New Continuous Miniature Crystal Element (cMiCE) Detector Geometries.

Area of Science:

• Nuclear physics
• Medical imaging technology
• Materials science

Background:

• High-resolution positron emission tomography (PET) systems often utilize discrete crystal designs, which can be costly.
• Continuous miniature crystal element (cMiCE) detectors present a potentially more affordable approach to achieving high spatial resolution in PET.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the intrinsic spatial resolution performance of two cMiCE PET detector designs with depth of interaction (DOI) capabilities.
• To assess the suitability of different cMiCE detector thicknesses for specific imaging applications, such as small animal and human organ imaging.

Main Methods:

• Two cMiCE PET detector prototypes were constructed using LYSO crystals coupled to 64-channel multi-anode PMTs.
• The first detector featured an 8mm thick crystal with beveled edges, providing 4 DOI layers.
• The second detector used a 15mm thick crystal, offering up to 15 DOI layers. Intrinsic spatial resolution and DOI resolution were measured.

Main Results:

• The 8mm thick detector achieved an average intrinsic X, Y spatial resolution of 1.33 ± 0.31 mm FWHM with an average DOI resolution of 3.5 ± 0.22 mm.
• The 15mm thick detector demonstrated an average intrinsic X, Y spatial resolution of 1.74 ± 0.35 mm FWHM and an average DOI resolution of 4.80 ± 0.36 mm over a defined region.

Conclusions:

• The 8mm thick cMiCE detector design is well-suited for high-resolution mouse imaging applications.
• The 15mm thick cMiCE detector design shows promise for organ-specific human PET imaging systems, such as those for breast and brain imaging.