A Positron Emission Mammography Imager for a PEM/PET Biopsy Device

A positron emission mammography/tomography (PEM/PET) biopsy device is being developed to detect suspicious breast lesions and then to guide needle biopsies of these lesions in women who have indeterminate mammograms because of dense or fibroglandular breasts. The PI of this NIH-funded project is Ray Raylman at West Virginia University (WVU). Jefferson Lab will design and build two sets of large-area PEM detectors that will be integrated into a rotating gantry at WVU. The detectors will incorporate the latest developments in gamma/positron imaging technology with flat panel photomultiplier tubes, pixellated scintillator arrays and fast front-end and data acquisition electronics. Jefferson Lab is also assisting in simulation and image reconstruction for this dedicated breast imager. Laboratory, pre-clinical and clinical evaluations of the system are underway or planned at Jefferson Lab and WVU.

References:
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