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Positron emission tomography (PET) is an advanced molecular imaging technique that can examine organ function and physiological processes. Since their creation in the 1950s and continued development since, PET scanners have, PET scanners have revolutionised oncology, neurology and cardiology, offering vital insights into organ function. However, they have limitations: conventional PET scanners struggle with depth-of-interaction (DOI) accuracy, resolution and real-time imaging – shortcomings that can lead to gaps in diagnosis.
The 4D-PET team at the Spanish National Research Council set out to create an innovative and cost-effective alternative to the current model. “Traditional PET scanners have significant limitations in detecting depth and precision,” explains project coordinator José María Benlloch Baviera, director of the Institute of Instrumentation for Molecular Imaging. “Our goal was to develop an advanced whole-body PET scanner using a new detector concept that records gamma interactions in 3D with unmatched precision.”
The result is a system that has redefined PET imaging and opened up possibilities previously confined to science fiction.
Revolutionary design
At the centre of 4D-PET is its innovative detector module. Unlike conventional PET scanners, which use pixel arrays, 4D-PET employs vertically stacked scintillating crystal slabs. This design enables continuous DOI measurements and reduces the need for cumbersome electronics, lowering costs without affecting performance.
The new system can deliver 1.25 mm spatial resolution and better than 200-picosecond temporal resolution, enabling detailed imaging of tiny brain structures such as the substantia nigra and raphe nucleus, both of which are crucial to our understanding of mental health conditions and brain diseases.
“This fine resolution allows us to visualise the different layers of the cerebral cortex and smaller structures the size of a grain of rice,” Benlloch Baviera says.
Real-world testing
So far, the tech has been used in two PET scanner prototypes: a preclinical PET scanner for small animal imaging, and a brain-size device. Collaborating with Lausanne’s Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), the 4D-PET team developed the brain scanner prototype that achieved remarkable results.
During patient clinical trials at Valencia’s Hospital La Fe, scans using the 4D-PET brain scanner produced significantly clearer images of patients’ intricate brain structures – nearly twice as clear as current PET systems – offering sharper images for studying neurological conditions.
Transforming healthcare
4D-PET’s potential applications are mind-boggling. In neurology, its precision allows imaging of tiny brain structures and cortical layers, unlocking new possibilities for research and treatment. Meanwhile a total-body scanner could revolutionise immunotherapy by rapidly assessing treatment efficacy, sparing patients unnecessary interventions.
But perhaps its most exciting use lies in interventional radiology. Thanks to its exceptional timing resolution, 4D-PET is laying the foundations for ‘open-design scanners’ that can provide real-time functional imaging during procedures such as biopsies, surgeries and robotic interventions. This breakthrough could transform oncology by enabling doctors to target tumours with unprecedented accuracy. A Spanish firm – Oncovision – has already shown interest in its clinical application.
The future of PET
The project continues to present its advances in PET imaging at major conferences worldwide. With ongoing support from the Spanish Ministry of Health, the 4D-PET team is now developing a full-scale total-body prototype. Plans are also under way to secure additional grants to further expand the technology’s capabilities so that it can deliver more precise and effective imaging, on a global scale.
Benlloch Baviera concludes: “We want the technology to be available to all patients. It has to be accessible to the global population, not just the elite.”
The 4D-PET project was funded by the European Research Council.