A5063722099- Radiation Detection and Scintillator Technologies
- Medical Imaging Techniques and Applications
- Nuclear Physics and Applications
- Radiation Therapy and Dosimetry
- Particle Detector Development and Performance
- Advanced X-ray and CT Imaging
- Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research
- Advanced Radiotherapy Techniques
- Digital Radiography and Breast Imaging
- Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
- Radiomics and Machine Learning in Medical Imaging
- Radiation Effects in Electronics
- CCD and CMOS Imaging Sensors
- Advanced Optical Sensing Technologies
- Radiation Dose and Imaging
- Advanced X-ray Imaging Techniques
- Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Applications
- Radioactive Decay and Measurement Techniques
- Photoacoustic and Ultrasonic Imaging
- Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies
- Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Advanced Semiconductor Detectors and Materials
- Neutrino Physics Research
- Analog and Mixed-Signal Circuit Design
- Integrated Circuits and Semiconductor Failure Analysis
University of Pisa
2014-2024
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa
2014-2024
Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo
2022
Sapienza University of Rome
2002-2022
Institute of Cardiology
2022
Society of Thoracic Surgeons
2022
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
1997-2021
University Hospital of Lausanne
2021
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati
2020
Institut de l'Information Scientifique et Technique
2018
Particle therapy exploits the energy deposition pattern of hadron beams. The narrow Bragg Peak at end range is a major advantage but uncertainties can cause severe damage and require online verification to maximise effectiveness in clinics. In-beam Positron Emission Tomography (PET) non-invasive, promising in-vivo technique, which consists measurement β+ activity induced by beam-tissue interactions during treatment, presents highest correlation measured distribution with deposited dose,...
Abstract Purpose To study the normal dependence of cerebral perfusion changes on age, to measure values early in life, and create a reference dataset. Materials Methods Perfusion maps were collected from total 44 healthy subjects (from four 78 years old) using arterial spin labeling (ASL) technique. The population was retrospectively divided into three age groups: children, teenagers, adults. For each group, mean blood flow (CBF) calculated gray matter (GM) white (WM). Results compared...
The <i>Journal of Biomedical Optics</i> (JBO) is a Gold Open Access journal that publishes peer-reviewed papers on the use novel optical systems and techniques for improved health care biomedical research.
Small-animal PET systems are now striving for sub-millimetre resolution. Current based upon PSPMTs and finely pixellated scintillators can be pushed to higher resolution, but at the expense of other performance parameters a rapidly escalating cost. Moreover, depth interaction (DOI) information is usually difficult assess in such systems, even though this highly desirable reduce parallax error, which often dominant error high-resolution systems. In study we propose detector head small-animal...
<para xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> This paper reports on the electrical characterization of first prototypes Geiger-Mode Avalanche Photodiodes (GM-APDs) and Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) produced at ITC-irst, Trento. Both static functional measurements have been performed in dark condition. The tests, consisting reverse forward IV measurements, 20 GM-APDs 90 SiPMs. breakdown voltage, quenching resistance value current level...
In this paper we present a new method for the determination of geometrical misalignments in cone-beam CT scanners, from analysis projection data generic object. No priori knowledge object shape and positioning is required. We show that cost function, which depends on misalignment parameters, can be defined using such function has local minimum correspondence to actual parameters system. Hence, calibration scanner carried out by minimizing standard optimization techniques. The developed...
During particle therapy irradiation, positron emitters with half-lives ranging from 2 to 20 min are generated nuclear processes. The such that it is possible either detect the signal in treatment room using an in-beam emission tomography (PET) system, right after or quickly transfer patient a close PET/CT scanner. Since activity distribution spatially correlated dose, use PET imaging as indirect method assure quality of dose delivery. In this work, we present new dedicated system able...
The quality assurance of particle therapy treatment is a fundamental issue that can be addressed by developing reliable monitoring techniques and indicators the plan correctness. Among available imaging techniques, positron emission tomography (PET) has long been investigated then clinically applied to proton carbon beams. In 2013, Innovative Solutions for Dosimetry in Hadrontherapy (INSIDE) collaboration proposed an innovative bimodal concept combines in-beam PET scanner with tracking...
Iterative image reconstruction algorithms for positron emission tomography (PET) require a sophisticated system matrix (model) of the scanner. Our aim is to set up such model offline YAP-(S)PET II small animal imaging tomograph in order use it subsequently with standard ML-EM (maximum-likelihood expectation maximization) and OSEM (ordered subset fully three-dimensional reconstruction. In general, can be obtained analytically, via measurements or Monte Carlo simulations. this paper, we...
A new type of silicon device has been realized that many properties comparable to, or better than, a conventional PMT (Photomultiplier Tube). This paper presents the first results using these photodetectors in place readout scintillators for possible PET (Positron Emission Tomography) applications. device, Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM), is effectively an avalanche photodiode operated Geiger mode. In Geiger-mode detectors, very large current signal produced regardless size input, giving just...
The authors have built a small animal Positron Emission Tomograph (YAP-PET) based on four matrices of 400 YAP:Ce finger crystals (2/spl times/2/spl times/30 mm/sup 3/ each) coupled to Position Sensitive PhotoMultiplier Hamamatsu R2486-06. system consists detectors rotating gantry with variable diameter from 10 and 25 cm. read-out data acquisition are handled by NIM-CAMAC standard electronics. tomograph has total Field Of View (FOV) 4/spl times/4/spl times/4 cm/sup that is appropriate for...
At the Department of Physics University Pisa, Italy, a new and fully engineered version YAP-(S)PET small animal scanner has been recently installed. The is able to perform both PET SPECT studies on animals. made up four heads: each one composed 4/spl times/4 cm/sup 2/ YAlO/sub 3/:Ce (or YAP:Ce) matrix 20/spl times/20 elements, 2/spl times/2/spl times/25 mm/sup 3/ each, coupled Position Sensitive Photomultiplier (PS-PMT) (Hamamatsu R2486). modules are positioned rotating gantry. switching...
Silicon Photo-Multiplier (SiPM) detectors represent an attractive solution for the detection of low energy photons in several fields both high physics and medical imaging. We present here accurate electrical model this kind detectors, which can be conveniently used to perform reliable simulations at circuit level. A suitable extraction procedure parameters involved is also described, based on static dynamic measurements. The proposed allows reproduce accurately waveform signal generated by...
The interest in positron emission tomography (PET) as a tool for treatment verification proton therapy has become widespread recent years, and several research groups worldwide are currently investigating the clinical implementation. After first off-line investigation with PET/CT scanner at MGH (Boston, USA), attention is now focused on an in-room PET application immediately after order to also detect shorter-lived isotopes, such O15 N13, minimizing isotope washout avoiding patient...
The characterization of a PET detector head based on continuous LYSO crystals and silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) arrays as photodetectors has been carried out for its use in the development small animal prototype. heads are composed crystal SiPM matrix with 64 pixels common substrate, fabricated specifically this project. Three 12 mm × 5 size different types painting have tested: white, black sides but white back crystal. best energy resolution, obtained crystal, is 16% FWHM. response linear...
Simultaneous PET/MR/EEG (Positron Emission Tomography - Magnetic Resonance Electroencephalography), a new tool for the investigation of neuronal networks in human brain, is presented here within framework European Union Project TRIMAGE. The trimodal, cost-effective imaging makes use cutting edge technology both PET and MR fields. A novel type magnet (1.5T, non-cryogenic) has been built together with scanner that most advanced photodetectors (i.e., SiPM matrices), scintillators matrices...