Developing a Novel Positronium Biomarker for Cardiac Myxoma Imaging
P. Moskal, E. Kubicz, G. Grudzień, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, B. Leszczyński, S. Niedźwiecki, E.Ł. Stępień
abstract
New measurements of kaonic helium-4 L-series X-rays yields in gas with the SIDDHARTINO setup
D. L. Sirghi, H. Shi, C. Guaraldo, F. Sgaramella, C. Amsler, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, A. M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, M. Carminati, A. Clozza, G. Deda, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, J. Marton, M.. Miliucci, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, H. Onishi, K. Piscicchia, Y. Sada, A. Scordo, M. Silarski, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, K. Toho, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, J. Zmeskal, C. Yoshida, C. Curceanu
abstract
The L-series X-rays transitions of the kaonic helium-4 exotic atom were measured by SIDDHARTINO,
the reduced configuration of the SIDDHARTA-2 experiment, at the DANE collider of INFN-LNF, with
gaseous 4He targets at densities of 1.90 g/l and 0.82 g/l, corresponding to 1.5% and 0.66%, respectively, of
the liquid helium-4 density. The absolute yields for the L? transition are determined to be 0.15 ?0.03 and
0.12 ?0.03, for the two target densities. The yields for the L? and L? transitions are presented relatively
to that of the L? transition. These results are compatible with the yields measured by the SIDDHARTA
experiment at the densities of 1.65 g/l and 2.15 g/l and contribute to refine the cascade models describing
the de-excitation of kaonic atoms as function of density.
? 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Realistic Total-Body J-PET Geometry Optimization--Monte Carlo Study
J. Baran, W. Krzemień, L. Raczyński, M. Bała, A. Coussat, S. Parzych, N. Chug, E. Czerwiński, C. Oana Curceanu, M. Dadgar, K. Dulski, K. Eliyan, J. Gajewski, A. Gajos, B. Hiesmayr, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, K. Klimaszewski, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, D. Kumar, S. Niedźwiecki, D. Panek, E. Perez del Rio, A. Ruciński, S. Sharma, Shivani, R.Y. Shopa, M. Skurzok, E. Stępień, F. Tayefiardebili, K. Tayefiardebili, W. Wiślicki, P. Moskal
abstract
The SIDDHARTA-2 calibration method for high precision kaonic atoms X-ray spectroscopy measurements
F. Sgaramella, M. Miliucci, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, G. Deda, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. King, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, J. Zmeskal, C. Curceanu
abstract
The SIDDHARTA-2 experiment at the DAFNE collider aims to perform the first kaonic deuterium X-ray transitions to the fundamental level measurement, with a systematic error at the level of a few eV. To achieve this challenging goal the experimental apparatus is equipped with 384 Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) distributed around its cryogenic gaseous target. The SDDs developed by the SIDDHARTA-2 collaboration are suitable for high precision kaonic atoms spectroscopy, thanks to their high energy and time resolutions combined with their radiation hardness. The energy response of each detector must be calibrated and monitored to keep the systematic error, due to processes such as gain fluctuations, at the level of 2-3 eV. This paper presents the SIDDHARTA-2 calibration method which was optimized during the preliminary phase of the experiment in the real background conditions of the DAFNE collider, which is a fundamental tool to guarantee the high precision spectroscopic performances of the system over long periods of data taking, as that required for the kaonic deuterium measurement.
Kaonic Atoms at the DAFNE Collider with the SIDDHARTA-2 Experiment
F. Napolitano, F. Sgaramella, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, G. Deda, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, S. Niedźwiecki, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, H. Shi, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, J. Zmeskal, C. Curceanu
abstract
Kaonic atoms are a unique tool to explore quantum chromodynamics in the strangeness sector at low energy, with implications reaching neutron stars and dark matter. Precision X-ray spectroscopy can fully unlock the at-threshold isospin dependent antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths, via the atomic transitions to the fundamental level. While the SIDDHARTA experiment at the INFN-LNF DAFNE collider successfully measured kaonic hydrogen, its successor SIDDHARTA-2 is starting now its data taking campaign aiming to finally fully disentangle the isoscalar and isovector scattering lengths via the measurement of kaonic deuterium. An overview of the first experimental results from a preparatory run for the SIDDAHARTA-2 experiment is presented.
Investigation of novel preclinical Total Body PET designed with J-PET technology: A simulation study
M. Dadgar, S. Parzych, F. Tayefi Ardebili, J. Baran, N. Chug, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, K. Eliyan, A. Gajos, B.C. Hiesmayr, K. Kacprzak, K. Klimaszewski, P. Konieczka, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, D. Kumar, S. Niedźwiecki, D. Panek, E. Perez del Rio, L. Raczyński, S. Sharma, R.Y. Shopa, M. Skurzok, K. Tayefi Ardebili, S. Vandenberghe, W. Wiślicki, E.Ł. Stępień, P. Moskal
abstract
The growing interest in human-grade Total Body PET systems has also application in small animal research. Due to the existing limitations in human-based studies involving drug development and novel treatment monitoring, animalbased research became a necessary step for testing and protocol preparation. In this simulation-based study two unconventional, cost effective small animal Total Body PET scanners (for mouse and rat studies) have been investigated in order to inspect their feasibility for preclinical research. They were designed with the novel technology explored by the Jagiellonian PET Collaboration (J-PET). Two main PET characteristics: sensitivity and spatial resolution were mainly inspected to evaluate their performance. Moreover, the impact of the scintillator dimension and time-offlight on the latter parameter were examined in order to design the most efficient tomographs. The presented results show that for mouse TB J-PET the achievable system sensitivity is equal to 2.35% and volumetric spatial resolution to 9.46 +- 0.54 mm3, while for rat TB J-PET they are equal to 2.6% and 14.11 ? 0.80 mm3, respectively. Furthermore, it was shown that the designed tomographs are almost parallax-free systems, hence they resolve the problem of the acceptance criterion trade-off between enhancing spatial resolution and reducing sensitivity.
ProTheRaMon - a GATE simulation framework for proton therapy range monitoring using PET imaging
D. Borys, J. Baran, K.W. Brzezinski, J. Gajewski, N. Chug, A. Coussat, E. Czerwiński, M. Dadgar, K. Dulski, K. Valsan Eliyan, A. Gajos, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, K. Klimaszewski, P. Konieczka, R. Kopec, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, D. Kumar, A. John Lomax, K. McNamara, S. Niedźwiecki, P. Olko, D. Panek, S. Parzych, E. Pérez del Río, L. Raczyński, S. Sharma, S. Shivani, R.Y. Shopa, T. Skóra, M. Skurzok, P. Stasica, E. Stępień, K. Tayefi Ardebili, F. Tayefi, D. Charles Weber, C. Winterhalter, W. Wiślicki, P. Moskal, A. Rucinski
abstract
Objective: This paper reports on the implementation and shows examples of the use of the ProTheRaMon framework for simulating the delivery of proton therapy treatment plans and range monitoring using positron emission tomography (PET). ProTheRaMon offers complete processing of proton therapy treatment plans, patient CT geometries, and intra-treatment PET imaging, taking into account therapy and imaging coordinate systems and activity decay during the PET imaging protocol specific to a given proton therapy facility. We present the ProTheRaMon framework and illustrate its potential use case and data processing steps for a patient treated at the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice (CCB) proton therapy center in Krakow, Poland. Approach: The ProTheRaMon framework is based on GATE Monte Carlo software, the CASToR reconstruction package and in-house developed Python and bash scripts. The framework consists of five separated simulation and data processing steps, that can be further optimized according to the user's needs and specific settings of a given proton therapy facility and PET scanner design. Main results: ProTheRaMon is presented using example data from a patient treated at CCB and the J-PET scanner to demonstrate the application of the framework for proton therapy range monitoring. The output of each simulation and data processing stage is described and visualized. Significance: We demonstrate that the ProTheRaMon simulation platform is a high-performance tool, capable of running on a computational cluster and suitable for multi-parameter studies, with databases consisting of large number of patients, as well as different PET scanner geometries and settings for range monitoring in a clinical environment. Due to its modular structure, the ProTheRaMon framework can be adjusted for different proton therapy centers and/or different PET detector geometries. It is available to the community via github.
Investigation of the light output of 3D-printed plastic scintillators for dosimetry applications
Ł. Kapłon, D. Kulig, S. Beddar, T. Fiutowski, W. Górska, J. Hajduga, P. Jurgielewicz, D. Kabat, K. Kalecińska, M. Kopeć, S. Koperny, B. Mindur, J. Moroń, G. Moskal, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Silarski, F. Sobczuk, T. Szumlak, A. Ruciński
abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) printing, specifically digital light processing (DLP) technique, can be used to manufacture plastic scintillators of any shape. The purpose of this study was to determine the light output of DLP 3Dprinted scintillators for dosimetry applications. Two types of plastic scintillators with dimensions 10 mm × 10 mm × 10 mm were fabricated using DLP 3D-printing at Hanyang University, South Korea. The light output of these DLP 3D-printed samples was measured and compared to that of a commercial plastic scintillator of the same dimensions, RP-408, produced by casting. The 3D-printed scintillators emitting violet and blue light had a lower relative light output by 49% and 43%, respectively, compared to the RP-408 reference scintillator. We also investigated three types of scintillator surface finishing methods: the original surface made by the 3D printer, a sanded surface, and a polished surface. Furthermore, three wrapping configurations were tested: bare scintillator, diffuse-type polytetrafluoroethylene tape, and specular-type enhanced specular reflector foil. Both reflector types, diffuse and specular, reflected blue light with comparable efficiency. Additionally, emission and transmission spectra of the samples were measured. Emission maxima were located at 430 nm for RP-408, and 438 and 475 nm for two 3D-printed samples. Transmittance at the wavelength of maximum emission was equal to 89% for RP-408, and 73% and 66% for the two DLP-printed samples. Although the light output of the 3D-printed scintillators was about 50% lower than that of the commercial plastic scintillator, due to characteristics of 3Dprinted plastic scintillators, i.e. fast, low-cost production, and easy customization of the printed shape, they are promising as an active part of dosimeters for use in high intensity gamma radiation fields produced by medical linear accelerators with acceptable signal-to-noise ratio level.
Towards the first kaonic deuterium measurement with the SIDDHARTA-2 experiment at DAFNE
M. Miliucci, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, G. Deda, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. King, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, J. Zmeskal
abstract
The SIDDHARTA-2 experiment is going to perform the longawaited
high precision X-ray measurement of kaonic deuterium, obtaining for the
first time the values of the shift and the width induced by the strong interaction
on the fundamental level. By combining this unprecedented result with the
analogous kaonic hydrogen measurement performed by the SIDDHARTA experiment,
it will be possible to extract the isospin-dependent antikaon-nucleon scattering
lengths, providing direct information on the Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD)
in the non-perturbative Chromodynamics (QCD) in the non-perturbative regime
in the strangeness sector. This paper describes the SIDDHARTA-2 experiment,
presently installed at the DA?NE collider of Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare -
Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, and the results obtained during the kaonic helium
run, preparatory for the kaonic deuterium data taking campaign planned for 2022.
Large area silicon drift detectors system for high precision timed x-ray spectroscopy
M. Miliucci, M. Iliescu, F. Sgaramella, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, G. Deda, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iwasaki, P. King, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce and J. Zmeskal
abstract
The current work presents the optimization of large area silicon drift detectors developed by the SIDDHARTA-2 collaboration for high precision x-ray measurements of light exotic atom transitions. Two different radiation sources were employed in the study: an x-ray tube, for investigating the energy resolution and the charge collection efficiency of the device in the range 4000 eV-13000 eV, and a beta-90Sr radioactive source for measuring the timing response, thus qualifying the charge drift parameters inside the semiconductor. The study reports the spectroscopic response optimization, together with the tuning of the electron dynamics for the given Silicon technology, by adjusting the applied electric field and the working temperature, which allow a good control of the device's performances for high precision, timed x-ray spectroscopy applications.
Silicon Drift Detectors' Spectroscopic Response during the SIDDHARTA-2 Kaonic Helium Run at the DAFNE Collider
M. Miliucci, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, G. Deda, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. King, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, J. Zmeskal
abstract
A large-area silicon drift detectors (SDDs) system has been developed by the SIDDHARTA-2 collaboration for high precision light kaonic atom X-ray spectroscopy at the DAFNE collider of Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati. The SDDs' geometry and electric field configuration, combined with their read-out electronics, make these devices suitable for performing high precision light kaonic atom spectroscopy measurements in the background of the DA phi NE collider. This work presents the spectroscopic response of the SDDs system during the first exotic atoms run of SIDDHARTA-2 with kaonic helium, a preliminary to the kaonic deuterium data taking campaign. The SIDDHARTA-2 spectroscopic system has good energy resolution and a 2 mu s timing window which rejects the asynchronous events, scaling the background by a factor of 10-5. The results obtained for the first exotic atoms run of SIDDHARTA-2 prove this system to be ready to perform the challenging kaonic deuterium measurement.
Positronium imaging with the novel multiphoton PET scanner
P. Moskal, K. Dulski, N. Chug, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, M. Dadgar, J. Gajewski, A. Gajos, G. Grudzień, B.C. Hiesmayr, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, H. Karimi, K. Klimaszewski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, P. Małczak, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, M. Pędziwiatr, L. Raczyński, J. Raj, A. Ruciński, S. Sharma, Shivani, R.Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, E.Ł. Stępień, M. Szczepanek, F. Tayefi, W. Wiślicki
abstract
In vivo assessment of cancer and precise location of altered tissues at initial stages of molecular disorders are important diagnostic challenges. Positronium is copiously formed in the free molecular spaces in the patient?s body during positron emission tomography (PET). The positronium properties vary according to the size of inter- and intramolecular voids and the concentration of molecules in them such as, e.g., molecular oxygen, O2; therefore, positronium imaging may provide information about disease progression during the initial stages of molecular alterations. Current PET systems do not allow acquisition of positronium images. This study presents a new method that enables positronium imaging by simultaneous registration of annihilation photons and deexcitation photons from pharmaceuticals labeled with radionuclides. The first positronium imaging of a phantom built from cardiac myxoma and adipose tissue is demonstrated. It is anticipated that positronium imaging will substantially
enhance the specificity of PET diagnostics.
Testing CPT symmetry in ortho-positronium decays with positronium annihilation tomography
P. Moskal, A. Gajos, M. Mohammed, J. Chhokar, N. Chug, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, M. Dadgar, K. Dulski, M. Gorgol, J. Goworek, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, H. Karimi, D. Kisielewska, K. Klimaszewski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, T. Kozik, E. Kubicz, S. Niedźwiecki, S. Parzych, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, J. Raj, S. Sharma, S. Choudhary, R. Shopa, A. Sienkiewicz, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, E. Stepien, F. Tayefi, W. Wiślicki
abstract
Charged lepton system symmetry under combined charge, parity, and time-reversal transformation (CPT) remain scarcely tested. Despite stringent quantum-electrodynamic limits, discrepancies in predictions for the electron-positron bound state (positronium atom) motivate further investigation, including fundamental symmetry tests. While CPT noninvariance effects could be manifested in non-vanishing angular correlations between final-state photons and spin of annihilating positronium, measurements were previously limited by the knowledge of the latter. Here, we demonstrate tomographic reconstruction techniques applied to three-photon annihilations of ortho-positronium atoms to estimate their spin polarisation without a magnetic field or polarised positronium source. We use a plastic-scintillator-based positron-emission-tomography scanner to record ortho-positronium (o-Ps) annihilations with a single-event estimation of o-Ps spin and determine the complete spectrum of an angular correlation operator sensitive to CPT-violating effects. We find no violation at the precision level of 10^{-4}, with an over threefold improvement on the previous measurement.
