Applying new technology to medical imaging systems

Compton Camera technology is highly effective in reconstructing gamma ray isotope distributions, but it had never been used for medical imaging, where gamma ray energies are low.

A team from the University of Liverpool's Department of Physics set out to investigate the suitability of Compton cameras as medical imaging sensors, with a view to creating higher performing systems.

What were the main challenges of the project?

There were two main challenges. First we had to compare and contrast the performance of Compton Cameras as medical imaging sensors with the current technologies in use.

This required us to identify and develop novel methods that would let us capture the very detailed measurements required to produce credible evidence, to clinical standards.

To do so we worked closely with clinicians and engineers, both within the University and externally (see below).

Having successfully identified performance advantages, the project is now focusing on building a demonstration device for evaluation by the wider clinical community. This phase will take place later in 2012.

Who was involved in the project?

Staff from the Department of Physics undertook the project, working with hospital-based clinicians and colleagues in the Faculty of Health & Life Sciences at the University of Liverpool.

GE Healthcare supported the early stages of the project and we had an further collaboration with the team behind the GAMOS modelling tool, which we configured to take our measurements.

How is the project progressing?

The comparison phase is complete and we are now building the demonstrator device. This should be ready to use by the middle of 2012.

At this point we will invite a broad cross-section of clinicians to evaluate the system.