Study and development of a high resolution tomograph for the γ radio-imagery in vivo of small animals

By the use of molecular radio-labelled tracers, molecular biology can reveal some aspects of the functional organisation of the brain. Non invasive in vivo brain research on small laboratory animals, like mice or rats, require analysis of structures of some cubic millimeters present in a brain of the order of a cubic centimeter. Since imaging performances of positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission tomography (SPECT) fail in this research field, we present here a high resolution tomograph (TOHR) based on an original principle that allows to overcome the compromise between detection efficiency and spatial resolution. TOHR is a radiation counter device having a large solid angle focusing collimator. By the use of radio-tracers decaying by a cascade of two photons, coincidence detection offers an accurate delimitation of the analysed region and improves spatial resolution. TOHR acts as a scanner, so the image is built voxel by voxel by moving the animal relative to the detector. A numerical feasibility study of such a system shows that a sub millimeter spatial resolution can be achieved. We show that the chemical etching technique is well suited for manufacturing a multi-module focusing collimator by building and testing two such modules. Finally a numerical simulation exhibits TOHR's performance in a neuro-pharmacological experiment on a rat. From these results, other application of TOHR are envisaged, such as oncology (in vivo evolution of tumours) or gene therapy (distribution of viral particles in the brain). (author). 51 refs., 73 figs., 3 tabs