Simulating NEMA characteristics of the modular total-body J-PET scanner - an economic total-body PET from plastic scintillators
P. Moskal, P. Kowalski, R.Y. Shopa, L. Raczyński, J. Baran, N. Chug, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, M. Dadgar, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B.C. Hiesmayr, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, D. Kisielewska, K. Klimaszewski, P. Kopka, G. Korcyl, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, Sz. Parzych, J. Raj, S. Sharma, S. Shivani, E. Stępień, F. Tayefi, W. Wiślicki
abstract
The purpose of the presented research is the estimation of the performance characteristics of the economic total-body Jagiellonian-PET system (TB-J-PET) constructed from plastic scintillators. The characteristics are estimated according to the NEMANU-2-2018 standards utilizing the GATE package. The simulated detector consists of 24 modules, each built out of 32 plastic scintillator strips
(each with a cross-section of 6 mm times 30 mm and length of 140 or 200 cm) arranged in two layers in regular 24-sided polygon circumscribing a circle with a diameter of 78.6 cm. For the TB-J-PET with an axial field-of-view (AFOV) of 200 cm, a spatial resolution (SRs) of 3.7mm (transversal) and 4.9mm (axial) are achieved. The noise equivalent count rate (NECR) peak of 630 kcps is expected at 30 kBq cc^-1. Activity concentration and the sensitivity at the center amount to 38 cps kBq^-1. The scatter fraction (SF) is estimated to 36.2 %. The values of SF and SR are comparable to those obtained for the state-of-the-art clinical PET scanners and the first total-body tomographs: uExplorer and PennPET.With respect to the standard PET systemswithAFOVin the range from16 to 26 cm, the TBJ-PET is characterized by an increase inNECRapproximately by a factor of 4 and by the increase of the whole-body sensitivity by a factor of 12.6 to 38. The time-of-flight resolution for the TB-J-PETis expected to be at the level ofCRT=240 ps fullwidth at half-maximum. For the TB-J-PETwith an AFOVof 140 cm, an image quality of the reconstructed images of a NEMAIEC phantom was presented with a contrast recovery coefficient and a background variability parameters. The increase of the whole-body sensitivity andNECRestimated for the TB-J-PET with respect to current commercial PETsystems makes the TB-J-PET a promising cost-effective solution for the broad clinical applications of total-body PET scanners. TB-J-PETmay constitutes an economic alternative for the crystal TB-PET scanners, since plastic scintillators are much cheaper than BGO or LYSO crystals and the axial arrangement of the strips significantly reduces the costs of readout electronics and SiPMs.
Low energy kaon-nuclei interaction at DAFNE: The SIDDHARTA-2 experiment
M. Miliucci, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, G. Deda, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. King, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, J. Zmeskal
abstract
Light kaonic atoms spectroscopy is a unique tool for the investigation of the low-energy quantum chromodynamics (QCD) in the strangeness sector. The precise measurements of the X-ray emission from light kaonic atoms provide information on the kaon-nucleus interaction at the threshold without the need for an extrapolation as in the case of scattering experiments. In 2009, the SIDDHARTA Collaboration performed the most precise measurement of kaonic hydrogen (K - H) X-ray transition to the fundamental level. Nowadays, the SIDDHARTA-2 Collaboration is ready to perform the more challenging measurement of kaonic deuterium (K - d) 2p -> 1s transition. To achieve this unprecedented result, which is fundamental to extract the isospin-dependent antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths, an upgraded experimental apparatus with respect to the SIDDHARTA one was realized. This paper presents an overview of the SIDDHARTA-2 setup installed on the DAFNE collider of LNF-INFN and the first results obtained during the machine optimization phase, in preparation for the kaonic deuterium data taking campaign planned in 20212022.
The J-PET detector - a tool for precision studies of ortho-positronium decays
K. Dulski, S.D. Bass, J. Chhokar, N. Chug, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, M. Dadgar, J. Gajewski, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, R. Del Grande, B.C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, H. Karimi, D. Kisielewska, K. Klimaszewski, P. Kopka, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, P. Małczak, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, M. Pędziwiatr, L. Raczyński7, J. Raj, A. Ruciński, S. Sharma, Shivani, R.Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, E. Ł. Stępień, F. Tayefi, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, P. Moskal
abstract
The J-PET tomograph is constructed from plastic scintillator strips arranged axially in concentric cylindrical layers. It enables investigations of positronium decays by measurement of the time, position, polarization and energy deposited by photons in the scintillators, in contrast to studies conducted so far with crystal and semiconductor based detection systems where the key selection of events is based on the measurement of the photons energies. In this article we show that the J-PET tomography system constructed solely from plastic scintillator detectors is capable of exclusive measurements of the decays of ortho-positronium atoms. We present the first positronium production results and its lifetime distribution measurements. The obtained results prove the capability of the J-PET tomograph for (i) fundamental studies of positronium decays (in particular test of discrete symmetries in purely leptonic systems), (ii) positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, as well as (iii) molecular imaging diagnostics and (iv) observation of entanglement
Kaonic Atoms Measurements at DAFNE: SIDDHARTA-2 and Future Perspectives
C. Curceanu,, M. Miliucci, A. Scordo, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, M. Carminati, A. Clozza, G. Deda, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. King, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, K. Piscicchia, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, J. Zmeskal
abstract
High precision light kaonic atoms X-ray spectroscopy is a unique tool for performing experiments equivalent to scattering at vanishing relative energies, to determine the antikaon-nucleus interaction at threshold without the need of extrapolation to zero energy. The SIDDHARTA-2 collaboration is going to perform the first measurement of kaonic deuterium transitions to the fundamental level, which is mandatory to extract the isospin dependent antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths. The SIDDHARTA-2 experiment is presently installed on the DA Phi NE collider of INFN-LNF. The preliminary results obtained during the machine commissioning phase in preparation for the kaonic deuterium data taking campaign, together with future perspectives for extreme precision kaonic atoms studies at DA Phi NE are presented.
Optimisation of the event-based TOF filtered back-projection for online imaging in total-body J-PET
R.Y. Shopa, K. Klimaszewski, P. Kopka, P. Kowalski, W. Krzemień, L. Raczyński, W. Wiślicki, N. Chug, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, M. Dadgar, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B.C. Hiesmayr, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, D. Kisielewska, G. Korcyl, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, J. Raj, S. Sharma, Shivani, E.Ł. Stępień, F. Tayefi, P. Moskal
abstract
We perform a parametric study of the newly developed time-of-flight (TOF) image reconstruction algorithm, proposed for the real-time imaging in total-body Jagiellonian PET (J-PET) scanners. The asymmetric 3D filtering kernel is applied at each most likely position of electron-positron annihilation, estimated from the emissions of back-to-back gamma-photons. The optimisation of its parameters is studied using Monte Carlo simulations of a 1-mm spherical source, NEMA IEC and XCAT phantoms inside the ideal J-PET scan- ner. The combination of high-pass filters which included the TOF filtered back-projection (FBP), resulted in spatial resolution, 1.5 times higher in the axial direction than for the conventional 3D FBP. For real- istic 10-minute scans of NEMA IEC and XCAT, which require a trade-offbetween the noise and spatial resolution, the need for Gaussian TOF kernel components, coupled with median post-filtering, is demon- strated. The best sets of 3D filter parameters were obtained by the Nelder-Mead minimisation of the mean squared error between the resulting and reference images. The approach allows training the recon- struction algorithm for custom scans, using the IEC phantom, when the temporal resolution is below 50 ps. The image quality parameters, estimated for the best outcomes, were systematically better than for the non-TOF FBP.
Silicon Drift Detectors system for high precision light kaonic atoms spectroscopy
M. Miliucci, A. Scordo, D. Sirghi, A. Amirkhani, A. Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, K. Piscicchia, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi, M. Silarski, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, J. Zmeskal
abstract
A large area Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) system and its readout electronics have been developed by the SIDDHARTA-2 Collaboration, aiming to perform high precision light kaonic atoms X-ray spectroscopy for the investigation of the ?-N strong interaction in the low-energy QCD regime. To perform these measurements, a linear energy response and a good energy resolution are mandatory requirements for the system, to be preserved along the whole DAQ (analog and digital) chain; such task is made even harder in the experimental environment of particles colliders, where the high background due to ionizing particles and radiation is present. The energy response of the SDDs system has been characterized with the beam-originating background generated during the commissioning phase of the DAFNE electron-positron collider (INFN-LNF) in early 2020. The data analysis has been optimized to describe the system's response and the background. The calibration procedure demonstrates that, despite the high and variable background of the collider, the energy response of the system is linear at the level of few eV (?E/E <10e-3), with an energy resolution of 157.8?0.3(+0.2)(-0.2)eV for the Fe Kalpha line.
Synchronisation and calibration of the 24-modules J-PET prototype with 300 mm axial field of view
P. Moskal, T. Bednarski, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Silarski, E. Czerwiński, T. Kozik, J. Chhokar, M. Bała, C. Curceanu, R. Del Grande, M. Dadgar, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, N. Gupta-Sharma, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, H. Karimi, D. Kisielewska, K.Klimaszewski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, S. Sharma, Shivani, R. Y. Shopa, M. Skurzok, E. Stępień, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska
abstract
Research conducted in the framework of the J-PET project aims to develop a cost-effective total-body positron emission tomography scanner. As a first step on the way to construct a full-scale J-PET tomograph from long strips of plastic scintillators, a 24-strip prototype was built and tested. The prototype consists of detection modules arranged axially forming a cylindrical diagnostic chamber with an inner diameter of 360 mm and an axial field-of-view of 300 mm. Promising perspectives for a low-cost construction of a total-body PET scanner are opened due to an axial arrangement of strips of plastic scintillators, which have a small light attenuation, superior timing properties, and the possibility of cost-effective increase of the axial field-of-view. The presented prototype comprises dedicated solely digital front-end electronic circuits and a triggerless data acquisition system which required development of new calibration methods including time, thresholds and gain synchronization. The system and elaborated calibration methods including first results of the 24-module J-PET prototype are presented and discussed. The achieved coincidence resolving time equals to CRT = 490 +- 9 ps. This value can be translated to the position reconstruction accuracy s(Dl) = 18 mm which is fairly position-independent Keywords: positron emission tomography, plastic scintillators, J-PET.
3D TOF-PET image reconstruction using total variation regularization
L. Raczyński, W. Wiślicki, K. Klimaszewski, W. Krzemień, P. Kopka, P. Kowalski, R. Y. Shopa, M. Bała, J. Chhokar, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwinski, K. Dulski, J. Gajewski, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, R. Del Grande, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, K. Kacprzak, L. Kapłon, D. Kisielewska, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, J. Raj, K. Rakoczy, A. Ruciński, S. Sharma, S. Shivani, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, E.Ł. Stepień, B. Zgardzińska, P. Moskal
abstract
In this paper we introduce a semi-analytic algorithm for 3-dimensional image reconstruction for positron emission tomography (PET). The method consists of the back-projection of the acquired data into the most likely image voxel according to time-of-flight (TOF) information, followed by the filtering step in the image space using an iterative optimization algorithm with a total variation (TV) regularization. TV regularization in image space is more computationally efficient than usual iterative optimization methods for PET reconstruction with a full system matrix that uses TV regularization. The efficiency comes from the one-time TOF back-projection step that might also be described as a reformatting of the acquired data. An important aspect of our work concerns the evaluation of the filter operator of the linear transform mapping an original radioactive tracer distribution into the TOF back-projected image. We obtain concise, closed-form analytical formula for the filter operator. The proposed method is validated with the Monte Carlo simulations of the NEMA IEC phantom using a one-layer, 50 cm-long cylindrical device called Jagiellonian PET scanner. The results show a better image quality compared with the reference TOF maximum likelihood expectation maximization algorithm.
A simple approach for experimental characterization and validation of proton pencil beam profiles
P. Stasica, J. Baran, C. Granja, N. Krah, G. Korcyl, C. Oancea, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Rydygier, A. Schavi, A. Rucinski, J. Gajewski
abstract
A precise characterization of therapeutic proton pencil beams is essential for commissioning of any treatment planning system (TPS). The dose profile characterization includes measurement of the beam lateral dose profile in the beam core and far from the beam core, in the so called low-dose envelope, and requires a sophisticated detection system with a few orders of magnitude dynamic range. We propose to use a single-quantum sensitive MINIPIX TIMEPIX detector, along with an in-house designed holder to perform measurements of the pencil beam dose profile in air and in water. We validated the manufacturer calibration of the MINIPIX TIMEPIX detector in proton beams of various energies and compared the deposited energy spectra to Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. The precision of the lateral dose profile measurements has been systematically validated against Krakow proton facility commissioning data and dose profile simulations performed with MC codes GATE/Geant4 and FRED. We obtained an excellent agreement between MINIPIX TIMEPIX measurements and simulations demonstrating the feasibility of the system for a simple characterization and validation of proton pencil beams. The proposed approach can be implemented at any proton therapy facility to acquire experimental data needed to commission and validate analytical and MC based TPS.
Characterization of the SIDDHARTA-2 luminosity monitor
M. Skurzok, A. Scordo, S. Niedzwiecki, A. Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, K. Piscicchia, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. L. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, J. Zmeskal
abstract
A luminosity monitor, based on plastic scintillator detectors, has been developed for the SIDDHARTA-2 experiment aiming to perform high precision measurements of kaonic atoms and was installed in 2020 on the DAFNE e+e- collider at LNF (Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN). The main goal of this system is to provide the~instantaneous and integrated luminosity of the DAFNE facility by measuring the rate of K+K- correlated pairs emitted by the Phi meson decay. This task requires an accurate timing of the DAQ signals, as well as timing resolution below 1ns, in order to disentangle the K+- signals from the background minimum ionizing particles (MIPs) produced during the e+e- collisions at DAFNE. In this paper the luminosity monitor concept as well as its laboratory characterization and the first results inside DAFNE are presented.
Performance assessment of the 2gamma positronium imaging with the total-body PET scanners
P. Moskal, D. Kisielewska, Z. Bura, C. Chhokar, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, M. Dadgar, K. Dulski, J. Gajewski, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, R. Del Grande, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, K. Kacprzak, A. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, H. Karimi, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, T. Kozik, E. Kubicz, P. Małczak, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, M. Pędziwiatr, L. Raczyński, J. Raj, A. Ruciński, S. Sharma, Shivani, R. Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, E. Ł. Stępień, S. Vandenberghe, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska
abstract
In living organisms the positron-electron annihilation (occurring during the PET imaging) proceeds in about 30% via creation of a metastable ortho-positronium atom. In the tissue, due to the pick-off and conversion processes, over 98% of ortho-positronia annihilate into two 511~keV photons. In this article we assess the feasibility for reconstruction of the mean ortho-positronium lifetime image based on annihilations into two photons. The main objectives of this work include: (i) estimation of the sensitivity of the total-body PET scanners for the ortho-positronium mean lifetime imaging using 2gamma annihilations, and (ii) estimation of the spatial and time resolution of the ortho-positronium image as a function of the coincidence resolving time (CRT) of the scanner. Simulations are conducted assuming that radiopharmaceutical is labelled with 44Sc isotope emitting one positron and one prompt gamma. The image is reconstructed on the basis of triple coincidence events. The ortho-positronium lifetime spectrum is determined for each voxel of the image. Calculations were performed for cases of total-body detectors build of (i) LYSO scintillators as used in the EXPLORER PET, and (ii) plastic scintillators as anticipated for the cost-effective total-body J-PET scanner. To assess the spatial and time resolution the three cases were considered assuming that CRT is equal to 140ps, 50ps and 10ps. The estimated total-body PET sensitivity for the registration and selection of image forming triple coincidences is larger by a factor of 12.2 (for LYSO PET) and by factor of 4.7 (for plastic PET) with respect to the sensitivity for the standard 2gamma imaging by LYSO PET scanners with AFOV=20cm.
