You are here

GROWTH OF LUTETIUM PHOSPHATE SCINTILLATOR CRYSTALS FOR POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY

Award Information
Agency: Department of Energy
Branch: N/A
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 27257
Amount: $75,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1994
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
303a Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02115
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Dr Alexander Lempicki
 (617) 353-9581
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY (PET) IS A POWERFUL NEW TOOL FOR RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGING OF HUMAN ORGANS, PARTICULARLY THE BRAIN. HOWEVER, MOST PRESENTLY KNOWN SCINTILLATOR MATERIALS FIND THEIR APPLICATION LIMITED BY DEFICIENCIES IN ONE OR MORE OF THE DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS: BRIGHTNESS, STOPPING POWER, SPEED, CHEMICAL STABILITY, AND COST. THUS, THE FULL REALIZATION OF THE POTENTIAL OF THIS DIAGNOSTIC TOOL REQUIRES THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE SCINTILLATOR MATERIALS THAT ARE FASTER, BRIGHTER, AND MORE SENSITIVE THAN ANY THAT ARE PRESENTLY AVAILABLE. A NEW MATERIAL SYSTEM WITH GREAT PROMISE AS A SCINTILLATION DETECTOR FOR PET APPLICATIONS HAS BEEN DISCOVERED. THIS MATERIAL, CERIUM-DOPED LUTETIUM PHOSPHATE, OFFERS A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE OVER THOSE NOW BEING USED. IT HAS HIGH STOPPING POWER, SUPERIOR LIGHT OUTPUT, AND RAPID DECAY. INDEED, IT IS UNIQUE AMONG CURRENTLY KNOWN MATERIALS IN COMBINING SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE IN ALL IMPORTANT ASPECTS FOR SUCH APPLICATION. DESPITE ALL THESE ESTABLISHED ADVANTAGES, HOWEVER, ONE MAJOR DEVELOPMENT REMAINS TO BE ACHIVED BEFORE THEY CAN FULFILL THEIR DESTINED ROLE: A COMMERCIALLY VIABLE METHOD FOR FABRICATION. IN PHASE I THE FEASIBILITY OF APPLYING EITHER OF TWO RECOGNIZED TECHNOLOGIES, CZOCHRALSKI GROWTH FROM THE MELT AND TRAVELING ZONE FLUX GROWTH, TO THE PRACTICAL FABRICATION OF THE REQUISITE CRYSTALS WILL BE ASSESSED. SUITABLE SPECIMENS WILL THEN BE EVALUATED OPTICALLY, A FABRICATION METHOD OF CHOICE IDENTIFIED, AND THE GROUNDWORK LAID FOR FULL-SCALE EXPLOITATION IN PHASE II.

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

US Flag An Official Website of the United States Government