SU-E-I-63: Performance Study of An Electron-Tracking Compton Camera for Medical Imaging

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging Physics
• Nuclear Medicine Technology
• Particle Detection Systems

Background:

• Conventional gamma-ray detectors like PET and SPECT face limitations in energy range and field of view, hindering advanced medical imaging research.
• Existing Compton cameras (CC) lack the ability to track Compton recoil electrons, impacting imaging resolution and power.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel electron-tracking Compton camera (ETCC) to overcome the limitations of conventional medical imaging detectors.
• To introduce a new detector design utilizing a time projection chamber (TPC) with micro pixel chambers (μPIC) for enhanced electron tracking capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Developed an electron-tracking Compton camera (ETCC) incorporating a time projection chamber (TPC) with micro pixel chambers (μPIC).
• The μPIC detector offers a position resolution below 400 μm, enabling the capture of Compton recoil electron tracks.
• Utilized established physics principles for Compton camera reconstruction, allowing for a wide energy dynamic range and field of view.

Main Results:

• The prototype ETCC demonstrated a wide energy dynamic range (200-1300 keV) and a broad field of view (3 steradians).
• Successfully imaged various agents in mice, including F-18-FDG (511 keV), I-131-MIBG (364 keV) simultaneously, Zn-65-porphyrin (1116 keV), and minerals (Mn-54, Zn-65).
• Achieved 3-D imaging capabilities with a single-head camera system, overcoming directional limitations of previous setups.

Conclusions:

• The developed ETCC represents a significant advancement for new medical imaging modalities.
• Successful imaging of multiple reagents demonstrates the potential of ETCC in preclinical research.
• Ongoing development aims to achieve faster imaging times (within 30 minutes for mouse imaging), further enhancing its clinical applicability.