Estimating relationship between the Time Over Threshold and energy loss by photons in plastic scintillators used in the J-PET scanner
S. Sharma, J. Chhokar, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwinski, M. Dadgar, K. Dulski, J. Gajewski, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, N. Gupta-Sharma, R. Del Grande, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasinska, K. Kacprzak, L. Kaplon, H. Karimi, D. Kisielewska, K. Klimaszewski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemien, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedzwiecki, M. Palka, M. Pawlik-Niedzwiecka, L. Raczynski, J. Raj, A. Rucinski, Shivani, R. Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, E. L. Stepien, W. Wislicki, B. Zgardzinska, P. Moskal
abstract
Time-Over-Threshold (TOT) technique is being used widely due to its implications in developing the multi channel readouts mainly when fast signal processing is required. Using TOT technique as a measure of energy loss instead of charge integration methods significantly reduces the signals readout cost by combining the time and energy information. Therefore, this approach can potentially be used in J-PET tomograph which is build from plastic scintillators characterized by fast light signals. The drawback in adopting this technique is lying in the non-linear correlation between input energy loss and TOT of the signal. The main motivation behind this work is to develop the relationship between TOT and energy loss and validate it with the J-PET tomograph.
The experiment was performed using the 22Na beta emitter source placed in the center of the J-PET tomograph. One can obtain primary photons of two different energies: 511 keV photon from the annihilation of positron (direct annihilation or through the formation of para-Positronim atom or pick-off process of ortho-Positronium atoms), and 1275 keV prompt photon. This allows to study the correlation between TOT values and energy loss for energy range up to 1000 keV. As the photon interacts dominantly via Compton scattering inside the plastic scintillator, there is no direct information of primary photon energy. However, using the J-PET geometry one can measure the scattering angle of the interacting photon. Since, 22Na source emits photons of two different energies, it is required to know unambiguously the energy of incident photons and its corresponding scattering angle for the estimation of energy deposition. In this work, the relationship between Time Over Threshold and energy loss by interacting photons inside the plastic scintillators used in J-PET scanner is established for a energy deposited range 100-1000 keV.
Hit-time and hit-position reconstruction in strips of plastic scintillators using multi-threshold readouts
N. G. Sharma, M. Silarski, J. Chhokar, E. Czerwinski, C. Curceanu, K. Dulski, K. Farbaniec, A. Gajos, R. Del Grande, M. Gorgol, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasinska, K. Kacprzak, L. Kaplon, D. Kisielewska, K. Klimaszewski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemien, T. Kozik, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedzwiecki, M. Palka, M. Pawlik-Niedzwiecka, L. Raczynski, J. Raj, S. Sharma, S. Shivani, R. Y. Shopa, M. Skurzok, W. Wislicki, B. Zgardzinska, P. Moskal
abstract
In this article a new method for the reconstruction of hit-position and hit-time of photons in long scintillator detectors is investigated. This research is motivated by the recent development of the positron emission tomography scanners based on plastic scintillators. The proposed method constitutes a new way of signal processing in Multi-Voltage-Technique. It is based on the determination of the degree of similarity between the registered signals and the synchronized model signals stored in a library. The library was established for a set of well defined hit-positions along the length of the scintillator. The Mahalanobis distance was used as a measure of similarity between the two compared signals. The method was validated on the experimental data measured using two-strips J-PET prototype with dimensions of 5x9x300 mm. The obtained Time-of-Flight (TOF) and spatial resolutions amount to 325 ps (FWHM) and 25 mm (FWHM), respectively. The TOF resolution was also compared to the results of an analogous study done using Linear Fitting method. The best TOF resolution was obtained with this method at four pre-defined threshold levels which was comparable to the resolution achieved from the Mahalanobis distance at two pre-defined threshold levels. Although the algorithm of Linear Fitting method is much simpler to apply than the Mahalanobis method, the application of the Mahalanobis distance requires a lower number of applied threshold levels and, hence, decreases the costs of electronics used in PET scanner.
Kaonic Atoms to Investigate Global Symmetry Breaking
C. Curceanu, C. Guaraldo, D. Sirghi, A. Amirkhani, A Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, G. Bellotti, D. Bosnar, A. M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, M. Carminati, A. Clozza, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, C. Fiorini, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. King, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, S. Niedzwiecki, S. Okada, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, M. Silarski, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tuechler, G. Utica, O. Vazquez Doce, J. Zmeskal
abstract
Kaonic atoms measure the antikaon-nucleus interaction at almost zero relative energy, allowing one to determine basic low-energy quantum chromodynamics (QCD) quantities, namely, the antikaon-nucleon ( K- N) scattering lengths. The latter are important for extracting the sigma terms which are built on the symmetry breaking part of the Hamiltonian, thereby providing a measure of chiral and SU(3) symmetries breaking. After discussing the sigma terms and their relations to the kaonic atoms, we describe the most precise measurement in the literature of kaonic hydrogen, performed at LNF-INFN by the SIDDHARTA experiment. Kaonic deuterium is still to be measured, and two experiments are planned. The first, SIDDHARTA-2 at LNF-INFN was installed on DAFNE in spring 2019 and will collect data in 2020. The second, E57 at J-PARC, will become operative in 2021
Kaonic Deuterium Measurement with SIDDHARTA-2 on DAFNE
C. Curceanu, A. Amirkhani, A. Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, F. Ghio, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, S. Niedźwiecki, S. Okada, D. Pietreanu, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D.L. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, H. Tatsuno, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, E. Widmann, J. Zmeskal
abstract
The interaction of antikaons with nucleons and nuclei in the low-energy regime represents an active research field in hadron physics with still many important open questions. The investigation of light kaonic atoms is, in this context, a unique tool to obtain precise information on this interaction. The most precise kaonic hydrogen measurement to date, together with an exploratory measurement of kaonic deuterium, were carried out by the SIDDHARTA Collaboration at the DAFNE electron-positron collider of LNF-INFN, by combining the excellent quality kaon beam delivered by the collider with new experimental techniques, as fast and precise Silicon-Drift X-ray detectors. The measurement of kaonic deuterium will be realized in the near future by SIDDHARTA-2, a major upgrade of SIDDHARTA.
Feasibility study of the positronium imaging with the J-PET tomograph
P. Moskal, D. Kisielewska, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, W. Krzemień, T. Kozik, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, J. Raj, S. Sharma, Shivani, R.Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, E. Stępień, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska
abstract
A detection system of the conventional PET tomograph is set-up to record data from e+ e- annihilation into two photons with energy of 511 keV, and it gives information on the density distribution of a radiopharmaceutical in the body of the object. In this paper we explore the possibility of performing the three gamma photons imaging based on ortho- positronium annihilation, as well as the possibility of positronium average lifetime imaging with the J-PET tomograph constructed from plastic scintillators. For this purposes simulations of the ortho-positronium formation and its annihilation into three photons were performed taking into account distributions of photons' momenta as predicted by the theory of quantum electrodynamics and the response of the J-PET tomograph. In order to test the proposed ortho-positronium lifetime image reconstruction method, we concentrate on the decay of the ortho-positronium into three photons and applications of radiopharmaceuticals labeled with isotopes emitting a prompt gamma quantum. The proposed method of imaging is based on the determination of hit-times and hit-positions of registered photons which enables the reconstruction of the time and position of the annihilation point as well as the lifetime of the ortho-positronium on an event-by-event basis. We have simulated the production of the positronium in a cylindrical phantom composed of a set of different materials in which the ortho-positronium lifetime varied from 2 ns to ~2.9 ns, as expected for ortho-positronium created in the human body. The presented reconstruction method for total-body J-PET like detector allows to achieve a mean lifetime resolution of about 40 ps. Recent Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy measurements of cancerous and healthy uterine tissues show that this sensitivity may allow to study the morphological changes in cell structures.
Monte Carlo N-Particle simulations of an underwater chemical threats detection system using neutron activation analysis
P. Sibczyński, M. Silarski, O. Bezshyyko, V. Ivanyan, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, P. Moskal, J. Raj, S. Sharma and O. Trofimiuk
abstract
In this paper, we present Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulations of the system for underwater threat detection using neutron activation analysis developed in the SABAT project. The simulated system is based on a D-T neutron generator emitting 14 MeV neutrons without associated alpha particle detection and equipped with a LaBr3:Ce scintillation detector offering superior energy resolution and allowing for precise identification of activation gamma quanta. The performed simulations show that using the neutron activation analysis method with the designed geometry we are able to identify gamma-rays from hydrogen, carbon, sulphur and chlorine originating from mustard gas in a seawater environment. Our results show that the most efficient way of mustard gas detection is to compare the integral peak ratio for Cl and H.
Simulation studies of annihilation-photon's polarisation via Compton scattering with the J-PET tomograph
N. Krawczyk, B.C. Hiesmayr, J. Chhokar, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, N. Gupta-Sharma, B. Jasińska, D. Kisielewska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, W. Krzemień, T. Kozik, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, J. Raj, K. Rakoczy, Z. Rudy, S. Sharma, Shivani, R.Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
J-PET is the first positron-emission tomograph (PET) constructed from plastic scintillators. It was optimized for the detection of photons from electron-positron annihilation. Such photons, having an energy of 511 keV, interact with electrons in plastic scintillators predominantly via the Compton effect. Compton scattering is at most probable at an angle orthogonal to the electric field vector of the interacting photon. Thus registration of multiple photon scatterings with J-PET enables to determine the polarization of the annihilation photons. In this contribution we present estimates on the physical limitation in the accuracy of the polarization determination of 511 keV photons with the J-PET detector.
X-ray Detectors for Kaonic Atoms Research at DAFNE
C. Curceanu, A. Amirkhani, A. Baniahmad , M. Bazzi, G. Bellotti, C. Berucci, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, R. Del Grande, C. Fiorini, F. Ghio, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci , P. Moskal, S. Niedźwiecki, S. Okada, D. Pietreanu, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, H. Tatsuno, O. Vazquez Doce, E. Widmann and J. Zmeskal
abstract
This article presents the kaonic atom studies performed at the INFN National Laboratory of Frascati (Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell'INFN, LNF-INFN) since the opening of this field of research at the DAFNE collider in early 2000. Significant achievements have been obtained by the DAFNE Exotic Atom Research (DEAR) and Silicon Drift Detector for Hadronic Atom Research by Timing Applications (SIDDHARTA) experiments on kaonic hydrogen, which have required the development of novel X-ray detectors. The 2019 installation of the new SIDDHARTA-2 experiment to measure kaonic deuterium for the first time has been made possible by further technological advances in X-ray detection
Feasibility studies of the polarization of photons beyond the optical wavelength regime with the J-PET detector
P. Moskal, N. Krawczyk, B. C. Hiesmayr, M. Bała, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwinski, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, R. Del Grande, B. Jasinska, K. Kacprzak, L. Kapłon, D. Kisielewska, K. Klimaszewski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemien, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczynski, J. Raj, Z. Rudy, S. Sharma, M. Silarski, Shivani, R. Y. Shopa, M. Skurzok, W. Wislicki, B. Zgardzinska
abstract
J-PET is a detector optimized for registration of photons from the electron-positron annihilation via plastic scintillators where photons interact predominantly via Compton scattering. Registration of both primary and scattered photons enables to determinate the linear polarization of the primary photon on the event by event basis with a certain probability. Here we present quantitative results on the feasibility of such polarization measurements of photons from the decay of positronium with the J-PET and explore the physical limitations for the resolution of the polarization determination of 511keV photons via Compton scattering. For scattering angles of about 82 degree (where the best contrast for polarization measurement is theoretically predicted) we find
that the single event resolution for the determination of the polarization is about 40 degree (predominantly due to properties
of the Compton effect). However, for samples larger than ten thousand events the J-PET is capable of determining relative average polarization of these photons with the precision of about few degrees. The obtained results open new perspectives for studies of various physics phenomena such as quantum entanglement and tests of discrete symmetries in decays of positronium and extend the energy range of polarization measurements by five orders of magnitude beyond the optical wavelength regime.
Evaluation of Single-Chip, Real-Time Tomographic Data Processing on FPGA - SoC Devices
G. Korcyl, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, B. Flak, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, K. Kacprzak, M. Kajetanowicz, D. Kisielewska, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pawlik- Niedźwiecka, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, P. Rajda, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N. G. Sharma, S. Sharma, R. Y. Shopa, M. Skurzok, M. Silarski, P. Strzempek, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, R. Zaleski, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
A novel approach to tomographic data processing
has been developed and evaluated using the Jagiellonian PET (J-
PET) scanner as an example. We propose a system in which there
is no need for powerful, local to the scanner processing facility,
capable to reconstruct images on the fly. Instead we introduce a
Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) System-on-Chip (SoC)
platform connected directly to data streams coming from the
scanner, which can perform event building, filtering, coincidence
search and Region-Of-Response (ROR) reconstruction by the
programmable logic and visualization by the integrated
processors. The platform significantly reduces data volume
converting raw data to a list-mode representation, while
generating visualization on the fly.
A feasibility study of the time reversal violation test based on polarization of annihilation photons from the decay of ortho-Positronium with the J-PET detector
J. Raj, A. Gajos, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, M. Gorgol, N. Gupta-Sharma, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, D. Kisielewska, K. Klimaszewski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, K. Rakoczy, Z. Rudy, S. Sharma, Shivani, R.Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, P. Moskal
abstract
The Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) is a novel device being developed at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland based on organic scintillators. J-PET is an axially symmetric and high acceptance scanner that can be used as a multi-purpose detector system. It is well suited to pursue tests of discrete symmetries in decays of positronium in addition to medical
imaging. J-PET enables the measurement of both momenta and the polarization vectors of annihilation photons. The latter is a unique feature of the J-PET detector which allows the study of time reversal symmetry violation operator which can be constructed solely from the annihilation photons momenta before and after the scattering in the detector.
Commissioning of the J-PET detector in view of the positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy
K. Dulski, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, N. Gupta-Sharma, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, D. Kisielewska, K. Klimaszewski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, T. Kozik, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, J. Raj, K. Rakoczy, Z. Rudy, S. Sharma, Shivani, R. Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, P. Moskal
abstract
The Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) is the first PET device built from plastic scintillators. It is a multi-purpose detector designed for medical imaging and for studies of properties of positronium atoms in porous matter and in living organisms. In this article we report on the commissioning of the J-PET detector in view of studies of positronium decays. We present results of analysis of the positron lifetime measured in the porous polymer. The obtained results prove that J-PET is capable of performing simultaneous imaging of the density distribution of annihilation points as well as positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy.
Estimating the NEMA characteristics of the J-PET tomograph using the GATE package
P. Kowalski, W. Wiślicki, R.Y. Shopa, L. Raczyński, K. Klimaszewski, C. Curcenau, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, N. Gupta-Sharma, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, Ł. Kapłon, D. Kisielewska-Kamińska, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, J. Raj, K. Rakoczy, Z. Rudy, S. Sharma, S. Shivani, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
A novel whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) system based on plastic scintillators is
developed by the J-PET Collaboration. It consists of plastic scintillator strips arranged axially in the
form of a cylinder, allowing the cost-effective construction of the total-body PET system. In order to
determine the properties of the scanner prototype and optimize its geometry, advanced computer
simulations were performed using the GATE (Geant4 application for tomographic emission)
software.
The spatial resolution, sensitivity, scatter fraction and noise equivalent count rate were estimated
according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association norm, as a function of the length
of the tomograph, the number of detection layers, the diameter of the tomographic chamber and
for various types of applied readout. For the single-layer geometry with a diameter of 85 cm, a strip
length of 100 cm, a cross-section of 4 mm × 20 mm and silicon photomultipliers with an additional
layer of wavelength shifter as the readout, the spatial resolution (full width at half maximum) in
the centre of the scanner is equal to 3 mm (radial, tangential) and 6 mm (axial). For the analogous
double-layer geometry with the same readout, diameter and scintillator length, with a strip crosssection
of 7 mm × 20 mm, a noise equivalent count rate peak of 300 kcps was reached at 40 kBq cc?1
activity concentration, the scatter fraction is estimated to be about 35% and the sensitivity at the
centre amounts to 14.9 cps kBq?1. Sensitivity profiles were also determined.
