconstruction software module will combine annihilation gamma interaction information with the tracking system data to obtain a set of lines-of-response (LORs).

LYSO monolithic block (50 × 50 × 15mm3) together with the ASIC and SiPM photosensor array used for TOF measurements

Timing resolution of the coincidence measurement between two monolithic LYSO crystals

Detail of the mini camera used for motion tracking.

Central slice of the sagittal view of the static,uncorrected and MC reconstructed images for the oscillatory motion Grid. Intensities are displayed in a global scale.

Results for phantom + spheres at heart position

PEER REVIEWED PAPERS

Authors: A. Gonzalez-Montoro,F. Sánchez,S. Majewski,S. Zanettini,J.M. Benlloch, and A.J. Gonzalez.
Title: ”Highly improved operation of monolithic BGO-PET blocks”, Journal of Instrumentation JINST 12C11027 (2017).

Authors: Antonio J. Gonzalez , Andrea Gonzalez-Montoro, Albert Aguilar, Gabriel Cañizares, Rosana Martí, Sofia Iranzo, Efthimis Lamprou, Sebastian Sanchez, Filomeno Sánchez, Jose M. Benlloch.
Title: ”A scintillator geometry suitable for very small PET gantries”, Journal of Instrumentation JINST 12(2017) C12018.

Authors: A. González-Montoro,F. Sánchez,R. Martí, L. Hernández,A. Aguilar,J. Barberá,J. V. Catret,G. Cañizares,P. Conde,E. Lamprou,F. Martos, Sebatián Sánchez a, Luis F. Vidal a, Jose M. Benlloch,A.J. González.
Title: ”Detector block performance based on a monolithic LYSO crystal using a novel signal multiplexing method”, Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A912(2018)372-377. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2017.10.098).

Authors: Efthymios Lamprou, Albert Aguilar, Andrea González-Montoro, Jose M. Monzó,Gabriel Cañizares, Sofia Iranzo, Luis F. Vidal, Liczandro Hernández, Pablo Conde,Sebastian Sánchez, Filomeno Sánchez, Antonio J. González, José M. Benlloch
Title: ”PET detector block with accurate 4D capabilities”, Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A912(2018)132-136. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2017.11.002).

Authors: V. Ilisie, V. Giménez-Alventosa, L. Moliner, F. Sánchez, A.J. González, M.J. Rodríguez-Alvarez, and J.M. Benlloch.
Title: ”Building blocks of a multi-layer PET with time sequence photon interaction discrimination and double Compton camera”, Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A895(2018)74-83. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2018.03.076).

Authors: María José Rodríguez-Alvarez, Filomeno Sánchez, Antonio Soriano, Laura Moliner, Sebastián Sánchez, José María Benlloch.
Title: QR-factorization Algorithm for Computed Tomography: Comparison with FDK and Conjugate Gradient (CG) Algorithms. IEEE Transactions on Radiation and Plasma Medical Sciences., 2(2018)459-469.
(https://doi.org/10.1109/TRPMS.2018.2843803).

Authors: A.J. González, F. Sánchez,and José M. Benlloch.
Title:”Organ-Dedicated Molecular Imaging Systems”, IEEE Transactions On Radiation And Plasma Medical Sci. 2(2018)388-403. : https://doi.org/10.1109/TRPMS.2018.2846745

Authors: Antonio J. Gonzalez,…,F. Sánchez,…J.M. Benlloch.
Title:”Feasibility study of a small animal PET insert based on a single LYSO monolithic tube”, Front. Med. (Lausanne) 2018; Vol. 5: 328(2018) PMC6279866. 10.3389/fmed.2018.00328

Authors: Andrea González-Montoro, Filomeno Sánchez, Peter Bruyndonckx, Gabriel Cañizares, J.M. Benlloch, Antonio J. González.
Title: “Novel Method to Measure the Intrinsic Spatial Resolution in PET Detectors Based on Monolithic Crystals”, Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A, 920(2019)58-67.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2018.12.056

