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HIGH PRESSURE XENON 3D IMAGING DETECTOR

Award Information
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Branch: National Institutes of Health
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 1R43RR016169-01
Amount: $129,736.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2001
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
8018 EL RIO
HOUSTON, TX 77054
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 JEFFREY LACY
 () -
Business Contact
Phone: (713) 747-7324
Email: JLACY@PROPORTIONALTECH.COM
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

DESCRIPTION (Provided by Applicant): All clinical nuclear medicine imaging,
both PET and single photon, is done exclusively with crystal detector systems.
These detectors impose a host of limitations in both cost and technical
performance. In 140 keV imaging, the NaJ/PMT camera, the workhorse of nuclear
medicine, is extremely bulky, costly, and limited in both count rate and
spatial resolution. In 511 keV PET imaging, exotic high Z crystals must be
employed leading to very high cost and very limited solid angle. Under HL59805,
PTI has developed a practical small tubular high pressure xenon detector which
can operate in sealed mode for years at a density of 0.55 g/cm3. This medium
has the potential to produce a 10-fold energy resolution improvement over Nal
and LSO and a time resolution comparable to LSO. We propose, as an extension of
the PTI small tubular detector, a larger cylindrical pulse ionization detector
(20-50 mm in diameter) equipped with a segmented cathode strip structure and a
tight transmitting end window. Extensive pilot analytical studies indicate
that, through use of the strip cathode electrode signal distribution, a general
purpose detector element can be achieved capable of both 140 keV and 511 keV
imaging and having excellent 3-D spatial resolution on the order of 1 mm. Pilot
experimental studies indicate that, through use of light signals produced by
both the primary interaction process and stimulated emission near the electron
collection point at the anode, energy resolution approaching amplifier noise
limits is possible. Thus, for an amplifier noise of 50 e- rms, energy
resolution at 140 keV can be under 2 percent FWHM and significantly better at
511 keV. The density of xenon employed is about 6-fold less than Nal but still
affords efficient detection of 140 keV in a suitably thin detector. For 511 keV
detection, the multiple interaction vertices which occur in xenon are
adequately spread out among distinct tubes in an absorbing array and primary
scintillation light provides coincidence time resolution of I ns. Thus, the
proposed detector element configured in appropriate arrays can offer greatly
improved performance in both of the major nuclear medicine imaging arenas. In
Phase I, feasibility and functional spatial and energy resolution limits will
be established through construction and testing of prototypes. In Phase II, a
fully functional detector element will be developed and operated in small
arrays to evaluate practical clinical imaging applications.
PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION:
The current application proposes development of a novel high pressure xenon radiation
detector element that will offer substantial improvements in spatial and energy resolutions
for energies including 140 keV and 511 keV. Thus, this technology could provide a high
performance, durable, and relatively low cost radiation detection medium for use in many
nuclear imaging technologies, including PET, collimated single photon imaging, and Compton
imaging. Because this technology could replace the basic detection element in a broad
range of applications, it has a very large potential commercial market.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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