A Method to Produce Linearly Polarized Positrons and Positronium Atoms with the J-PET Detector
M. Mohammed, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B.C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, D. Kisielewska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, J. Raj, Z. Rudy, N.G. Sharma, S. Sharma, Shivani, M. Skurzok, M. Silarski, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
A method for creating linearly polarized positrons and ortho-positronium (o-Ps) atoms with the J-PET detector is presented. The unique geometry and properties of the J-PET tomography enable one to design a positron source such that the quantization axis for the estimation of the linear polarization of produced o-Ps can be determined on the event by event basis in a direction of the positron motion. We intend to use 22Na or other beta+ decay isotopes as a source of polarized positrons. Due to the parity violation in the beta decay, the emitted positrons are longitudinally polarized. The choice of the quantization axis is based on the known position of the positron emitter and the reconstructed position of the positronium annihilation. We show that the J-PET tomography is equipped with all needed components.
Human Tissue Investigations Using PALS Technique - Free Radicals Influence
B. Jasińska, B. Zgardzińska, G. Chołubek, M. Pietrow, M. Gorgol, K. Wiktor, K. Wysogląd, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, B.C. Hiesmayr, B. Jodłowska-Jędrych, D. Kamińska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, N.G. Sharma, S. Sharma, R. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, A. Wieczorek, H. Wiktor, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
The positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy was applied to the samples of the human uterine leiomyomas and the normal myometrium tissues taken from the selected place of the uterus during a surgery. The method indicated differences in values of the measured positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy parameters (lifetimes and intensities) between healthy and diseased tissue samples. The additional measurements were performed either in darkness or in presence of visible light which influenced the free radicals present in both kind of tissues and, as a result, made changes in free annihilation and o-Ps decay lifetime and intensity values.
Preliminary Studies of J-PET Detector Spatial Resolution
M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, S. Niedźwiecki, D. Alfs, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, D. Kisielewska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, J. Raj, Z. Rudy, Shivani, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, N.G. Sharma, S. Sharma, R.Y. Shopa, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
The J-PET detector, based on long plastic scintillator strips, was recently constructed at the Jagiellonian University. It consists of 192 modules axially arranged into three layers, read out from both sides by digital constant-threshold front-end electronics. This work presents preliminary results of measurements of the spatial resolution of the J-PET tomograph performed with 22Na source placed at selected position inside the detector chamber.
Underwater detection of dangerous substances: status of the SABAT project
M. Silarski, P. Sibczyński, Sz. Niedźwiecki, S. Sharma, J. Raj, P. Moskal
abstract
The Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) plays an exceptional role in the modern nuclear engineering, especially in detection of hazardous substances. However, in the aquatic environment, there are still many problems to be solved for effective usage of this technique. We present the status of SABAT (Stoichiometry Analysis By Activation Techniques), one of the projects aiming at the construction of an underwater device for non-invasive threat detection based on the NAA.
Analysis procedure of the positronium lifetime spectra for the J-PET detector
K. Dulski , B. Zgardzińska , P. Białas , C. Curceanu E. Czerwiński , A. Gajos , B. Głowacz , M. Gorgol , B. C. Hiesmayr , B. Jasińska , D. Kisielewska-Kamińska , G. Korcyl , P. Kowalski , T. Kozik , N. Krawczyk , W. Krzemień , E. Kubicz , M. Mohammed , M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, S. Niedźwiecki , M. Pałka , L. Raczyński , J. Raj , Z. Rudy , N. G. Sharma, S. Sharma, Shivani, R. Y. Shopa, M. Silarski , M. Skurzok , A. Wieczorek , W. Wiślicki , M. Zieliński , P. Moskal
abstract
Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) has shown to be a powerful tool to study the nanostructures of porous materials. Positron Emissions Tomography (PET) are devices allowing imaging of metabolic processes e.g. in human bodies. A newly developed device, the J-PET (Jagiellonian PET), will allow PALS in addition to imaging, thus combining both analyses providing new methods for physics and medicine. In this contribution we present a computer program that is compatible with the J-PET software. We compare its performance with the standard program LT 9.0 by using PALS data from hexane measurements at different temperatures. Our program is based on an iterative procedure, and our fits prove that it performs as good as LT 9.0.
Introduction of total variation regularization into filtered backprojection algorithm
L. Raczyński, W. Wiślicki, K. Klimaszewski, W. Krzemień, P. Kowalski, R. Shopa, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, D. Kisielewska-Kamińska, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, Z. Rudy, N.G. Sharma, S. Sharma, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, A. Wieczorek, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
In this paper we extend the state-of-the-art filtered backprojection (FBP) method with application of the concept of Total Variation regularization. We compare the performance of the new algorithm with the most common form of regularizing in the FBP image reconstruction via apodizing functions. The methods are validated in terms of cross-correlation coefficient between reconstructed and real image of radioactive tracer distribution using standard Derenzo-type phantom. We demonstrate that the proposed approach results in higher cross-correlation values with respect
to the standard FBP method.
Time calibration of the J-PET detector
M. Skurzok, M. Silarski, D. Alfs, P. Bialas, Shivani, C. Curceanu , E. Czerwinski , K. Dulski , A. Gajos, B. G lowacz , M. Gorgol, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasinska, D. Kisielewska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik , N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemien, E. Kubicz , M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedzwiecka, S. Niedzwiecki, M. Palka, L. Raczynski , J. Raj, Z. Rudy, N. G. Sharma, S. Sharma , R. Y. Shopa , A. Wieczorek, W. Wislicki , B. Zgardzinska, M. Zielinski , P. Moskal
abstract
The Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) project carried out in the Institute of Physics of the Jagiellonian University is focused on construction and tests of the first prototype of PET scanner for medical diagnostic which allows for the simultaneous 3D imaging of the whole human body using organic scintillators. The J-PET prototype consists of 192 scintillator strips forming three cylindrical layers which are optimized for the detection of photons from the electron-positron annihilation with high time- and high angular-resolutions. In this article we present time calibration and synchronization of the whole J-PET detection system by irradiating each single detection module with a 22Na source and a small detector providing common reference time for synchronization of all the modules.
Novel scintillating material 2-(4-styrylphenyl)benzoxazole for the fully digital and MRI compatible J-PET tomograph based on plastic scintillators
A. Wieczorek, K. Dulski, Sz. Niedźwiecki, D. Alfs, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, A. Danel, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, K. Kacprzak, D. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Kucharek, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, N. G. Sharma, M. Silarski, T. Uchacz, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
A novel
plastic
scintillator
is developed
for
the
application
in the
digital
positron
emission
tomography
(PET).
The
novelty
of the
concept
lies
in application
of the
2-(4-styrylphenyl)
benzoxazole
as
a wavelength
shifter.
The
substance
has
not
been
used
as
scintillator
dop-
ant
before.
A dopant
shifts
the
scintillation
spectrum
towards
longer
wavelengths
making
it
more
suitable
for
applications
in scintillators
of long
strips
geometry
and
light
detection
with
digital
silicon
photomultipliers.
These
features
open
perspectives
for
the
construction
of the
cost-effective
and
MRI-compatib
le PET
scanner
with
the
large
field
of view.
In this
article
we
present
the
synthesis
method
and
characterize
performance
of the
elaborated
scintillator
by
determining
its
light
emission
spectrum,
light
emission
efficiency,
rising
and
decay
time
of
the
scintillation
pulses
and
resulting
timing
resolution
when
applied
in the
positron
emission
tomography.
The
optimal
concentratio
n of the
novel
wavelength
shifter
was
established
by
maximizing
the
light
output
and
it was
found
to be
0.05
?
for
cuboidal
scintillator
with
dimen-
sions
of 14
mm
x 14
mm
x 20
mm.
Commissioning of the J-PET Detector for Studies of Decays of Positronium Atoms
E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B.C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, D. Kisielewska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, N.G. Sharma, S. Sharma, R.Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
The Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) is a detector for medical imaging of the whole human body as well as for physics studies involving detection of electron?positron annihilation into photons. J-PET has high angular and time resolution, and allows for measurement of spin of the positronium and the momenta and polarization vectors of annihilation quanta. In this article, we present the potential of the J-PET system for the background rejection in the decays of positronium atoms.
J-PET: A New Technology for the Whole-body PET Imaging
S. Niedźwiecki, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B.C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, Ł. Kapłon, D. Kisielewska-Kamińska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, N.G. Sharma, S. Sharma, R.Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
The Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) is the first PET built from plastic scintillators. J-PET prototype consists of 192 detection modules arranged axially in three layers forming a cylindrical diagnostic chamber with the inner diameter of 85 cm and the axial field-of-view of 50 cm. An axial arrangement of long strips of plastic scintillators, their small light attenuation, superior timing properties, and relative ease of the increase of the axial field-of-view opens promising perspectives for the cost effective construction of the whole-body PET scanner, as well as construction of MR and CT compatible PET inserts. Present status of the development of the J-PET tomograph will be presented and discussed.
Three-dimensional Image Reconstruction in J-PET Using Filtered Back-projection Method
R.Y. Shopa, K. Klimaszewski, P. Kowalski, W. Krzemień, L. Raczyński, W. Wiślicki, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, D. Kisielewska-Kamińska, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, Z. Rudy, N.G. Sharma, S. Sharma, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, A. Wieczorek, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
We present a method and preliminary results of the image reconstruction in the Jagiellonian PET tomograph. Using GATE (Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission), interactions of the 511 keV photons with a cylindrical detector were generated. Pairs of such photons, flying back-to-back, originate from e+e? annihilations inside a 1 mm spherical source. Spatial and temporal coordinates of hits were smeared using experimental resolutions of the detector. We incorporated the algorithm of the 3D Filtered Back Projection, implemented in the STIR and TomoPy software packages, which differ in approximation methods. Consistent results for the Point Spread Functions of ? 5 ÷ 7 mm and ? 9 ÷ 20 mm were obtained, using STIR, for transverse and longitudinal directions, respectively, with no time-of-flight information included.
Human Tissues Investigation Using PALS Technique
B. Jasińska, B. Zgardzińska, G. Chołubek, M. Gorgol, K. Wiktor, K. Wysogląd, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jodłowska-Jędrych, D. Kamińska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, N.G. Sharma, S. Sharma, R. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, A. Wieczorek, H. Wiktor, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
Samples of uterine leiomyomatis and normal tissues taken from patients after surgery were investigated using the Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS). Significant differences in all PALS parameters between normal and diseased tissues were observed. For all studied patients, it was found that the values of the free annihilation and ortho-positronium lifetime are larger for the tumorous tissues than for the healthy ones. For most of the patients, the intensity of the free annihilation and ortho-positronium annihilation was smaller for the tumorous than for the healthy tissues. For the first time, in this kind of studies, the 3? fraction of positron annihilation was determined to describe changes in the tissue porosity during morphologic alteration.
Human Tissues Investigation Using PALS Technique
B. Jasińska, B. Zgardzińska, G. Chołubek, M. Gorgol, K. Wiktor, K. Wysogląd, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, B.C. Hiesmayr, B. Jodłowska-Jędrych, D. Kamińska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, N.G. Sharma, S. Sharma, R. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, A. Wieczorek, H. Wiktor, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
Samples of uterine leiomyomatis and normal tissues taken from patients
after surgery were investigated using the Positron Annihilation Lifetime
Spectroscopy (PALS). Significant differences in all PALS parameters
between normal and diseased tissues were observed. For all studied patients,
it was found that the values of the free annihilation and orthopositronium
lifetime are larger for the tumorous tissues than for the healthy
ones. For most of the patients, the intensity of the free annihilation and
ortho-positronium annihilation was smaller for the tumorous than for the
healthy tissues. For the first time, in this kind of studies, the 3gamma fraction
of positron annihilation was determined to describe changes in the tissue
porosity during morphologic alteration.
Multichannel FPGA based MVT system for high precision time (20 ps RMS) and charge measurement
M. Palka, P. Strzempek, G. Korcyl, T. Bednarski, S. Niedzwiecki, P. Bialas, E. Czerwinski, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Glowacz, M. Gorgol, B. Jasinska, D. Kaminska, M. Kajetanowicz, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemien, E. Kubicz, M. Mohhamed, L. Raczynski, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, P. Salabura, NG. Sharma, M. Silarski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wislicki, M. Zielinski, B. Zgardzinska, P. Moskal
abstract
In this article it is presented an FPGA based Multi-Voltage Threshold (MVT) system which allows of sampling fast signals (1-2 ns rising and falling edge) in both voltage and time domain. It is possible to achieve a precision of time measurement of 20 ps RMS and reconstruct charge of signals, using a simple approach, with deviation from real value smaller than 10%. Utilization of the differential inputs of an FPGA chip as comparators together with an implementation of a TDC inside an FPGA allowed us to achieve a compact multi-channel system characterized by low power consumption and low production costs. This paper describes realization and functioning of the system comprising 192-channel TDC board and a four mezzanine cards which split incoming signals and discriminate them. The boards have been used to validate a newly developed Time-of-Flight Positron Emission Tomography system based on plastic scintillators. The achieved full system time resolution of sigma (TOF) approximate to 68 ps is by factor of two better with respect to the current TOF-PET systems.
Calculation of the time resolution of the J-PET tomograph using kernel density estimation
L. Raczyński, W. Wiślicki, W. Krzemień, P. Kowalski, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, D. Kamińska, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, N. Gupta-Sharma, M. Silarski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński and P. Moskal
abstract
In this paper we estimate the time resolution of the J-PET scanner built from plastic scintillators. We incorporate the method of signal processing using the Tikhonov regularization framework and the kernel density estimation method. We obtain simple, closed-form analytical formulae for time resolution. The proposed method is validated using signals registered by means of the single detection unit of the J-PET tomograph built from a 30?cm long plastic scintillator strip. It is shown that the experimental and theoretical results obtained for the J-PET scanner equipped with vacuum tube photomultipliers are consistent.
Measurement of gamma quantum interaction point in plastic scintillator with WLS strips
J. Smyrski, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, N. Gupta-Sharma, M. Gorgol, B. Jasińska, M. Kajetanowicz, D. Kamińska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, W. Krzemień, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, M. Silarski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, J. Wojnarska, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
The feasibility of measuring the aśxial coordinate of a gamma quantum interaction point in a plastic scintillator
bar via the detection of scintillation photons escaping from the scintillator with an array of wavelength-shifting
(WLS) strips is demonstrated. Using a test set-up comprising a BC-420 scintillator bar and an array of sixteen
BC-482A WLS strips we achieved a spatial resolution of 5 mm (?) for annihilation photons from a 22Na isotope.
The studied method can be used to improve the spatial resolution of a plastic-scintillator-based PET scanner
which is being developed by the J-PET collaboration.
J-PET: A Novel TOF -PET scanner using Organic Scintillators
N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B. Jasińska, D. Kamińska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, W. Krzemień, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, A. Wieczorek, W. Wislicki, M. Zieliński, B. Zgardzińska, P. Moskal
abstract
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is one of the most advanced nuclear medicine imaging techniques that
have potential to identify many diseases (like cancers, heart diseases, neurological disorders and other abnormalities) in vivo in the earliest stages. However, production of PET modalities for covering the whole human body is economically unrealistic when applying the current technologies. In order to achieve a goal of more economical PET scanner with large geometrical acceptance and improved time resolution, the Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomography (J-PET) Collaboration is realizing a new project aiming at construction of TOF-PET detector using plastic scintillators instead of crystals. Novelty of the J-PET scanner lies in: (i) application of plastic scintillators as well as in (ii) its front-end electronics which allows signal sampling in voltage domain, (iii) a trigger-less data acquisition system, and (iv) the new time and hit-position reconstruction methods. Moreover, the proposed solution enables to increase the axial field-of-view of the tomograph by extending the length of the plastic scintillator strips without changing the number of photomultipliers and electronic channels.
