• GATE
• imaging
• intraoperative
• medical
• optical
• pet
• physics
• scanner

This research work describes the development of an integrated Optical/PET imaging system for intra-operative applications, able to assess the extent of tumour tissue in real time during surgery. The idea behind this study is to optimise clinical procedures by avoiding patient transport to radiology or pathology departments, by means of an accurate and effective system for detecting tumours, ultimately by reducing the number of surgical interventions required and thus the risks associated with them.
In the first part of the thesis, an overview is given of current intra-operative imaging techniques, with a focus on PET technology, together with an analysis of current approaches used in cancer surgery. In the following, the theoretical foundations of Positron Emission Tomography and Optical Imaging are examined and how the two methodologies complement each other. The design of the integrated Optical/PET system is the central part of the work. It is finely described, and includes the details of the used simulation software (Geant4, GATE, OMEGA and ImageJ), together with the system requirements necessary for the practical implementation of the model. The experimental methodology involves the simulation of the system using GATE and Geant4, with an evaluation of its performance and the development of software for data acquisition, analysis and reconstruction. Finally, the simulation results, clinical implications and future prospects of the proposed system are presented.