Authors: Antonio J. Gonzalez, Andrea Gonzalez-Montoro, Luis F. Vidal, Julio Barbera, Sebastian Aussenhofer, Laura Moliner, Filomeno Sanchez, et al.,
Title:”Initial Results of the MINDView PET Insert Inside the 3T mMR”, IEEE Transactions On Radiation And Plasma Medical Sci. 3(2019)343-351.
https://doi.org/10.1109/TRPMS.2018.2866899

CONFERENCES

AUTHORS: Andrea Gonzalez-Montoro, Albert Aguilar, Gabriel Cañizares, Pablo Conde, Liczandro Hernandez, Efthimis Lamprou, Sebastian Sánchez, Filomeno Sánchez, Jose M. Benlloch, Antonio J. Gonzalez, Julio Barberá and Juan V. Catret.
TITLE: Edge effect reduction on monolithic LYSO crystals
CONFERENCE: PSMR 2017 6th Conference on PET-MRI and SPECT-MRI

AUTHORS: Albert Aguilar, Andrea González-Montoro, Efthimis Lamprou, Jose M. Monzó, Gabriel Cañizares, Luis F. Vidal, Liczandro Hernández, Pablo Conde, Sebastian Sánchez, Filomeno Sánchez, Antonio J. González and José M. Benlloch.
TITLE: Pilot validation of the TOFPET1 ASIC using large monolithic blocks
CONFERENCE: PSMR 2017 6th Conference on PET-MRI and SPECT-MRI

AUTHORS: A. Gonzalez-Montoro, F. Sánchez, S. Majewski, S. Zanettini, J. M. Benlloch and A. J. González.
TITLE: Highly improved operation of BGO-PET blocks
CONFERENCE: iWORID2017 19th International Workshop on Radiation Imaging Detectors

AUTHORS: Antonio J. Gonzalez, Andrea Gonzalez-Montoro, Albert Aguilar, Gabriel Cañizares, Rosana Martí, Sofia Iranzo, Efthimis Lamprou, Sebastian Sanchez, Filomeno Sánchez, and Jose M. Benlloch.
TITLE: A scintillator geometry suitable for very small PET gantries
CONFERENCE: iWORID2017 19th International Workshop on Radiation Imaging Detectors

AUTHORS: Albert Aguilar, Andrea Gonzalez-Montoro, Efthimis Lamprou, Jose M Monzo, Gabriel Cañizares, Luis F. Vidal, Liczandro Hernandez, Pablo Conde, Sebastian Sánchez, Filomeno Sánchez, Antonio J. Gonzalez, Jose M. Benlloch
TITLE: PET Detector Block with Accurate 4D Capabilities
CONFERENCE: 8th International Conference on New Developments in Photodetection NDIP 2017

AUTHORS: Albert Aguilar, Efthimis Lamprou, Andrea González-Montoro, Jose M. Monzó, Gabriel Cañizares, Luis F. Vidal, LiczandroHernández, Sofia Iranzo, RosanaMartí, Sebastian Sánchez, FilomenoSánchez, Antonio J. González and José M. Benlloch.
TITLE: Progress report for an accurate PET detector based on SiPMs and the TOFPET ASIC
CONFERENCE: 2017 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging conference

AUTHORS: A. González-Montoro, S. Majewski, S. Zanettini, F. Sánchez, A. Aguilar, J. M. Benlloch, A. J. González
TITLE: PET detector block with DOI capabilities based on a large monolithic BGO crystal
CONFERENCE: 2017 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging conference

AUTHORS: Andrea Gonzalez-Montoro, Filomeno Sánchez, Peter Bruyndonckx, Gabriel Cañizares, Albert Aguilar, Sofia Iranzo, Efthimis Lamprou, Rosana Martí, Sebastián Sanchez, Jose M. Benlloch and Antonio J. Gonzalez.
TITLE: A Method to Measure the Intrinsic Detector Resolution on Monolithic Crystals.
CONFERENCE: 2017 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging conference

AUTHORS: Andrea Gonzalez-Montoro, Filomeno Sánchez, Gabriel Cañizares, Peter Bruyndonckx, Jose M. Benlloch, and Antonio J. González.
TITLE: A Novel Method for Determining the Intrinsic Detector Resolution on Monolithic Crystals
CONFERENCE: PSMR 2018 7th Conference on PET/MR and SPECT/MR