A feasibility study of ortho-positronium decays measurement with the J-PET scanner based on plastic scintillators
D. Kamińska, A. Gajos, E. Czerwiński, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, K. Dulski, B. Głowacz, N. Gupta-Sharma, M. Gorgol, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, W. Krzemień, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, M. Silarski, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
We present a study of the application of the Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) for the registration of gamma quanta from decays of ortho-positronium (o-Ps). The J-PET is the first positron emission tomography scanner based on organic scintillators in contrast to all current PET scanners based on inorganic crystals. Monte Carlo simulations show that the J-PET as an axially symmetric and high acceptance scanner can be used as a multi-purpose detector well suited to pursue research including e.g. tests of discrete symmetries in decays of ortho-positronium in addition
to the medical imaging. The gamma quanta originating from o-Ps decay interact in the plastic scintillators predominantly via the Compton effect, making the direct measurement of their energy impossible. Nevertheless, it is shown in this paper that the J-PET scanner will enable studies of the o-Ps->3g decays with angular and energy resolution equal to sigma(theta) = 0.4^{circ} and sigma(E) = 4.1 keV, respectively. An order of magnitude shorter decay time of signals from plastic scintillators with respect to the inorganic crystals results not only in better timing properties crucial for the reduction of physical and instrumental background, but also suppresses significantly the pileups, thus enabling compensation of the lower efficiency of the plastic scintillators by performing measurements with higher positron source activities.
Determination of the 3gamma Fraction from Positron Annihilation in Mesoporous Materials for Symmetry Violation Experiment with J-PET Scanner
B. Jasińska, M. Gorgol, M. Wiertel, R. Zaleski, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos B. Głowacz, D. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
Various mesoporous materials were investigated to choose the best material for experiments requiring high yield of long-lived positronium. We found that the fraction of 3? annihilation determined using ?-ray energy spectra and positron annihilation lifetime spectra (PAL) changed from 20% to 25%. The 3? fraction and o-Ps formation probability in the polymer XAD-4 is found to be the largest. Elemental analysis performed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope EDS shows high purity of the investigated materials.
Sampling FEE and Trigger-less DAQ for the J-PET Scanner
G. Korcyl, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, B. Jasińska, D. Kamińska Ł. Kapłon, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, K. Stoła, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, B.K. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
In this paper, we present a complete Data Acquisition System (DAQ) together with the readout mechanisms for the J-PET tomography scanner. In general, detector readout chain is constructed out of Front-End Electronics (FEE) measurement devices such as Time-to-Digital or Analog-to-Digital Converters (TDCs or ADCs), data collectors and storage. We have developed a system capable for maintaining continuous readout of digitized data without preliminary selection. Such operation mode results in up to 8 Gbps data stream, therefore, it is required to introduce a dedicated module for on-line event building and feature extraction. The Central Controller Module, equipped with Xilinx Zynq SoC and 16 optical transceivers, serves as such true real time computing facility. Our solution for the continuous data recording (trigger-less) is a novel approach in such detector systems and assures that most of the information is preserved on the storage for further, high-level processing. Signal discrimination applies a unique method of using LVDS buffers located in the FPGA fabric.
Beam Profile Investigation of the New Collimator System for the J-PET Detector
E. Kubicz, M. Silarski, A. Wieczorek, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, B. Jasińska D. Kamińska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Mohammed, I. Moskal, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, A. Strzelecki, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, B. Zgardzińska, P. Moskal
abstract
Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) is a multi-purpose detector which will be used for search for discrete symmetries violations in the decays of positronium atoms and for investigations with positronium atoms in life-sciences and medical diagnostics. In this article, we present three methods for determination of the beam profile of collimated annihilation gamma quanta. Precise monitoring of this profile is essential for time and energy calibration of the J-PET detector and for the determination of the library of model signals used in the hit-time and hit-position reconstruction. We have shown that usage of two lead bricks with dimensions of 5 × 10 × 20 cm3 enables to form a beam of annihilation quanta with Gaussian profile characterized by 1 mm FWHM. Determination of this characteristic is essential for designing and construction the collimator system for the 24-module J-PET prototype. Simulations of the beam profile for different collimator dimensions were performed. This allowed us to choose optimal collimation system in terms of the beam profile parameters, dimensions and weight of the collimator taking into account the design of the 24-module J-PET detector.
Scatter Fraction of the J-PET Tomography Scanner
P. Kowalski, W. Wiślicki, L. Raczyński, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, J. Jasińska D. Kamińska, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammad, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, Z. Rudy, M. Silarski, A. Wieczorek, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
A novel Positron Emission Tomography system, based on plastic scintillators, is being developed by the J-PET Collaboration. In this article, we present the simulation results of the scatter fraction, representing one of the parameters crucial for background studies defined in the NEMA-NU-2-2012 norm. We elaborate an event selection methods allowing to suppress events in which gamma quanta were scattered in the phantom or underwent the multiple scattering in the detector. The estimated scatter fraction for the single-layer J-PET scanner varies from 37% to 53% depending on the applied energy threshold.
Application of the compress sensing theory for improvement of the TOF resolution in a novel J-PET instrument
L. Raczyński, P. Moskal, P. Kowalski, W. Wiślicki, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N. Gupta-Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
Trilateration-based reconstruction of ortho-positronium decays into three photons with the J-PET detector
A. Gajos, D. Kamińska, E. Czerwiński, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B. Jasińska, Ł. Kapłon, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
This work reports on a new reconstruction algorithm allowing us to reconstruct the decays of ortho-positronium atoms into three photons using the places and times of photons recorded in the detector. The method is based on trilateration and allows for a simultaneous reconstruction of both location and time of the decay. Results of resolution tests of the new reconstruction in the J-PET detector based on Monte Carlo simulations are presented, which yield a spatial resolution at the level of 2 cm (FWHM) for X and Y and at the level of 1 cm (FWHM) for Z available with the present resolution of J-PET after application of a kinematic fit. Prospects of employment of this method for studying angular correlations of photons in decays of polarized ortho-positronia for the needs of tests of CP and CPT discrete symmetries are also discussed. The new reconstruction method allows for discrimination of background from random three-photon coincidences as well as for application of a novel method for determination of the linear polarization of ortho-positronium atoms, which is also introduced in this work.
Time resolution of the plastic scintillator strips with matrix photomultiplier readout for J-PET tomograph
P. Moskal, O. Rundel, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, K. Giergiel, M. Gorgol, B. Jasińska, D. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, N.G. Sharma, A. Słomski, M. Silarski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, P. Witkowski, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
Recent tests of a single module of the Jagiellonian Positron Emission
Tomography system (J-PET) consisting of 30 cm long plastic scintillator
strips have proven its applicability for the detection of annihilation quanta
(0.511 MeV) with a coincidence resolving time (CRT) of 0.266 ns. The
achieved resolution is almost by a factor of two better with respect to the
current TOF-PET detectors and it can still be improved since, as it is shown
in this article, the intrinsic limit of time resolution for the determination of
time of the interaction of 0.511 MeV gamma quanta in plastic scintillators
is much lower. As the major point of the article, a method allowing to
record timestamps of several photons, at two ends of the scintillator strip,
by means of matrix of silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) is introduced. As a
result of simulations, conducted with the number of SiPM varying from 4 to 42, it is shown that the improvement of timing resolution saturates with
the growing number of photomultipliers, and that the 2×5 configuration at
two ends allowing to read twenty timestamps, constitutes an optimal solution.
The conducted simulations accounted for the emission time distribution,
photon transport and absorption inside the scintillator, as well as quantum
efficiency and transit time spread of photosensors, and were checked based on
the experimental results. Application of the 2×5 matrix of SiPM allows for
achieving the coincidence resolving time in positron emission tomography of
0.170 ns for 15 cm axial field-of-view (AFOV) and 0.365 ns for 100 cm
AFOV. The results open perspectives for construction of a cost-effective TOFPET
scanner with significantly better TOF resolution and larger AFOV with
respect to the current TOF-PET modalities.
Overview of the software architecture and data flow for the J-PET tomography device
W. Krzemień, D. Alfs, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, B. Jasińska, D. Kamińska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, M. Silarski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
Modern TOF-PET scanner systems require high-speed computing resources for efficient data processing, monitoring and image reconstruction. In this article we present the data flow and software architecture for the novel TOF-PET scanner developed by the J-PET collaboration. We discuss the data acquisition system, reconstruction framework and some image reconstruction issues. Also, the concept of computing outside hospitals in the remote centers such as 'Swierk Computing Centre in Poland is presented
Potential of the J-PET Detector for Studies of Discrete Symmetries in Decays of Positronium Atom - a Purely Leptonic System
P. Moskal, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwinski, C. Curceanu, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B.C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasinska, D. Kaminska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemien , N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedzwiecki, M. Pawlik-Niedzwiecka, L. Raczynski, Z. Rudy, M. Silarski, A. Wieczorek, W. Wislicki, M. Zielinski
abstract
The Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) was constructed
as a prototype of the cost-effective scanner for the simultaneous
metabolic imaging of the whole human body. Being optimized for the detection
of photons from the electron?positron annihilation with high timeand
high angular-resolution, it constitutes a multi-purpose detector providing
new opportunities for studying the decays of positronium atoms.
Positronium is the lightest purely leptonic object decaying into photons.
As an atom bound by a central potential, it is a parity eigenstate, and
as an atom built out of an electron and an anti-electron, it is an eigenstate
of the charge conjugation operator. Therefore, the positronium is
a unique laboratory to study discrete symmetries whose precision is limited,
in principle, by the effects due to the weak interactions expected at the level of (10????14) and photon?photon interactions expected at the
level of (10????9). The J-PET detector enables to perform tests of discrete
symmetries in the leptonic sector via the determination of the expectation
values of the discrete-symmetries-odd operators, which may be constructed
from the spin of ortho-positronium atom and the momenta and polarization
vectors of photons originating from its annihilation. In this article, we
present the potential of the J-PET detector to test the C, CP, T and CPT
symmetries in the decays of positronium atoms.
J-PET: A Novel TOF-PFT Detector based on Plastic Scintillators
P. Moskal, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Bialas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwinski, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Glowacz, M. Gorgol, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jasinska, D. Kaminska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemien, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedzwiecka, S. Niedzwiecki, M. Palka, L. Raczynski, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, NG. Sharma, M. Silarski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wislicki, B. Zgardzinska, M. Zielinski
abstract
The purpose of the reported research is the elaboration of the method for construction of the cost-effective whole body single-bed positron emission tomography scanner enabling simultaneous PET/CT and PET/MR imaging The Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) is built out of 192 scintillator strips arranged axially in three layers forming a cylindrical diagnostic chamber with the diameter of 85 cm and axial field of-view of 50 cm. The novelty of the concept lies in employing long strips of plastic scintillators instead of crystals as detectors of the annihilation quanta, and in using the timing of signals instead of their amplitudes for the reconstruction of Lines-of Response. To take advantage of the superior timing properties of plastic scintillators a novel multi-voltage-threshold front-end electronics was developed allowing for sampling of signals in a voltage domain. An axial arrangement of long strips of plastic scintillators, and their small light attenuation allows us to make a TOE-PET scanner with a long axial field-of-view. The presented solution opens unique possibilities of combining PET with CT and PET with MRI for scanning the same part of a patient at the same time with both methods. The relative ease of the cost effective increase of the axial field-of-view makes the J-PET tomograph competitive with respect to the current commercial PET scanners as regards sensitivity and time resolution.
Statistical Analysis of Time Resolution of the J-PET Scanner
L. Raczynski, W. Wislicki, P. Kowalski, W. Krzemien, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Bialas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwinski, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Glowacz, M. Gorgol, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jasinska, D. Kaminska, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedzwiecka, S. Niedzwiecki, M. Palka, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, NG. Sharma, M. Silarski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, B. Zgardzinska, M. Zielinski, P. Moskal
abstract
The commercial Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners use inorganic crystal scintillators for the detection of gamma photons. The Jagiellonian-PET (J-PET) detector exhibits high time resolution due to use of fast plastic scintillators and dedicated electronics circuits. Since the time resolution of PET scanner is influenced by numerous factors, e.g. a type of photomultipliers attached to the scintillators, the optimal selection of components of the J-PET system requires detailed understanding of the method for calculation the time resolution. In this paper we show the idea of this method, based on statistical analysis of the observed signals on the photomultiplier's output. The method is tested using signals registered by means of the single detection module of the J-PET scanner built out from 30 cm long plastic scintillator strips. We investigate two main factors affecting the photon registration probability, photomultipliers quantum efficiency and photomultipliers transit time spread. We demonstrate that the quantum efficiency of photomultipliers represents the most important factor influencing overall performance of the J-PET scanner.
Studies of discrete symmetries in a purely leptonic system using the Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph
P. Moskal, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Bialas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwinski, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Glowacz, N. Gupta-Sharma, M. Gorgol, BC. Hiesmayr, B. Jasinska, D. Kaminska, O. Khreptak, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, W. Krzemien, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, S. Niedzwiecki, M. Pawlik-Niedzwiecka, L. Raczynski, Z. Rudy, M. Silarski, J. Smyrski, A. Wieczorek, W. Wislicki, B. Zgardzinska, M. Zielinski
abstract
Discrete symmetries such as parity (P), charge-conjugation (C) and time reversal (T) are of fundamental importance in physics and cosmology. Breaking of charge conjugation symmetry (C) and its combination with parity (CP) constitute necessary conditions for the existence of the asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the observed Universe. The presently known sources of discrete symmetries violations can account for only a tiny fraction of the excess of matter over antimatter. So far CP and T symmetries violations were observed only for systems involving quarks and they were never reported for the purely leptonic objects. In this article we describe briefly an experimental proposal for the test of discrete symmetries in the decays of positronium atom which is made exclusively of leptons. The experiments are conducted by means of the Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) which is constructed from strips of plastic scintillators enabling registration of photons from the positronium annihilation. J-PET tomograph together with the positronium target system enable to measure expectation values for the discrete symmetries odd operators constructed from (i)spin vector of the ortho-positronium atom, (ii) momentum vectors of photons originating from the decay of positronium, and (iii) linear polarization direction of annihilation photons. Linearly polarized positronium will be produced in the highly porous aerogel or polymer targets, exploiting longitudinally polarized positrons emitted by the sodium Na-22 isotope. Information about the polarization vector of ortho-positronium will be available on the event by event basis and will be reconstructed from the known position of the positron source and the reconstructed position of the ortho-positronium annihilation. In 2016 the first tests and calibration runs are planned, and the data collection with high statistics will commence in the year 2017.
Searches for discrete symmetries violation in ortho-positronium decay using the J-PET detector
D. Kamińska, A. Gajos, E. Czerwiński, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, M. Gorgol, B. Jasińska, Ł. Kapłon, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, N. Gupta-Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, B. Zgardzińska, P. Moskal
abstract
In this paper, we present prospects for using the Jagiellonian positron emission tomograph (J-PET)
detector to search for discrete symmetries violations in a purely leptonic system of the positronium atom. We
discuss tests of CP and CPT symmetries by means of ortho-positronium decays into three photons. No zero
expectation values for chosen correlations between ortho-positronium spin and momentum vectors of photons
would imply the existence of physics phenomena beyond the standard model. Previous measurements resulted
in violation amplitude parameters for CP and CPT symmetries consistent with zero, with an uncertainty of
about 10?3. The J-PET detector allows to determine those values with better precision, thanks to the unique
time and angular resolution combined with a high geometrical acceptance. Achieving the aforementioned is possible
because of the application of polymer scintillators instead of crystals as detectors of annihilation quanta.
