Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RETIMAGER (REAL TIME MOLECULAR IMAGER WITH UNSURPASSED RESOLUTION)
Reporting period: 2023-09-01 to 2024-08-31
There is no alternative to precision medicine to fight the exponential increase in chronic disease and conditions, such as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and to improve cancer survivorship rates. RETIMAGER will contribute to the earlier and more precise diagnosis, with smaller radiation doses to the patients through increased detectability and quantitative accuracy.
Our overall technical objective is to develop a functional and anatomical adaptive submillimetre spatial resolution PET imager with 10ms PET temporal resolution formyocardial infarct detection and metabolism imaging of angiogenic and brain tumours. On the commercial, social and user-oriented side, our objective is to provide specific in-field results to establish a new basis for research work and scientific papers.
Our overall technical objective is to develop a functional and anatomical adaptive submillimetre spatial resolution PET imager with 10ms PET temporal resolution formyocardial infarct detection and metabolism imaging of angiogenic and brain tumours. On the commercial, social and user-oriented side, our objective is to provide specific in-field results to establish a new basis for research work and scientific papers.
On the technical side, an initial design of the functional and anatomical adaptive sub-millimetre spatial resolution PET imager layout has been validated. A dual-laser system and an engraving protocol have been set up for the virtual segmentation of the scintillator crystals, and firsts units have been produced and tested. In parallel, the algorithms for Monte Carlo simulations of the system were developed and tested on data and phantoms. The Temporoc ASIC version 2, which is the core of the front-end electronics, has been designed, manufactured and tested, and preliminary measurements show results compatible with the required specifications. The structure that will support the scanner is based on a modular housing that holds the gamma detectors and the fist modules have been manufactured. The same approach is being used for the animal model and the design is ready for final evaluation before manufacture.
On the non-technical side, a dissemination and communication plan, an exploitation plan and a Data Management Plan have been created and the first set of activities have been run.
All deliverables for this first period have been submitted, i.e.: D2.1 D5.1 D6.1 D6.2 D6.3 D6.4 D6.5 D7.1 D7.2 and D7.3. No milestones are due yet for this first year of project execution.
On the non-technical side, a dissemination and communication plan, an exploitation plan and a Data Management Plan have been created and the first set of activities have been run.
All deliverables for this first period have been submitted, i.e.: D2.1 D5.1 D6.1 D6.2 D6.3 D6.4 D6.5 D7.1 D7.2 and D7.3. No milestones are due yet for this first year of project execution.
Our new scanner will provide 0.25 mm pixel resolvability with time frames as short as 0.01 sec. By aggregating these blocks in a unique gantry self-adapting to the geometry of the field-of-view, RETIMAGER will achieve an unprecedented increase in sensitivity and in in vivo real-time imaging with submillimeter resolution. We will pair it with high-throughput data processing and AI tools to assess with a single tracer both perfusion and metabolism in preclinical and clinical models. In the long run, RETIMAGER’s faster, lower dose, and less invasive molecular imaging technology will become a game-changer for understanding disease processes by unveiling new accurate image-based quantitative biomarkers, taking scientific and healthcare stakeholders a step closer to personalized precision medicine.