Establishment of High-Precision 3D Multi-Radionuclide In-Vivo Imaging Technology for Visualization of Tissue Environment

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18373
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90110:Biomedical engineering-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Orita Tadashi 東京大学, カブリ数物連携宇宙研究機構, 特任助教 (10746522)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: CdTe / SPECT / in-vivo / ガンマ線

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we developed a SPECT system for small animals by applying a CdTe semiconductor detector, which is a detector for observing cosmic gamma rays. With this system, we aimed to establish a multi-radionuclide in-vivo imaging technique that enables visualization of the micro-environment in tissues in vivo. We developed not only its hardware, but also an ML-EM method incorporating the measured system response as a 3D image reconstruction algorithm. As a result of phantom imaging experiments using the ML-EM method, it was confirmed that the system’s spatial resolution was better than 350um. In addition, it was confirmed that multi-radionuclide in-vivo imaging could be achieved by performing imaging experiments on mice that had been administered multiple nuclides.

Free Research Field

放射線計測

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来のインビボイメージングでは不可能であったスケールレベルの可視化を実現することによって、同一生体内での複数核種薬剤の集積性・動態性を患部の組織内レベルで検証することが可能となる。その結果、その可視化技術は新薬開発のための革新的なツールになるだけでなく、生体中における組織内微小環境に関する新たな知見の獲得や新たな治療法への探求に貢献することが予想できる。本研究成果は、このさらなる可視化技術への大きな一歩となったと考えられる。