Studies of unicellular microorganisms Saccharomyces cerevisiae by means of positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy
E. Kubicz, B. Jasińska, B. Zgardzińska, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, D. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rajfur, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, N. Gupta-Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
Results of positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) and microscopic studies on simple microorganisms,
brewing yeasts, are presented. Lifetime of ortho-positronium (o-Ps) were found to change from 2.4 to 2.9 ns
(longer-lived component) for lyophilized and aqueous yeasts, respectively. Also hygroscopicity of yeasts in time was
examined, allowing to check how water ? the main component of the cell ? affects PALS parameters, thus lifetime
of o-Ps were found to change from 1.2 to 1.4 ns (shorter-lived component) for the dried yeasts. The time suffi cient
to hydrate the cells was found below 10 hours. In the presence of liquid water, an indication of reorganization of
yeast in the molecular scale was observed. Microscopic images of the lyophilized, dried, and wet yeasts with best
possible resolution were obtained using inverted microscopy (IM) and environmental scanning electron microscopy
(ESEM) methods. As a result, visible changes to the surface of the cell me mbrane were observed in ESEM images.
Reconstruction of hit time and hit position of annihilation quanta in the J-PET detector usi ng the Mahalanobis distance
N. G. Sharma, M. Silarski, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, B. Jasińska, D. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, A. Słomski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, B. Zgardzińska, P. Moskal
abstract
The J-PET detector being developed at Jagiellonian University, is a Positron Emission Tomograph composed of the long strips of polymer scintillators. At the same time it is a detector system which will be used for studies of the decays of positronium atoms. The shape of photomultiplier signals depends on the hit-time and hit-position of the gamma quantum. In order to take advantage of this fact a dedicated sampling front-end electronics which enables to sample signals in voltage domain with the time precision of about 20 ps and novel reconstruction method based on the comparison of examined signal with the model signals stored in the library has been developed. As a measure of the similarity we use the Mahalanobis distance. The achievable position and time-resolution depends on number and values of the threshold levels at which the signal is sampled. A reconstruction method, as well as preliminary results are presented and discussed.
PALS investigations of free volumes thermal expansion of J-PET plastic scintillator synthesized in polystyrene matrix
A. Wieczorek, B. Zgardzińska, B. Jasińska, M. Gorgol, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, D. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, A. Strzelecki, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
abstract
The polystyrene dopped with 2,5-diphenyloxazole as a primary fluor and 2-(4-styrylphenyl)benzoxazole as a wavelength shifter, prepared as a plastic scintillator was investigated using positronium probe in wide range of temperatures from 123 to 423 K. Three structural transitions at 260 K, 283 K and 370 K were found in the material. In the o-Ps intensity dependence on temperature, the significant hysteresis is observed. Heated to 370 K, the material exhibits the o-Ps intensity variations in time.
Processing optimization with parallel computing for the J-PET scanner
W. Krzemień, M. Bała, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, B. Jasińska, D. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, K. Stola, A. Strzelecki, D. Trybek, Anna Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, B. K. Zgardzińska, P. Moskal
abstract
The Jagiellonian-PET (J-PET) collaboration is developing a prototype TOF-PET detector based on long polymer scintillators. This novel approach exploits the excellent time properties of the plastic scintillators, which permit very precise time measurements. The very fast, FPGA-based front-end electronics and the data acquisition system, as well as, low- and high-level reconstruction algorithms were specially developed to be used with the J-PET scanner. The TOF-PET data processing and reconstruction are time and resource demanding operations, especially in case of a large acceptance detector, which works in triggerless data acquisition mode. In this article, we discuss the parallel computing methods applied to optimize the data processing for the J-PET detector. We begin with general concepts of parallel computing and then we discuss several applications of those techniques in the J-PET data processing.
Multiple Scattering and Accidental Coincidences in the J-PET Detector Simulated Using GATE Package
P. Kowalski, P. Moskal, W. Wislicki, L. Raczynski, T. Bednarski, P. Bialas, J. Bulka, E. Czerwinski, A. Gajos, A. Gruntowski, D. Kaminska, L. Kaplon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, T. Kozik, W. Krzemien, E. Kubicz, S. Niedzwiecki, M. Palka, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, NG. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Slomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, I. Wochlik, M. Zielinski, N. Zon
abstract
Novel positron emission tomography system, based on plastic scintillators, is developed by the J-PET collaboration. In order to optimize geometrical configuration of built device, advanced computer simulations are performed. Detailed study is presented of background given by accidental coincidences and multiple scattering of gamma quanta.
A pilot study of the novel J-PET plastic scintillator with 2-(4-styrylphenyl)benzoxazole as a wavelength shifter
A. Wieczorek, P. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Danel, A. Gajos, A. Gruntowski, D. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Molenda, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, T. Uchacz, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
For the first time a molecule of 2-(4-styrylphenyl)benzoxazole containing benzoxazole and stilbene groups is applied as a scintillator dopant acting as a wavelength shifter. In this article a light yield of the plastic scintillator, prepared from styrene doped with 2 wt% of 2,5-diphenylbenzoxazole and 0.03 wt% of 2-(4-styrylphenyl)benzoxazole, is determined to be as large as 60% ? 2% of the anthracene light output. There is a potential to improve this value in the future by the optimization of the additives concentrations.
Compressive sensing of signals generated in plastic scintillators in a novel J-PET instrument
L. Raczyński, P. Moskal, P. Kowalski, W. Wiślicki, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
The J-PET scanner, which allows for single bed imaging of the whole human body, is currently under development at the Jagiellonian University. The discussed detector offers improvement of the Time of Flight (TOF) resolution due to the use of fast plastic scintillators and dedicated electronics allowing for sampling in the voltage domain of signals with durations of few nanoseconds. In this paper we show that recovery of the whole signal, based on only a few samples, is possible. In order to do that, we incorporate the training signals into the Tikhonov regularization framework and we perform the Principal Component Analysis decomposition, which is well known for its compaction properties. The method yields a simple closed form analytical solution that does not require iterative processing. Moreover, from the Bayes theory the properties of regularized solution, especially its covariance matrix, may be easily derived. This is the key to introduce and prove the formula for calculations of the signal recovery error. In this paper we show that an average recovery error is approximately inversely proportional to the number of acquired samples.
Analysis framework for the J-PET scanner
W. Krzemień, A. Gajos, A. Gruntowski, K. Stola, D. Trybek, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, D. Kamińska, L. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, E. Kubicz, P. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N. G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
J-PET analysis framework is a flexible, lightweight, ROOT-based software package which provides the tools to develop reconstruction and calibration procedures for PET tomography. In this article we present the implementation of the full data-processing chain in the J-PET framework which is used for the data analysis of the J-PET tomography scanner. The Framework incorporates automated handling of PET setup parameters' database as well as high level tools for building data reconstruction procedures. Each of these components is briefly discussed.
Hit time and hit position reconstruction in the J-PET detector based on a library of averaged model signals
P. Moskal, N.G.Sharma, M.Silarski, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, J. Bułka, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, D. Kamińska, L. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, P. Salabura, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, I. Wochlik, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
n this article we present a novel method of hit time and hit position reconstruction in long scintillator detectors. We take advantage of the fact that for this kind of detectors amplitude and shape of registered signals depends strongly on the position where particle hit the detector. The reconstruction is based on determination of the degree of similarity between measured and averaged signals stored in a library for a set of well-defined positions along the scintillator. Preliminary results of validation of the introduced method with experimental data obtained by means of the double strip prototype of the J-PET detector are presented.
GPU accelerated image reconstruction in a two-strip J-PET tomograph
P. Białas, J. Kowal, A. Strzelecki, T. Bednarski, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, D. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, P. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
We present a fast GPU implementation of the image reconstruction routine, for a novel two strip PET detector that relies solely on the time of flight measurements.
A novel method for the line-of-response and time-of-flight reconstruction in TOF-PET detectors based on a library of synchronized model signals
P. Moskal, N. Zoń, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, A. Gajos, D. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński
abstract
A novel method of hit time and hit position reconstruction in scintillator detectors is described. The method is based on comparison of detector signals with results stored in a library of synchronized model signals registered for a set of well-defined positions of scintillation points. The hit position is reconstructed as the one corresponding to the signal from the library which is most similar to the measurement signal. The time of the interaction is determined as a relative time between the measured signal and the most similar one in the library. A degree of similarity of measured and model signals is defined as the distance between points representing the measurement- and model-signal in the multi-dimensional measurement space. Novelty of the method lies also in the proposed way of synchronization of model signals enabling direct determination of the difference between time-of-flights (TOF) of annihilation quanta from the annihilation point to the detectors. The introduced method was validated using experimental data obtained by means of the double strip prototype of the J-PET detector and 22Na sodium isotope as a source of annihilation gamma quanta.The detector was built out from plastic scintillator strips with dimensions of 5 mm x 19 mm x 300 mm, optically connected at both sides to photomultipliers,from which signals were sampled by means of the Serial Data Analyzer.Using the introduced method, the spatial and TOF resolution of about 1.3 cm (?) and 125 ps (?) were established, respectively.
Test of a single module of the J-PET scanner based on plastic scintillators
P. Moskal, S. Niedzwiecki, T. Bednarski, E. Czerwinski, L. Kaplon, E. Kubicz, I. Moskal, M. Pawlik-Niedzwiecka, NG. Sharma, M. Silarski, M. Zielinski, N. Zon, P. Bialas, A. Gajos, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemien, M. Molenda, M. Palka, L. Raczynski, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, A. Slomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wislicki
abstract
A Time of Flight Positron Emission Tomography scanner based on plastic scintillators is being developed at the Jagiellonian University by the J-PET collaboration. The main challenge of the conducted research lies in the elaboration of a method allowing application of plastic scintillators for the detection of low energy gamma quanta. In this paper we report on tests of a single detection module built out from the BC-420 plastic scintillator strip (with dimensions of 5 x 19 x 300 mm(3)) read out at two ends by Hamamatsu R5320 photomultipliers. The measurements were performed using collimated beam of annihilation quanta from the Ge-68 isotope and applying the Serial Data Analyzer (Lecroy SDA6000A) which enabled sampling of signals with 50 ps intervals. The time resolution of the prototype module was established to be better than 80 ps (sigma) for a single level discrimination. The spatial resolution of the determination of the hit position along the strip was determined to be about 0.93 cm (sigma) for the annihilation quanta. The fractional energy resolution for the energy E deposited by the annihilation quanta via the Compton scattering amounts to sigma(E)/E approximate to 0.044/root E(MeV) and corresponds to the (sigma(E)/E of 7.5% at the Compton edge. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Test of a single module of the J-PET scanner based on plastic scintillators
P. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, T. Bednarski, E. Czerwiński, Ł. Kapłon, E. Kubicz, I. Moskal, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń, P. Białas, A. Gajos, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, M. Pałka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki
abstract
Time of Flight Positron Emission Tomography scanner based on plastic scintillators is being developed at the Jagiellonian University by the J-PET collaboration. The main challenge of the conducted research lies in the elaboration of a method allowing application of plastic scintillators for the detection of low energy gamma quanta. In this article we report on tests of a single detection module built out from BC-420 plastic scintillator strip (with dimensions of 5x19x300mm^3) read out at two ends by Hamamatsu R5320 photomultipliers. The measurements were performed using collimated beam of annihilation quanta from the 68Ge isotope and applying the Serial Data Analyzer (Lecroy SDA6000A) which enabled sampling of signals with 50ps intervals. The time resolution of the prototype module was established to be better than 80ps (sigma) for a single level discrimination. The spatial resolution of the determination of the hit position along the strip was determined to be about 0.93cm (sigma) for the annihilation quanta. The fractional energy resolution for the energy E deposited by the annihilation quanta via the Compton scattering amounts to sigma(E)/E = 0.044/sqrt(E[MeV]) and corresponds to the sigma(E)/E of 7.5% at the Compton edge.
Novel method for hit-position reconstruction using voltage signals in plastic scintillators and its application to Positron Emission Tomography
L. Raczyński, P. Moskal, P. Kowalski, W. Wiślicki, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Molenda, I. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
Currently inorganic scintillator detectors are used in all commercial Time of Flight Positron Emission Tomograph (TOF-PET) devices. The J-PET collaboration investigates a possibility of construction of a PET scanner from plastic scintillators which would allow for single bed imaging of the whole human body. This paper describes a novel method of hit-position reconstruction based on sampled signals and an example of an application of the method for a single module with a 30 cm long plastic strip, read out on both ends by Hamamatsu R4998 photomultipliers. The sampling scheme to generate a vector with samples of a PET event waveform with respect to four user-defined amplitudes is introduced. The experimental setup provides irradiation of a chosen position in the plastic scintillator strip with an annihilation gamma quanta of energy 511 keV. The statistical test for a multivariate normal (MVN) distribution of measured vectors at a given position is developed, and it is shown that signals sampled at four thresholds in a voltage domain are approximately normally distributed variables. With the presented method of a vector analysis made out of waveform samples acquired with four thresholds, we obtain a spatial resolution of about 1 cm and a timing resolution of about 80 ps (sigma).
Computing support for advanced medical data analysis and imaging
W. Wiślicki, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, P. Moskal, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
We discuss computing issues for data analysis and image reconstruction of PET-TOF medical scanner or other medical scanning devices producing large volumes of data. Service architecture based on the grid and cloud concepts for distributed processing is proposed and critically discussed.
A novel method based solely on FPGA units enabling measurement of time and charge of analog signals in Positron Emission Tomography
M. Pałka, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, P. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
This article presents a novel technique for precise measurement of time and charge based solely on FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) device and few satellite discrete electronic components used in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Described approach simplifies electronic circuits, reduces the power consumption, lowers costs, merges front-end electronics with digital electronics and also makes more compact final design. Furthermore, it allows to measure time when analog signals cross a reference voltage at different threshold levels with a very high precision of ? 10ps (rms) and thus enables sampling of signals in a voltage domain.
A novel method for calibration and monitoring of time synchronization of TOF-PET scanners by means of cosmic rays
M. Silarski, E. Czerwiński, T. Bednarski, P. Moskal, P. Białas, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
All of the present methods for calibration and monitoring of TOF-PET scanner detectors utilize radioactive isotopes such as e.g. 22Na or 68Ge, which are placed or rotate inside the scanner. In this article we describe a novel method based on the cosmic rays application to the PET calibration and monitoring methods. The concept allows to overcome many of the drawbacks of the present methods and it is well suited for newly developed TOF-PET scanners with a large longitudinal field of view. The method enables also monitoring of the quality of the scintillator materials and in general allows for the continuous quality assurance of the PET detector performance.
3D PET image reconstruction based on the maximum likelihood estimation method (MLEM) algorithm
A. Słomski, Z. Rudy, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, P. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, P. Salabura, N. G. Sharma, M. Silarski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan does not measure an image directly. Instead, a PET scan measures a sinogram at the boundary of the field-of-view that consists of measurements of the sums of all the counts along the lines connecting the two detectors. Because there is a multitude of detectors built in a typical PET structure, there are many possible detector pairs that pertain to the measurement. The problem is how to turn this measurement into an image (this is called imaging). Significant improvement in PET image quality was achieved with the introduction of iterative reconstruction techniques. This was realized approximately 20 years ago (with the advent of new powerful computing processors). However, three-dimensional imaging still remains a challenge. The purpose of the image reconstruction algorithm is to process this imperfect count data for a large number (many millions) of lines of response and millions of detected photons to produce an image showing the distribution of the labeled molecules in space.
Trigger-less and reconfigurable data acquisition system for positron emission tomography
G. Korcyl, P. Moskal, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N. G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
This article is focused on data acquisition system (DAQ) designed especially to be used in positron emission tomography (PET) or single-photon emission computed tomography. The system allows for continuous registration of analog signals during measurement. It has been designed to optimize registration and processing of the information carried by signals from the detector system in PET scanner. The processing does not require any rejection of data with a trigger system. The proposed system possesses also an ability to implement various data analysis algorithms that can be performed in real time during data collection.
