Combining Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) results in a promising hybrid molecular imaging modality as it unifies the high sensitivity of PET for molecular and cellular processes with the functional and anatomical information from MRI. Digital Silicon Photomultipliers (dSiPMs) are the digital evolution in scintillation light detector technology and promise high PET SNR. DSiPMs from Philips Digital Photon Counting (PDPC) were used to develop a preclinical PET/RF gantry with 1-mm scintillation crystal pitch as an insert for clinical MRI scanners. With three exchangeable RF coils, the hybrid field of view has a maximum size of 160 mm × 96.6 mm (transaxial × axial). 0.1 ppm volume-root-mean-square B 0-homogeneity is kept within a spherical diameter of 96 mm (automatic volume shimming). Depending on the coil, MRI SNR is decreased by 13% or 5% by the PET system. PET count rates, energy resolution of 12.6% FWHM, and spatial resolution of 0.73 mm (3) (isometric volume resolution at isocenter) are not affected by applied MRI sequences. PET time resolution of 565 ps (FWHM) degraded by 6 ps during an EPI sequence. Timing-optimized settings yielded 260 ps time resolution. PET and MR images of a hot-rod phantom show no visible differences when the other modality was in operation and both resolve 0.8-mm rods. Versatility of the insert is shown by successfully combining multi-nuclei MRI ((1)H/(19)F) with simultaneously measured PET ((18)F-FDG). A longitudinal study of a tumor-bearing mouse verifies the operability, stability, and in vivo capabilities of the system. Cardiac- and respiratory-gated PET/MRI motion-capturing (CINE) images of the mouse heart demonstrate the advantage of simultaneous acquisition for temporal and spatial image registration.
A new method to determine the spin tune is described and tested. In an ideal planar magnetic ring, the spin tune-defined as the number of spin precessions per turn-is given by ν s ¼ γG (γ is the Lorentz factor, G the gyromagnetic anomaly). At 970 MeV=c, the deuteron spins coherently precess at a frequency of ≈120 kHz in the Cooler Synchrotron COSY. The spin tune is deduced from the up-down asymmetry of deuteron-carbon scattering. In a time interval of 2.6 s, the spin tune was determined with a precision of the PRL 115, 094801 (2015) P H Y S I C A L
The combination of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) into a single device is being considered a promising tool for molecular imaging as it combines the high sensitivity of PET with the functional and anatomical images of MRI. For highest performance, a scalable, MR compatible detector architecture with a small form factor is needed, targeting at excellent PET signal-to-noise ratios and time-of-flight information. Therefore it is desirable to use silicon photo multipliers and to digitize their signals directly in the detector modules inside the MRI bore. A preclinical PET/RF insert for clinical MRI scanner was built to demonstrate a new architecture and to study the interactions between the two modalities.The disturbance of the MRI's static magnetic field stays below 2 ppm peak-to-peak within a diameter of 56 mm (90 mm using standard automatic volume shimming). MRI SNR is decreased by 14%, RF artefacts (dotted lines) are only visible in sequences with very low SNR. Ghosting artefacts are visible to the eye in about 26% of the EPI images, severe ghosting only in 7.6%. Eddy-current related heating effects during long EPI sequences are noticeable but with low influence of 2% on the coincidences count rate. The time resolution of 2.5 ns, the energy resolution of 29.7% and the volumetric spatial resolution of 1.8 mm(3) in the PET isocentre stay unaffected during MRI operation. Phantom studies show no signs of other artefacts or distortion in both modalities. A living rat was simultaneously imaged after the injection with (18)F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) proving the in vivo capabilities of the system.
The conventional Wien filter is a device with orthogonal static magnetic and electric fields, often used for velocity separation of charged particles. Here we describe the electromagnetic design calculations for a novel waveguide RF Wien filter that will be employed to solely manipulate the spins of protons or deuterons at frequencies of about 0.1 to 2 MHz at the COoler SYnchrotron COSY at Jülich. The device will be used in a future experiment that aims at measuring the proton and deuteron electric dipole moments, which are expected to be very small. Their determination, however, would have a huge impact on our understanding of the universe.
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