Evaluation Performance of Clearmind: a Large-Axial-Fov Monolithic-Crystal PET System with GATE

Le résumé fourni par la source

Improving sensitivity and timing resolution are key milestones in advancing PET scanner performance. The ClearMind project investigates the use of monolithic crystals to enhance Cherenkov light collection, thereby improving time-of-flight resolution, and supporting the design of a total-body PET scanner to increase sensitivity. This work presents the results of the first full system simulations, using GATE, for the evaluation of performance metrics such as total sensitivity, Single Slice Re-Binning (SSRB), Noise Equivalent Count Rate (NECR), coincidence time resolution, and spatial resolution. The geometry of the system comprises 64 cm -diameter rings populated with 32 Lead Tungstate crystals measuring$59 \times 59 \times 10 ~\text{mm}^{3}$and compiled in a 16 -ring scanner, resulting in a total axial length of 100 cm. The total sensitivity measured with this ClearMind prototype reached a value of$174 \text{kcps} / \text{MBq}$, the SSRB tests presented values with a maximum at$360 \text{cps} /(\text{MBq} \cdot \text{mm})$and a maximum NECR at$6 \text{MBq} / \text{ml}$of 2313 kcps. Furthermore, this 100 cm prototype achieved a constant spatial resolution with a full width at half maximum of$4.13 \pm 19 ~\text{mm}$measured within distances up to 37 cm and 14 cm in the axial and radial axes, respectively. These tests were later compared with four state-of-the-art systems with very competitive results. These findings demonstrate the promising capabilities of monolithic crystals and establish a foundation for further refinement and eventual image acquisition with PET systems based on this technology.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.