? The goal of this work is to develop and commercialize a new radionuclide-imaging camera based on germanium orthogonal strip detectors (GOSD) that will improve the detection of low-contrast objects, including tumors in biological and medical applications. During Phase I a 23-strip x 23-strip, 3mm pitch (about 7cm x 7cm active area), 12mm thick detector was developed. ? ? In the first year of Phase II, a digital electronic readout system was designed, fabricated, and, when used with the detector developed during Phase I, was shown to conveniently acquire images. This readout system was also shown to be capable of processing the necessary signals to greatly increase the sensitivity by including events that initially interact in the germanium detector by Compton scattering. ? ? In Phase II a second GOSD system will be fabricated. The second detector will be used for testing new detector technology innovations while the first detector is available for camera evaluation. These tests will include detector characterization, correction for spatial variations in response characteristics (detector and collimator), and assessment of response for inanimate test objects. To take full advantage of the improved spatial and energy resolution provided by a GOSD an appropriate collimator must be used. A major effort to design, construct, test, and then refine such a collimator will be undertaken during Phase II. When the system response to realistic test objects is established, these test objects will be taken to other research centers where competitive state of the art imaging instruments exist or are under development. In this manner, comparisons with other pixilated detectors will determine differences in experimental performance. ? ?
| Schwendt, Marek; Sigmon, Stacey A; McGinty, Jacqueline F (2012) RGS4 overexpression in the rat dorsal striatum modulates mGluR5- and amphetamine-mediated behavior and signaling. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 221:621-35 |
