Program Information
Development of a Human Brain PET for On-Line Proton Beam-Range Verification
Yiping Shao, Department of Imaging Physics, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
Presentations
MO-FG-CAMPUS-J-13 (Monday, July 13, 2015) 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Room: Exhibit Hall
Purpose: To develop a prototype PET for verifying proton beam-range before each fractionated therapy that will enable on-line re-planning proton therapy.
Methods: Latest “edge-less” silicon photomultiplier arrays and customized ASIC readout electronics were used to develop PET detectors with depth-of-interaction (DOI) measurement capability. Each detector consists of one LYSO array with each end coupled to a SiPM array. Multiple detectors can be seamlessly tiled together to form a large detector panel. Detectors with 1.5x1.5 and 2.0x2.0 mm crystals at 20 or 30 mm lengths were studied. Readout of individual SiPM or signal multiplexing was used to transfer 3D interaction position-coded analog signals through flexible-print-circuit cables or PCB board to dedicated ASIC front-end electronics to output digital timing pulses that encode interaction information. These digital pulses can be transferred to, through standard LVDS cables, and decoded by a FPGA-based data acquisition of coincidence events and data transfer. The modular detector and scalable electronics/data acquisition will enable flexible PET system configuration for different imaging geometry.
Results: Initial detector performance measurement shows excellent crystal identification even with 30 mm long crystals, ~18% and 2.8 ns energy and timing resolutions, and around 2-3 mm DOI resolution. A small prototype PET scanner with one detector ring has been built and evaluated, validating the technology and design. A large size detector panel has been fabricated by scaling up from modular detectors. Different designs of resistor and capacitor based signal multiplexing boards were tested and selected based on optimal crystal identification and timing performance. Stackable readout electronics boards and FPGA-based data acquisition boards were developed and tested. A brain PET is under construction.
Conclusion: Technology of large-size DOI detector based on SiPM array and advanced readout has been developed. PET imaging performance and initial phantom studies of on-line proton beam-range measurement will be conducted and reported.
Funding Support, Disclosures, and Conflict of Interest: NIH grant R21CA187717 Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas grant RP120326
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