The value of positron emission tomography (PET) lies in its unsurpassed high-sensitivity for tracking biomarkers and molecular processes in vivo; however, it lacks the ability of multiplexing signals from more than one radiotracer thus limiting the amount of information available after each scan. We have developed a new technology compatible with any existing PET system, that enables simultaneous imaging of two radio tracers in a single PET acquisition. We accomplished this by combining a radiotracer labeled with a standard positron-emitting radionuclide with another labeled with a radionuclide emitting prompt γ-rays together with the positrons. Recovered images from simultaneous dual-tracer PET acquisitions were comparable to those obtained in sequential single tracer scans, allowing the identification and quantification in-vivo of several interlinked disease markers in a single acquisition
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Triple coincidences in positron emission tomography (PET) are events in which three γ-rays are detected simultaneously. These events, though potentially useful for enhancing the sensitivity of PET scanners, are discarded or processed without special consideration in current systems, because there is not a clear criterion for assigning them to a unique line-of-response (LOR). We have developed several novel strategies to use these type of events in PET including multiplexed PET imaging, enhance the sensitivity of the scanner or improve image quality when using non-standard positron emitting radionuclides.
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Small animal imaging is an important tool in several disciplines such as drug development and translational cancer research. The most significant among the clear advantages of imaging is that functional information at the molecular and cellular levels can be measured in an intact, living system. During his stage in the Medical Imaging Lab of the Gregorio Maranon Hopsital (IISGM) Dr Lage developed several of these systems including complete PET, PECT/CT and SPECT systems for rodent imaging.
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