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Author Brzezinski, K.; Oliver, J.F.; Gillam, J.; Rafecas, M. doi  openurl
  Title Study of a high-resolution PET system using a Silicon detector probe Type Journal Article
  Year 2014 Publication Physics in Medicine and Biology Abbreviated Journal Phys. Med. Biol.  
  Volume 59 Issue 20 Pages 6117-6140  
  Keywords PET; high-resolution imaging; Si detectors; PET insert  
  Abstract A high-resolution silicon detector probe, in coincidence with a conventional PET scanner, is expected to provide images of higher quality than those achievable using the scanner alone. Spatial resolution should improve due to the finer pixelization of the probe detector, while increased sensitivity in the probe vicinity is expected to decrease noise. A PET-probe prototype is being developed utilizing this principle. The system includes a probe consisting of ten layers of silicon detectors, each a 80 x 52 array of 1 x 1 x 1 mm(3) pixels, to be operated in coincidence with a modern clinical PET scanner. Detailed simulation studies of this system have been performed to assess the effect of the additional probe information on the quality of the reconstructed images. A grid of point sources was simulated to study the contribution of the probe to the system resolution at different locations over the field of view (FOV). A resolution phantom was used to demonstrate the effect on image resolution for two probe positions. A homogeneous source distribution with hot and cold regions was used to demonstrate that the localized improvement in resolution does not come at the expense of the overall quality of the image. Since the improvement is constrained to an area close to the probe, breast imaging is proposed as a potential application for the novel geometry. In this sense, a simplified breast phantom, adjacent to heart and torso compartments, was simulated and the effect of the probe on lesion detectability, through measurements of the local contrast recovery coefficient-to-noise ratio (CNR), was observed. The list-mode ML-EM algorithm was used for image reconstruction in all cases. As expected, the point spread function of the PET-probe system was found to be non-isotropic and vary with position, offering improvement in specific regions. Increase in resolution, of factors of up to 2, was observed in the region close to the probe. Images of the resolution phantom showed visible improvement in resolution when including the probe in the simulations. The image quality study demonstrated that contrast and spill-over ratio in other areas of the FOV were not sacrificed for this enhancement. The CNR study performed on the breast phantom indicates increased lesion detectability provided by the probe.  
  Address [Brzezinski, K.; Oliver, J. F.; Gillam, J.; Rafecas, M.] Univ Valencia, CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular, E-46980 Valencia, Spain, Email: brzezinski@ific.uv.es  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher (up) Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0031-9155 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000343092300011 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 1963  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ortega, P.G.; Torres-Espallardo, I.; Cerutti, F.; Ferrari, A.; Gillam, J.E.; Lacasta, C.; Llosa, G.; Oliver, J.F.; Sala, P.R.; Solevi, P.; Rafecas, M. doi  openurl
  Title Noise evaluation of Compton camera imaging for proton therapy Type Journal Article
  Year 2015 Publication Physics in Medicine and Biology Abbreviated Journal Phys. Med. Biol.  
  Volume 60 Issue 5 Pages 1845-1863  
  Keywords proton therapy; Compton camera; Monte Carlo methods; FLUKA; prompt gamma; range verification; MLEM  
  Abstract Compton Cameras emerged as an alternative for real-time dose monitoring techniques for Particle Therapy (PT), based on the detection of prompt-gammas. As a consequence of the Compton scattering process, the gamma origin point can be restricted onto the surface of a cone (Compton cone). Through image reconstruction techniques, the distribution of the gamma emitters can be estimated, using cone-surfaces backprojections of the Compton cones through the image space, along with more sophisticated statistical methods to improve the image quality. To calculate the Compton cone required for image reconstruction, either two interactions, the last being photoelectric absorption, or three scatter interactions are needed. Because of the high energy of the photons in PT the first option might not be adequate, as the photon is not absorbed in general. However, the second option is less efficient. That is the reason to resort to spectral reconstructions, where the incoming. energy is considered as a variable in the reconstruction inverse problem. Jointly with prompt gamma, secondary neutrons and scattered photons, not strongly correlated with the dose map, can also reach the imaging detector and produce false events. These events deteriorate the image quality. Also, high intensity beams can produce particle accumulation in the camera, which lead to an increase of random coincidences, meaning events which gather measurements from different incoming particles. The noise scenario is expected to be different if double or triple events are used, and consequently, the reconstructed images can be affected differently by spurious data. The aim of the present work is to study the effect of false events in the reconstructed image, evaluating their impact in the determination of the beam particle ranges. A simulation study that includes misidentified events (neutrons and random coincidences) in the final image of a Compton Telescope for PT monitoring is presented. The complete chain of detection, from the beam particle entering a phantom to the event classification, is simulated using FLUKA. The range determination is later estimated from the reconstructed image obtained from a two and three-event algorithm based on Maximum Likelihood Expectation Maximization. The neutron background and random coincidences due to a therapeutic-like time structure are analyzed for mono-energetic proton beams. The time structure of the beam is included in the simulations, which will affect the rate of particles entering the detector.  
