Project description
Revolutionising imaging in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine
Current molecular imaging modalities in diagnostic and therapeutic medicine tend to be very time-consuming processes due to detector inefficiencies. To address this, the ERC-funded Si3 project intends to design and develop a groundbreaking device for molecular imaging of radioactive nuclides in the human body. Using next-generation silicon sensors to measure each photon interaction, it will explore the physical limits of efficiency and spatial resolution in medical imaging applications. The design entails a massive block of silicon built up from a vast array of sensors with high resolution in space, energy and time, and includes signal shaping and data processing. In theory, Si3 will improve detector efficiency and reduce examination time from an hour to less than a second.
Objective
This project aims to design, construct, and evaluate a novel instrument for molecular imaging of radioactive nuclides in the human body. The hypothesis is that, by using next-generation silicon sensors to measure each photon interaction and applying kinematic constraints, the incident photon direction can be calculated. Thus, we can remove state-of-the-art mechanical collimators. The main objective of this project is to explore the physical limits of efficiency and spatial resolution and evaluate the concept for this new technology in medical imaging applications.
The new instrument should improve detector efficiency by about a factor of one million, reducing examination time from an hour to less than a second. The concept aims to overcome Compton cameras' shortcomings such as complicated geometries with low efficiency, that, despite several attempts, prevented this technique from going beyond an early prototype stage.
The new sensor concept consists of a massive block of silicon built up from a multitude of sensors, with high resolution in space, energy and time and including signal shaping and data processing. The system will have orders of magnitude more read-out pixels than ever before in medical imaging. The system design and image reconstruction process are conceptually challenging, addressing several scientific problems at the component level such as pixel charge collection and capacitance, but also including image reconstruction from fragments of event circles, combinatorial problems involved with tracing each event to discern the correct order of interactions and to reject background events. Over a 10–20-year period, the technology could replace the current installed base, leading to significant impacts on adjacent research fields, such as drug development and targeted radionuclide therapy.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics geometry
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry metalloids
- engineering and technology medical engineering diagnostic imaging
- natural sciences chemical sciences nuclear chemistry radiation chemistry
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics photons
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-ADG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
100 44 STOCKHOLM
Sweden
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.