High Resolution Fast Stereotactic PET Imager for Prostate Biopsy

We are developing a dedicated high resolution (sub-mm), high efficiency, and very fast (with live reconstruction) prostate PET imager composed of an endorectal PET probe and two PET panel modules placed close to the patient on the opposite side of the prostate, and operating in coincidence with the probe. The immediate live image feedback will be primarily useful in biopsy guidance. PET images will be co-registered with the images from the Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS) probe that will provide the usual structural 2D or 3D information, while the PET imager will provide the metabolic information related to the biological state of the prostate. We are reporting on preliminary data acquired with the prototype imager. The major highlight is that we are achieving similar to 1mm FWHM DOI resolution with the PET probe, using new monolithic MPPC arrays from Hamamatsu. But even with a non-DOI probe, we obtained good performance in this limited angle tomography problem.