  Address [Ortega, P. G.; Cerutti, F.; Ferrari, A.] CERN European Org Nucl Res, CH-1217 Meyrin, Switzerland, Email: pgarciao@cern.ch  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher (up) Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0031-9155 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000349530700009 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2115  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Torres-Espallardo, I.; Diblen, F.; Rohling, H.; Solevi, P.; Gillam, J.; Watts, D.; Espana, S.; Vandenberghe, S.; Fiedler, F.; Rafecas, M. doi  openurl
  Title Evaluation of resistive-plate-chamber-based TOF-PET applied to in-beam particle therapy monitoring Type Journal Article
  Year 2015 Publication Physics in Medicine and Biology Abbreviated Journal Phys. Med. Biol.  
  Volume 60 Issue 9 Pages N187-N208  
  Keywords PET; in-beam; RPC; particle therapy; TOF; range deviation; partial-ring  
  Abstract Particle therapy is a highly conformal radiotherapy technique which reduces the dose deposited to the surrounding normal tissues. In order to fully exploit its advantages, treatment monitoring is necessary to minimize uncertainties related to the dose delivery. Up to now, the only clinically feasible technique for the monitoring of therapeutic irradiation with particle beams is Positron Emission Tomography (PET). In this work we have compared a Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC)-based PET scanner with a scintillation-crystal-based PET scanner for this application. In general, the main advantages of the RPC-PET system are its excellent timing resolution, low cost, and the possibility of building large area systems. We simulated a partial-ring scannerbeam monitoring, which has an intrinsically low positron yield compared to diagnostic PET. In addition, for in-beam PET there is a further data loss due to the partial ring configuration. In order to improve the performance of the RPC-based scanner, an improved version of the RPC detector (modifying the thickness of the gas and glass layers), providing a larger sensitivity, has been simulated and compared with an axially extended version of the crystal-based device. The improved version of the RPC shows better performance than the prototype, but the extended version of the crystal-based PET outperforms all other options. based on an RPC prototype under construction within the Fondazione per Adroterapia Oncologica (TERA). For comparison with the crystal-based PET scanner we have chosen the geometry of a commercially available PET scanner, the Philips Gemini TF. The coincidence time resolution used in the simulations takes into account the current achievable values as well as expected improvements of both technologies. Several scenarios (including patient data) have been simulated to evaluate the performance of different scanners. Initial results have shown that the low sensitivity of the RPC hampers its application to hadron  
  Address [Torres-Espallardo, I.; Solevi, P.; Gillam, J.; Rafecas, M.] UV, CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular IFIC, E-46071 Valencia, Spain, Email: irene.torres@uv.es  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher (up) Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0031-9155 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000354104700003 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2227  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Solevi, P.; Muñoz, E.; Solaz, C.; Trovato, M.; Dendooven, P.; Gillam, J.E.; Lacasta, C.; Oliver, J.F.; Rafecas, M.; Torres-Espallardo, I.; Llosa, G. doi  openurl
  Title Performance of MACACO Compton telescope for ion-beam therapy monitoring: first test with proton beams Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Physics in Medicine and Biology Abbreviated Journal Phys. Med. Biol.  
