A Dedicated PET Scanner for Axillary Node Imaging.
Abstract
A key prognostic factor in breast cancer is the involvement of the axillary lymph nodes. This is currently determined by axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), a low yield surgical procedure associated with significant cost and morbidity. Positron Emission Tomography (PET), using F-18fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) tracer is a sensitive and non-invasive test for lymph node involvement and can be a cost effective alternative to ALND. In this project we have developed a low cost, high performance dedicated PET camera (maxPET) for axillary node imaging. The system can also be used for direct imaging of the breast. The system consists of two 9 x 9 cm area planar scintillation detector arrays, comprising 3x3x20 mm lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) detector elements, read out by a 3 x 3 array of position sensitive photomultiplier tubes. We are currently assembling the system and developing the data acquisition hardware and software. The finished system is projected to have a spatial resolution of approximately 3 mm and a sensitivity of up to 40% for a central point source. We have also developed a realistic phantom of the human torso for testing this system and other dedicated PET systems designed for breast cancer applications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA357559
Entities
People
- Simon Cherry
Organizations
- University of California, Los Angeles