Determination of the map of efficiency of the Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) detector with the GATE package
P. Kowalski, L. Raczyński, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, K. Giergiel, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, I. Moskal, P. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, K. Szymański, W. Wiślicki, P. Witkowski, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
A novel PET detector consisting of strips of polymer scintillators is being developed by the J-PET Collaboration. The map of efficiency and the map of geometrical acceptance of the 2-strip J-PET scanner are presented. Map of efficiency was determined using the Monte Carlo simulation software GATE based on GEANT4. Both maps were compared using method based on the chi2 test.
Plastic scintillators for positron emission tomography obtained by the bulk polymerization method
Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, M. Molenda, P. Moskal, A. Wieczorek, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N. G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
This paper describes three methods regarding the production of plastic scintillators. One method appears to be suitable for the manufacturing of plastic scintillators, revealing properties which fulfill the requirements of novel positron emission tomography scanners based on plastic scintillators. The key parameters of the manufacturing process are determined and discussed.
J-PET analysis framework for the prototype TOF-PET detector
W. Krzemień, M. Silarski, K. Stola, D. Trybek, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, M. Molenda, P. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
Novel TOF-PET scanner solutions demand, apart from the state of the art detectors, software for fast processing of the gathered data, monitoring of the whole scanner and reconstruction of the PET image. In this article we present an analysis framework for the novel STRIP-PET scanner developed by the J-PET collaboration in the Institute of Physics of the Jagiellonian University. This software is based on the ROOT package used in many particle physics experiments.
Database and data structure for the novel TOF-PET detector developed for J-PET project
E. Czerwiński, M. Zieliński, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, M. Molenda, P. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N. G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W.Wiślicki, N. Zoń
abstract
The complexity of the hardware and the amount of data collected during the PET imaging process require application of modern methods of efficient data organization and processing. In this article we will discuss the data structures and the flow of collected data from the novel TOF-PET medical scanner which is being developed at the Jagiellonian University. The developed data format reflects: registration process of the gamma quanta emitted from positron-electron annihilation, Front-End Electronic (FEE) structure and required input information for the image reconstruction. In addition, the system database fulfills possible demands of the evolving J-PET project.
Calibration of photomultipliers gain used in the J-PET detector
T. Bednarski, E. Czerwiński, P. Moskal, P. Białas, K. Giergiel, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, I. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, K. Szymański, W. Wiślicki, P. Witkowski, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
Photomultipliers are commonly used in commercial PET scanner as devices which convert light produced in scintillator by gamma quanta from positron-electron annihilation into electrical signal. For proper analysis of obtained electrical signal, a photomultiplier gain curve must be known, since gain can be significantly different even between photomultipliers of the same model. In this article we describe single photoelectron method used for photomultipliers calibration applied for J-PET scanner, a novel PET detector being developed at the Jagiellonian University. Description of calibration method, an example of calibration curve and gain of few R4998 Hamamatsu photomultipliers are presented.
List-mode reconstruction in 2D strip PET
P. Białas, J. Kowal, A. Strzelecki, T. Bednarski, E. Czerwiński, K. Giergiel, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, I. Moskal, P. Moskal, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, K. Szymański, W. Wiślicki, P. Witkowski, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
Using a theory of list-mode maximum likelihood
expectation-maximization (MLEM) algorithm, in this contribution,
we present a derivation of the system response
kernel for a novel positron emission tomography (PET)
detector based on plastic scintillators.
Simulations of gamma quanta scattering in a single module of the J-PET detector
K. Szymański, P. Moskal, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, K. Giergiel, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, I. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, P. Witkowski, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
This article describes simulations of scattering of annihilation gamma quanta in a strip of plastic scintillator. Such strips constitute basic detection modules in a newly proposed Positron Emission Tomography which utilizes plastic scintillators instead of inorganic crystals. An algorithm simulating chain of Compton scatterings was elaborated and series of simulations have been conducted for the scintillator strip with the cross section of 5 mm x 19 mm. Obtained results indicate that secondary interactions occur only in the case of about 8% of events and out of them only 25% take place in the distance larger than 0.5 cm from the primary interaction. It was also established that light signals produced at primary and secondary interactions overlap with the delay which distribution is characterized by FWHM of about 40 ps.
Application of WLS strips for position determination in Strip PET tomograph based on plastic scintillators
J. Smyrski, P. Moskal, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, A. Strzelecki, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński, N. Zoń
abstract
A method of determination of a gamma quantum absorption point in a plastic scintillator block using a matrix of wavelength-shifting (WLS) strips is proposed. Application of this method for improvement of position resolution in newly proposed PET detectors based on plastic scintillators is presented. The method enables to reduce parallax errors in reconstruction of images which occurs in the presently used Positron Emission Tomography scanners.
Isospin decomposition of the basic double-pionic fusion in the region of the ABC effect
P. Adlarson, W. Augustyniak, W. Bardan, M. Bashkanov, T. Bednarski, FS. Bergmann, M. Berlowski, H. Bhatt, M. Buscher, H. Calen, H. Clement, D. Coderre, E. Czerwinski, K. Demmich, E. Doroshkevich, R. Engels, W. Erven, W. Eyrich, P. Fedorets, K. Fohl, K. Fransson, F. Goldenbaum, P. Goslawski, A. Goswami, K. Grigoryev, CO. Gullstrom, F. Hauenstein, L. Heijkenskjold, V. Hejny, F. Hinterberger, M. Hodana, B. Hoistad, A. Jany, BR. Jany, L. Jarczyk, T. Johansson, B. Kamys, G. Kemmerling, FA. Khan, A. Khoukaz, S. Kistryn, J. Klaja, H. Kleines, B. Klos, M. Krapp, W. Krzemien, P. Kulessa, A. Kupsc, K. Lalwani, D. Lersch, L. Li, B. Lorentz, A. Magiera, R. Maier, P. Marciniewski, B. Marianski, M. Mikirtychiants, HP. Morsch, P. Moskal, BK. Nandi, S. Niedzwiecki, H. Ohm, I. Ozerianska, EP. del Rio, P. Plucinski, P. Podkopal, et al.
abstract
Exclusive and kinematically complete high-statistics measurements of the basic double-pionic fusion reactions pn -> d pi(0)pi(0), pn -> d pi(+)pi(-) and pp -> d pi(+)pi(0) have been carried out simultaneously over the energy region of the ABC effect using the WASA detector setup at COSY. Whereas the isoscalar reaction part given by the d pi(0)pi(0) channel exhibits the ABC effect, i.e. a low-mass enhancement in the pi pi-invariant mass distribution, as well as the associated resonance structure in the total cross section, the isovector part given by the d pi(+)pi(0) channel shows a smooth behavior consistent with the conventional t-channel Delta Delta process. The d pi(+)pi(-) data are very well reproduced by combining the data for isovector and isoscalar contributions, if the kinematical consequences of the isospin violation due to different masses for charged and neutral pions are taken into account. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
TOF-PET detector concept based on organic scintillators
P. Moskal, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, M. Ciszewska, E. Czerwiński, A. Heczko, M. Kajetanowicz, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Konopka-Cupiał, G. Korcyl, W. Krzemień, K. Łojek, J. Majewski, W. Migdał, M. Molenda, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, J. Zdebik, M. Zieliński
abstract
In this contribution we present a new concept of the large acceptance detector systems based on organic scintillators which may allow for simultaneous diagnostic of large fraction of the human body. Novelty of the concept lies in employing large blocks of polymer scintillators instead of crystals as detectors of annihilation quanta, and in using predominantly the timing of signals instead of their amplitudes.
Strip-PET: a novel detector concept for the TOF-PET scanner
P. Moskal, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, M. Ciszewska, E. Czerwiński, A. Heczko, M. Kajetanowicz, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Konopka-Cupiał, G. Korcyl, W. Krzemień, K. Łojek, J. Majewski, W. Migdał, M. Molenda, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, J. Zdebik, M. Zieliński
abstract
We briefly present a design of a new PET scanner based on
strips of polymer scintillators arranged in a barrel constituting
a large acceptance detector. The solution proposed is based on
the superior timing properties of the polymer scintillators. The
position and time of the reaction of the gamma quanta in the
detector material will be determined based on the time of arrival
of light signals to the edges of the scintillator strips.
Search for the eta-mesic 4He with WASA-at-COSY detector
P. Adlarson, W. Augustyniak, W. Bardan, M. Bashkanov, T. Bednarski, FS. Bergmann, M. Berlowski, H. Bhatt, M. Buscher, H. Calen, H. Clement, D. Coderre, E. Czerwinski, K. Demmich, E. Doroshkevich, R. Engels, W. Erven, W. Eyrich, P. Fedorets, K. Fohl, K. Fransson, F. Goldenbaum, P. Goslawski, A. Goswami, K. Grigoryev, CO. Gullstrom, F. Hauenstein, L. Heijkenskjold, V. Hejny, F. Hinterberger, M. Hodana, B. Hoistad, A. Jany, BR. Jany, L. Jarczyk, T. Johansson, B. Kamys, G. Kemmerling, FA. Khan, A. Khoukaz, S. Kistryn, J. Klaja, H. Kleines, B. Klos, M. Krapp, W. Krzemien, P. Kulessa, A. Kupsc, K. Lalwani, D. Lersch, L. Li, B. Lorentz, A. Magiera, R. Maier, P. Marciniewski, B. Marianski, M. Mikirtychiants, HP. Morsch, P. Moskal, BK. Nandi, S. Niedzwiecki, H. Ohm, I. Ozerianska, EP. del Rio, P. Plucinski, P. Podkopal, et al.
abstract
An exclusive measurement of the excitation function for the dd->3Heppi- reaction was performed at the Cooler Synchrotron COSY-Juelich with the WASA-at-COSY detection system. The data were taken during a slow acceleration of the beam from 2.185 GeV/c to 2.400 GeV/c crossing the kinematic threshold for the eta meson production in the dd->4He-eta reaction at 2.336 GeV/c. The corresponding excess energy with respect to the 4He-eta system varied from -51.4MeV to 22MeV. The integrated luminosity in the experiment was determined using the dd->3Hen reaction. The shape of the excitation function for the dd->3Heppi- was examined. No signal of the 4He-eta bound state was observed. An upper limit for the cross-section for the bound state formation and decay in the process dd->(4He-eta)bound->3Heppi- was determined on the 90% confidence level and it varies from 20nb to 27nb for the bound state width ranging from 5MeV to 35MeV, respectively.
Abashian-Booth-Crowe resonance structure in the double pionic fusion to He-4
P. Adlarson, W. Augustyniak, W. Bardan, M. Bashkanov, T. Bednarski, FS. Bergmann, M. Berlowski, H. Bhatt, KT. Brinkmann, M. Buscher, H. Calen, H. Clement, D. Coderre, E. Czerwinski, K. Demmich, E. Doroshkevich, R. Engels, W. Erven, W. Eyrich, P. Fedorets, K. Fohl, K. Fransson, F. Goldenbaum, P. Goslawski, K. Grigoryev, CO. Gullstrom, F. Hauenstein, L. Heijkenskjold, V. Hejny, F. Hinterberger, M. Hodana, B. Hoistad, C. Husmann, A. Jany, BR. Jany, L. Jarczyk, T. Johansson, B. Kamys, G. Kemmerling, FA. Khan, A. Khoukaz, S. Kistryn, J. Klaja, H. Kleines, B. Klos, W. Krzemien, P. Kulessa, A. Kupsc, K. Lalwani, D. Lersch, L. Li, B. Lorentz, A. Magiera, R. Maier, P. Marciniewski, B. Marianski, M. Mikirtychiants, HP. Morsch, P. Moskal, BK. Nandi, S. Niedzwiecki, H. Ohm, I. Ozerianska, C. Pauly, EP. del Rio, Y. Petukhov, et al.
abstract
Exclusive and kinematically complete high-statistics measurements of the double pionic fusion reaction dd?4He?0?0 have been performed in the energy range 0.8?1.4 GeV covering thus the region of the Abashian-Booth-Crowe effect, which denotes a pronounced low-mass enhancement in the ?? invariant mass spectrum. The experiments were carried out with the WASA detector setup at the cooler synchrotron at Forshungszentrum Julich GmbH. Similar to the observation in the basic pn?d?0?0 reaction, the data reveal a correlation between the ABC effect and a resonancelike energy dependence in the total cross section. The maximum occurs at m=2.37 GeV + 2mN, i.e., at the same position as in the basic reaction. The observed resonance width ??160 MeV can be understood from broadening due to Fermi motion of the nucleons in initial and final nuclei together with collision damping. Differential cross sections are described equally well by the hypothesis of a pn resonance formation during the reaction process.
Exclusive measurement of the eta->pi+ pi- gamma decay
P. Adlarson, C. Adolph, W. Augustyniak, W. Bardan, M. Bashkanov, T. Bednarski, FS. Bergmann, M. Berlowski, H. Bhatt, KT. Brinkmann, M. Buscher, H. Calen, H. Clement, D. Coderre, E. Czerwinski, E. Doroshkevich, R. Engels, W. Erven, W. Eyrich, P. Fedorets, K. Fohl, K. Fransson, F. Goldenbaum, P. Goslawski, K. Grigoryev, CO. Gullstrom, C. Hanhart, L. Heijkenskjold, J. Heimlich, V. Hejny, F. Hinterberger, M. Hodana, B. Hoistad, M. Jacewicz, A. Jany, BR. Jany, L. Jarczyk, T. Johansson, B. Kamys, G. Kemmerling, O. Khakimova, A. Khoukaz, S. Kistryn, J. Klaja, H. Kleines, B. Klos, F. Kren, W. Krzemien, P. Kulessa, A. Kupsc, K. Lalwani, S. Leupold, B. Lorentz, A. Magiera, R. Maier, B. Marianski, P. Marciniewski, UG. Meissner, M. Mikirtychiants, HP. Morsch, P. Moskal, BK. Nandi, S. Niedzwiecki, H. Ohm, A. Passfeld, C. Pauly, et al.
abstract
An exclusive measurement of the decay eta --> pi+ pi- gamma has been performed at the WASA facility at COSY. The eta mesons were produced in the fusion reaction pd --> 3He X at a proton beam momentum of 1.7 GeV/c. Efficiency corrected differential distributions have been extracted based on 13340pm140 events after background subtraction. The measured pion angular distribution is consistent with a relative p-wave of the two-pion system, whereas the measured photon energy spectrum was found at variance with the simplest gauge invariant matrix element of eta --> pi+ pi- gamma. A parameterization of the data can be achieved by the additional inclusion of the empirical pion vector form factor multiplied by a first-order polynomial in the squared invariant mass of the pi+ pi- system.
pi0 pi0 Production in proton-proton collisions at Tp=1.4 GeV
P. Adlarson, C. Adolph, W. Augustyniak, M. Bashkanov, T. Bednarski, FS. Bergmann, M. Berlowski, H. Bhatt, KT. Brinkmann, M. Buscher, H. Calen, H. Clement, D. Coderre, E. Czerwinski, E. Doroshkevich, R. Engels, W. Erven, W. Eyrich, P. Fedorets, K. Fohl, K. Fransson, F. Goldenbaum, P. Goslawski, K. Grigoryev, CO. Gullstrom, L. Heijkenskjold, J. Heimlich, V. Hejny, F. Hinterberger, M. Hodana, B. Hoistad, M. Jacewicz, M. Janusz, A. Jany, BR. Jany, L. Jarczyk, T. Johansson, B. Kamys, G. Kemmerling, O. Khakimova, A. Khoukaz, S. Kistryn, J. Klaja, H. Kleines, B. Klos, F. Kren, W. Krzemien, P. Kulessa, A. Kupsc, K. Lalwani, B. Lorentz, A. Magiera, R. Maier, B. Marianski, P. Marciniewski, M. Mikirtychiants, HP. Morsch, P. Moskal, BK. Nandi, S. Niedzwiecki, H. Ohm, A. Passfeld, C. Pauly, EP. del Rio, Y. Petukhov, N. Piskunov, et al.
abstract
The reaction pp->pppi0pi0 has been investigated at a beam energy of 1.4 GeV using the WASA-at-COSY facility. The total cross section is found to be (324 +- 21_systematic +- 58_normalization) mub. In order to to study the production mechanism, differential kinematical distributions have been evaluated. The differential distributions indicate that both initial state protons are excited into intermediate Delta(1232) resonances, each decaying into a proton and a single pion, thereby producing the pion pair in the final state. No significant contribution of the Roper resonance N*(1440) via its decay into a proton and two pions is found
Abashian-Booth-Crowe effect in basic double fusion: A new resonance?