AUTHORS: Andrea Gonzalez-Montoro, Efthymios Lamprou, Alfonso Perez, Liczandro Hernández, Gabriel Cañizares, M. Freire, E.J. Pincay, J. Barrio, S. Sánchez, Filomeno Sánchez, L.F. Vidal, José M. Benlloch, and Antonio J. González.
TITLE: Reduction signals method preserving spatial and temporal capabilities.
CONFERENCE: 2018 21st IEEE Real Time Conference

AUTHORS: E. Lamprou, A. Aguilar, A. Gonzalez-Montoro, G. Cañizares, V. Ilisie, F. Sánchez, A. J. González, and J. M. Benlloch.
TITLE: Characterization of TOF-PET Detectors Based on Monolithic Blocks and an ASIC-Readout.
CONFERENCE: 2018 21st IEEE Real Time Conference

AUTHORS: S. Sánchez.., J. M. Alvárez-Gómez, A. Soriano, L. Moliner, F. Sánchez, A. J. González, J. M.Benlloch, M. J. Rodríguez-Álvarez.
TITLE: Ray Tracing Generalized Backprojection-Filtration Algorithm for Positron Emission Tomography.
CONFERENCE: International Conference on Bio-Medical Instrumentation and related Engineering and Physical Sciences (BIOMEP 2017).

AUTHORS: l. Moliner,…, M. J. Rodríguez-Álvarez.
TITLE: Strategies of statistical windows in PET image reconstruction to improve the user’s real time experience .
CONFERENCE: International Conference on Bio-Medical Instrumentation and related Engineering and Physical Sciences (BIOMEP 2017).

AUTHORS: A. González-Montoro, A. Perez, L. Hernandez, E. Lamprou, J. Barrio, G. Cañizares, M. Freire, S. Sanchez, F. Sánchez, L. F. Vidal, V. Ilisie, J. M. Benlloch, A. J. González
TITLE:Reduction of readout channels in PET detectors preserving performance capabilities.
CONFERENCE: 2018 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging conference

AUTHORS: E. Lamprou, A. Aguilar, G. Cañizares, A. González-Montoro, V. Ilisie, J. Barrio, F. Sánchez, A. J. González, J. M. Benlloch.
TITLE: PET detector combining monolithic crystals and ASIC readout
CONFERENCE: 2018 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging conference

AUTHORS: A. González-Montoro, F. Sánchez, P. Bruyndonckx, G. Cañizares, J. M. Benlloch, A. J. González
TITLE: Accurate method providing intrinsic spatial resolution on monolithic based PET detectors
CONFERENCE: 2018 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging conference

AUTHORS: A. J. González, A. González-Montoro, J. Barbera, L. F. Vidal, E. J. Pincay, L. Hernandez, L. Moliner, G. Cañizares, E. Lamprou, S. Sanchez, F. Sánchez, C. Correcher, J. V. Catret, S. Jimenez-Serrano, S. Aussenhofer, J. Cabello, M. Schwaiger, A. Iborra, T. Merlin, D. Visvikis, J. M. Benlloch
TITLE: Performance study of the MINDView PET insert
CONFERENCE: 2018 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging conference

AUTHORS: Victor Ilisie, Filomeno Sánchez, José María Benlloch Baviera, John Barrio, Antonio Javier González, Laura Moliner
TITLE: Limits on Compton interaction knowledge for a monolithic scintillator
CONFERENCE: 6 CONGRESO CONJUNTO SEFM-SEPR, Burgos, Junio 2019

AUTHORS: Victor Ilisie, José María Benlloch Baviera, Filomeno Sánchez.
TITLE: Cámara gamma de alta resolución y sensibilidad con tabiques activos
CONFERENCE: 6 CONGRESO CONJUNTO SEFM-SEPR, Burgos, Junio 2019

AUTHORS: Marta Freire, Andrea Gonzalez-Montoro, Filomeno Sánchez, Antonio J. González
TITLE: Full Calibration of PET Detectors Based on Monolithic Blocks Using Voronoi Diagrams
CONFERENCE: PSMR 2019 8th Conference on PET/MR and SPECT/MR