Performance study of a miniature gamma ray scintillation vivo probe for tumor localization.
We have developed a miniature gamma-ray endoscopic probe consisting of dual BGO detector probes for tumor detection inside the body cavities. The dual detector system was coupled with random coincidence to decrease the distant background radiation and to improve its spatial resolution for tumor localization.


METHODS
The performance of the probe was investigated with a point source and a water phantom. A solution of positron emitting 18F isotope was used as the source. Clinical trials of the probe were done to localize tumors on the skin surface of four subjects carrying tumors close to the body surfaces, into whom 67Ga-citrate and 18F-FDG radiopharmaceuticals were injected.


RESULTS
Measurements indicated that the spatial resolution of the dual detector probes is around 1.5 times better than the single detector probe, and both single and dual detector endoscopic probe systems are capable of localizing a tumor on a large photon background.


CONCLUSIONS
The endoscopic probe may be easier to insert inside body cavities due to the small crystal size and the flexible light guides. A single detector probe with higher sensitivity may be useful in searching for tumors over a wide intracavity area but a dual detector probe can be used for precise tumor localization. The detector probe may also be suitable for intraoperative observation.
Deloar
H M
HM
Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Watabe
H
H
Hayashi
Y
Y
Miyake
M
M
Nakamura
T
T
Takahashi
H
H
Yoshioka
T
T
Kanamaru
R
R
Fujiwara
T
T
Itoh
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D002951:Citrates; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D019723:Endoscopes; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005708:Gallium; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D002951:Citrates; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D003847:Deoxyglucose; D005708:Gallium; C103850:gallium citrate