NEW TRENDS IN PET DETECTOR DEVELOPMENTS

Abstract

In-vivo molecular imaging is going to encounter a spectacular development in the coming years as it will allow to bridge post-genomics research activities with new diagnostics and therapeutic strategies for major diseases. In particular the molecular profiling of tumors and gene expression can lead to tailored therapies and therapeutic monitoring of major diseases like cancer, degenerative and genetic diseases. Moreover the repeatability of non-invasive approaches allows more precise evaluation of drug targeting and pharmacokinetics studies on small animals, as well as precise screening and treatment follow-up of patients. At the same time the impressive technological developments in several areas of applied physics, in particular to answer the challenge of a new generation of particle physics detectors and of the development of an information based society open the way to a major breakthrough in the performance of presently available imaging tools. This talk will explain what are the critical parameters of modern medical imaging and what are the conditions for a significant breakthrough in sensitivity, spatial resolution and multimodality capability compared to presently available PET scanners. In particular it will illustrate the need for the development of a high resolution, high sensitivity multi- energy X-ray/gamma detection module compatible with very high imaging magnetic field. This module should provide a quantum step towards truly multimodality for in vivo molecular imaging involving MRI, CT, PET and/or SPECT able to co-register the anatomy with the metabolic function quantitatively. CT is important in this regards, since it can be used to scale up the attenuation map and obtain absolute activity measurement in the case of PET.