  Volume 61 Issue 14 Pages 5149-5165  
  Keywords ion-beam therapy; range verification; prompt gamma; Compton camera; GATE  
  Abstract In order to exploit the advantages of ion-beam therapy in a clinical setting, delivery verification techniques are necessary to detect deviations from the planned treatment. Efforts are currently oriented towards the development of devices for real-time range monitoring. Among the different detector concepts proposed, Compton cameras are employed to detect prompt gammas and represent a valid candidate for real-time range verification. We present the first on-beam test of MACACO, a Compton telescope (multi-layer Compton camera) based on lanthanum bromide crystals and silicon photo-multipliers. The Compton telescope was first characterized through measurements and Monte Carlo simulations. The detector linearity was measured employing Na-22 and Am-Be sources, obtaining about 10% deviation from linearity at 3.44 MeV. A spectral image reconstruction algorithm was tested on synthetic data. Point-like sources emitting gamma rays with energy between 2 and 7 MeV were reconstructed with 3-5 mm resolution. The two-layer Compton telescope was employed to measure radiation emitted from a beam of 150 MeV protons impinging on a cylindrical PMMA target. Bragg-peak shifts were achieved via adjustment of the PMMA target location and the resulting measurements used during image reconstruction. Reconstructed Bragg peak profiles proved sufficient to observe peak-location differences within 10 mm demonstrating the potential of the MACACO Compton Telescope as a monitoring device for ion-beam therapy.  
  Address [Solevi, Paola; Munoz, Enrique; Solaz, Carles; Trovato, Marco; Gillam, John E.; Lacasta, Carlos; Oliver, Josep F.; Rafecas, Magdalena; Torres-Espallardo, Irene; Llosa, Gabriela] IFIC CSIC UVEG, Inst Fis Corpuscular, Valencia, Spain, Email: paola.solevi@ovgu.de  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher (up) Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0031-9155 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000379555300007 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2754  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Brzezinski, K.; Oliver, J.F.; Gillam, J.; Rafecas, M.; Studen, A.; Grkovski, M.; Kagan, H.; Smith, S.; Llosa, G.; Lacasta, C.; Clinthorne, N.H. doi  openurl
  Title Experimental evaluation of the resolution improvement provided by a silicon PET probe Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of Instrumentation Abbreviated Journal J. Instrum.  
  Volume 11 Issue Pages P09016 - 13pp  
  Keywords Gamma camera; SPECT; PET PET/CT; coronary CT angiography (CTA); Medical-image reconstruction methods and algorithms; computer-aided software  
  Abstract A high-resolution PET system, which incorporates a silicon detector probe into a conventional PET scanner, has been proposed to obtain increased image quality in a limited region of interest. Detailed simulation studies have previously shown that the additional probe information improves the spatial resolution of the reconstructed image and increases lesion detectability, with no cost to other image quality measures. The current study expands on the previous work by using a laboratory prototype of the silicon PET-probe system to examine the resolution improvement in an experimental setting. Two different versions of the probe prototype were assessed, both consisting of a back-to-back pair of 1-mm thick silicon pad detectors, one arranged in 32 x 16 arrays of 1.4mm x 1.4mm pixels and the other in 40 x 26 arrays of 1.0mm x 1.0mm pixels. Each detector was read out by a set of VATAGP7 ASICs and a custom-designed data acquisition board which allowed trigger and data interfacing with the PET scanner, itself consisting of BGO block detectors segmented into 8 x 6 arrays of 6mm x 12mm x 30mm crystals. Limited-angle probe data was acquired from a group of Na-22 point-like sources in order to observe the maximum resolution achievable using the probe system. Data from a Derenzo-like resolution phantom was acquired, then scaled to obtain similar statistical quality as that of previous simulation studies. In this case, images were reconstructed using measurements of the PET ring alone and with the inclusion of the probe data. Images of the Na-22 source demonstrated a resolution of 1.5mm FWHM in the probe data, the PET ring resolution being approximately 6 mm. Profiles taken through the image of the Derenzo-like phantom showed a clear increase in spatial resolution. Improvements in peak-to-valley ratios of 50% and 38%, in the 4.8mm and 4.0mm phantom features respectively, were observed, while previously unresolvable 3.2mm features were brought to light by the addition of the probe. These results support the possibility of improving the image resolution of a clinical PET scanner using the silicon PET-probe.  
  Address [Brzezinski, K.; Oliver, J. F.; Gillam, J.; Rafecas, M.; Llosa, G.; Lacasta, C.] Univ Valencia, CSIC, Inst Fis Corpuscular, C Catedrat Jose Beltran 2, Valencia, Spain, Email: k.w.brzezinski@rug.nl  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher (up) Iop Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1748-0221 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes WOS:000387862300016 Approved no  
  Is ISI yes International Collaboration yes  
  Call Number IFIC @ pastor @ Serial 2865  
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