P. Adlarson, C. Adolph, W. Augustyniak, V. Baru, M. Bashkanov, T. Bednarski, FS. Bergmann, M. Berlowski, H. Bhatt, KT. Brinkmann, M. Buscher, H. Calen, H. Clement, D. Coderre, E. Czerwinski, E. Doroshkevich, C. Ekstrom, R. Engels, W. Erven, W. Eyrich, P. Fedorets, K. Fohl, K. Fransson, F. Goldenbaum, P. Goslawski, K. Grigoryev, V. Grishina, CO. Gullstrom, J. Hampe, C. Hanhart, L. Heijkenskjold, V. Hejny, F. Hinterberger, M. Hodana, B. Hoistad, M. Jacewicz, M. Janusz, A. Jany, BR. Jany, L. Jarczyk, T. Johansson, B. Kamys, G. Kemmerling, O. Khakimova, A. Khoukaz, S. Kistryn, J. Klaja, H. Kleines, B. Klos, F. Kren, W. Krzemien, P. Kulessa, S. Kullander, A. Kupsc, K. Lalwani, B. Lorentz, A. Magiera, R. Maier, P. Marciniewski, B. Marianski, M. Mikirtychiants, P. Moskal, HP. Morsch, BK. Nandi, S. Niedzwiecki, H. Ohm, et al.
abstract
We report on an exclusive and kinematically complete high-statistics measurement of the basic double-pionic fusion reaction pn->dpi0pi0 over the full energy region of the ABC effect, a pronounced low-mass enhancement in the pipi-invariant mass spectrum. The measurements, which cover also the transition region to the conventional t-channel DeltaDelta process, were performed with the upgraded WASA detector setup at COSY. The data reveal the Abashian-Booth-Crowe effect to be uniquely correlated with a Lorentzian energy dependence in the integral cross section. The observables are consistent with a narrow resonance with m=2.37??GeV, Gamma aprox 70 MeV and I(JP)=0(3+) in both pn and DeltaDelta systems. Necessary further tests of the resonance interpretation are discussed.
Estimation of 511 keV Gamma Scatter Fraction in WLS Layer in Total-Body J-PET; A Simulation Study
K. Tayefi Ardebili, S. Niedzwiecki, P. Moskal
published in: Acta Phys. Polon. B Proc. Suppl. 15 (2022) 4-A7
Positron emission tomography (PET) is essential in medical diagnostics and monitoring therapy. The J-PET Collaboration at Jagiellonian University is developing a new generation of Total-Body PET scanners based on plastic scintillators. One of the Total-Body J-PET designs comprises seven rings, each consisting of 24 modules. A single module is built of 2 layers, each comprises of 16 axially arranged plastic scintillator strips of 330 mm length, read out by silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) arrays from both ends, and an additional layer of 50 wavelength shifter (WLS) bars, placed perpendicular to plastic layers. This study estimates the scatter fraction of the Total-Body J-PET manufactured from plastic scintillator strips according to the NEMA NU 2-2018 standards by using the GATE software. The scatter phantom was simulated as a solid cylinder with a length of 700 mm and an outside diameter equal to 203 mm. At the same time, at a radial distance of 45 mm, we have a hole with a diameter of 6.4 mm where a linear source with total activity of 1 MBq is placed. For data processing, sinograms were generated, and the Single Slice Rebinning (SSRB) algorithm was used for the scatter fraction calculation. As a result, we estimate that addition of the WLS layer is increasing the scatter fraction by 0.67%.
The SIDDHARTA-2 experiment: preparation for the first kaonic deuterium measurement
L. De Paolis, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, M. Carminati, A. Clozza, G. Deda, R. Del Grande, K. Dulski, C. Fiorini, I. Friščić, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. King, A. Khreptak, P. Levi Sandri, S. Manti, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, H. Onishi, K. Piscicchia, Y. Sada, A. Scordo, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. L. Sirghi. F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, K. Toho, M. Tüchler, C. Yoshida, J. Zmeskal and C. Curceanu
published in: PoS ICHEP2022 (2022) 1003
The SIDDHARTA-2 experiment aims to perform the first measurement of the kaonic deuterium 2p -> 1s x-ray transitions. The apparatus is presently installed at the interaction region of the DAFNE electron-positron collider at the National Laboratories of Frascati (LNF-INFN), in Italy. Kaonic deuterium and kaonic hydrogen 2p -> 1s x-ray transitions measurements, the latter one already performed by the SIDDHARTA collaboration, allow the determination of antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths. A description of the SIDDHARTA-2 apparatus in preparation for the kaonic deuterium measurement is provided in this paper.
Trigger rejection factor in the first kaonic helium run with the complete SIDDHARTA-2 setup
L. De Paolis, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, M. Carminati, A. Clozza, G. Deda, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, I. Friščić, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, A. Khreptak, P. King, P. Levi Sandri, S. Manti, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, H. Onishi, K. Piscicchia, Y. Sada, A. Scordo, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. L. Sirghi. F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, K. Toho, M. Tüchler, C. Yoshida, J. Zmeskal and C. Curceanu
published in: EPJ Web Conf. 270 (2022) 00028
The SIDDHARTA-2 experiment aims to perform the first measurement of the kaonic deuterium 2p -> 1s x-ray transition energy. Such measurement, together with the measurement of kaonic hydrogen 2p -> 1s x-ray energy transition performed by the SIDDHARTA experiment in 2011, allows the determination of kaon proton and kaon neutron scattering lengths and represents a fundamental input for the low energies QCD in the strangeness sector theory. The SIDDHARTA-2 experiment is presently installed at the DAFNE electronpositron collider at the National Laboratories of Frascati, in Italy. In May 2022, the kaonic 4He x-ray transitions measurement was performed by the complete SIDDHARTA-2 setup, by using a gaseous target. The result of this measurement is presented in this paper, with a specific focus on the background rejection performed by the kaon trigger system.
Developing a phantom for the positronium imaging evaluation
G. Łapkiewicz, S. Niedźwiecki, P. Moskal
published in: Acta Phys. Polon. B Proc. Suppl. 15 (2022) 4-A4
In this contribution, a concept for a new phantom for positronium imaging
with PET scanners is described. The proposed phantom is based on
the NEMA IEC phantom in which six high-activity spheres are filled with
solutions characterized by a different mean ortho-positronium lifetime. A
method for controlling ortho-positronium lifetime is discussed along with
preliminary results. The XAD4 suspended in various fractions of water was
tested as a potential model of a sample with a controlled mean lifetime of
ortho-positronium. The mean lifetime of ortho-positronium for six samples
was estimated by means of the Positronium Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy
(PALS). Obtained spectra were fitted with the PALS Avalanche
analysis program and components corresponding to the ortho-positronium
annihilation in the XAD4 pores were established. As a result, the correlations
between the lifetime and production intensity of ortho-positronium
and the concentration of XAD4 in water were determined.
Studies of the Linearity and Stability of Silicon Drift Detectors for Kaonic Atoms X-ray Spectroscopy
A. Khreptak, C. Amsler, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, M. Carminati, A. Clozza, G. Deda, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, S. Manti, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, H. Onishi, K. Piscicchia, Y. Sada, A. Scordo, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, K. Toho, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, J. Zmeskal, C. Yoshida, C. Curceanu
published in: Acta Phys. Polon. B Proc. Suppl. 15 (2022) 4-A1
The SIDDHARTA-2 experiment at the DAFNE collider aims to perform
precision measurements of kaonic atoms X-ray spectroscopy for the
investigation of the antikaon?nucleon strong interaction. To achieve this
goal, novel large-area Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) have been developed.
These devices have special geometry, field configuration, and readout electronics
that ensure excellent performance in terms of linearity and stability.
The paper presents preliminary results for the linearity determination and
stability monitoring of the SDDs system during the measurement of kaonic
deuterium carried out in the summer of 2022.
Potential of modular J-PET for applications in the field of particle and medical physics
S. Sharma, K. Kacprzak, K. Dulski, S. Niedźwiecki, P. Moskal
published in: J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 2374 (2022) 012040
Modular J-PET is the new prototype of the Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph. The portability feature due to its modular design makes it a unique tomograph with a larger axial field of view of 50 cm. The complete ring is composed of 24 modules that can be configured as a diagnostic chamber with a diameter of approximately 76 cm or as a detection setup consisting of several modules for experimental studies where multiple photons are generated in a single event. The J-PET collaboration explicitly studies the decays of the positronium atom (Ps), which is a bound state of electron and positron that self-annihilate into multiple photons. The modular J-PET provides a significant phase space covrage for the registration of photons originating from the decays of Ps atoms. In this paper, we discuss the properties of the modular J-PET and its potential applications in medical and particle physics.
Status and perspectives for low energy kaon-nucleon interaction studies at DAFNE: from SIDDHARTA to SIDDHARTA-2
F. Sirghi, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, G. Deda, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. King, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, J. Zmeskal
published in: PoS PANIC2021, 200 (2022)
The study of the antikaon nucleon system at very low energies plays a key role for the understanding
of the strong interaction between hadrons in the strangeness sector. The information provided
by the low energy kaon- nucleon interaction is accessible through the study of kaonic atoms.
The lightest atomic systems, namely the kaonic hydrogen and the kaonic deuterium, provide the
isospin dependent kaon-nucleon scattering lengths by measuring the X-rays emitted during their
de-excitation to the 1s level. Until now, the most precise kaonic hydrogen measurement and an
exploratory measurement of kaonic deuterium were carried out at the DA?NE collider by the
SIDDHARTA collaboration, combining the excellent quality kaon beam delivered by the collider
with new experimental techniques, as fast and very precise X-ray detectors, like the Silicon Drift
Detectors. Today, the most important experimental information missing in the field of the lowenergy antikaon-nucleon interactions is the experimental determination of the hadronic energy
shift and width of kaonic deuterium, and will be measured by the new SIDDHARTA-2 experiment,
which is installed in DA?NE and is ready to start the data taking campaign.
High precision Kaonic Deuterium measurement at the DAFNE collider: theSIDDHARTA-2 experiment and the SIDDHARTINO run
M. Miliucci, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, G. Deda, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. King, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedźwiecki, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi , M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. T ?uchler, O. Vazquez Doce, J. Zmeskal
published in: Suplemento de la Revista Mexicana de Fisica 30308081 (2022) 1
The kaonic deuterium 2p?1s transition X-ray measurement, a fundamental information needed for a deeper understanding of the QuantumChromoDynamics (QCD) in the strangeness sector, is still missing. The SIDDHARTA-2 collaboration is now ready to achieve this unprece-dented result thanks to the dedicated experimental apparatus that will allow to obtain the values of the kaonic deuterium K-transitions witha precision comparable to the most precise kaonic hydrogen measurement to-date performed by SIDDHARTA in 2009. Both the kaonichydrogen and kaonic deuterium X-ray spectroscopy measurements of the de-excitation towards the fundamental level are a direct probe onKN interaction at threshold, as opposed to the scattering experiments which need an extrapolation to zero energy. Combining these resultsthrough the Deser-Truemann like formula, the isospin-dependent kaon-nucleon scattering lengths can be obtained in a model-independentway. The SIDDHARTA-2 setup is presently installed at the DAFNE (Double Annular Phi Factory for Nice Experiments) collider of IstitutoNazionale di Fisica Nucleare- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati and it is ready to perform the challenging kaonic deuterium measurement. Thispaper provides an overview on the SIDDHARTA-2 experimental apparatus and a preliminary result of the kaonic helium run, preparatory forthe SIDDHARTA-2 data taking campaign, is also presented.
Main Features of the SIDDHARTA-2 Apparatus for Kaonic Deuterium X-Ray Measurements
M. Tüchler, F. Sirghi, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, G. Deda, R. Del Grande, L. De Paolis, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. King, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, F. Napolitano, S. Niedzwiecki, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, F. Sgaramella, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, O. Vazquez Doce, E. Widmann, J. Zmeskal
published in: EPJ Web Conf. 262 (2022) 01016
The low-energy, non-perturbative regime of QCD can be studied directly by X-ray spectroscopy of light kaonic atoms. The SIDDHARTA-2 experiment, located at the DAFNE collider, aims to measure the 2p -> 1s transition in kaonic deuterium for the first time to extract the antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths. This measurement is impeded, inter alia, by the low K?d X-ray yield. Hence, several updates have been implemented on the apparatus to increase the signal-to-background ratio, which are discussed in detail in this paper: a lightweight gas target cell, novel Silicon Drift Detectors for the X-ray detection with excellent performance, and a veto system for active background suppression. The experiment has undergone a first preparatory run during DAFNE?s commissioning phase in 2021, concluding with a successful kaonic helium measurement.
From tests of discrete symmetries to medical imaging with J-PET detector
P. Moskal, J. Baran, N. Chug, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, M. Dadgar, K. Dulski, J. Gajewski, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, B.C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, K. Kacprzak, Ł. Kapłon, H. Karimi, K. Klimaszewski, P. Konieczka, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, D. Kumar, S. Niedźwiecki, D. Panek, S. Parzych, E. Perez del Rio, L. Raczyński, J. Raj, A. Ruciński, S. Sharma, Shivani, R.Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, E.Ł. Stępień, M. Szczepanek, F. Tayefi, W. Wiślicki
published in: PoS PANIC2021 (2022) 033
We present results on CPT symmetry tests in decays of positronium performed with the precision at the level of 10?4, and positronium images determined with the prototype of the J-PET tomograph. The first full-scale prototype apparatus consists of 192 plastic scintillator strips readout from both ends with vacuum tube photomultipliers. Signals produced by photomultipliers are probed in the amplitude domain and are digitized by FPGA-based readout boards in triggerless mode. In this contribution we report on the first two- and three-photon positronium images and tests of CPT symmetry in positronium decays.
Kaonic atoms measurements at the DAFNE collider: the SIDDHARTA-2 experiment
Catalina Curceanu, Marco Miliucci, Massimiliano Bazzi, Damir Bosnar, Mario Bragadireanu, Marco Carminati, Michael Cargnelli, Alberto Clozza, Griseld Deda, Luca De Paolis, Raffaele Del Grande, Carlo Fiorini, Carlo Guaraldo, Mihail Iliescu, Masahiko Iwasaki, Pietro King, Paolo Levi Sandri, Johann Marton, Paweł Moskal, Fabrizio Napolitano, Szymon Niedźwiecki, Kristian Piscicchia, Alessandro Scordo, Francesco Sgaramella, Hexi Shi, Michał Silarski, Diana Sirghi, Florin Sirghi, Magdalena Skurzok, Antonio Spallone, Marlene Tüchler, Oton Vazquez Doce, Johann Zmeskal
published in: EPJ Web Conf. 258 (2022) 07006
The X-ray spectroscopy measurements of light kaonic atoms? deexcitation towards the fundamental level provide unique information on the low-energy Quantum ChromoDynamics (QCD) in the strangeness sector, being a direct probe of the kaon/nucleon interaction at threshold, unobtainable through the scattering experiments. In this framework, the SIDDHARTA-2 collaboration is going to perform the first kaonic deuterium 2p -> 1s transition measurement at the DAFNE collider of Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare - Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati. Combining this measurement with the kaonic hydrogen one performed by SIDDHARTA in 2009 it will be possible to obtain, in a model-independent way, the isospin-dependent antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths. The paper introduces the SIDDHARTA-2 setup, an upgraded version with respect to the one used for the kaonic hydrogen measurement, dedicated to the ambitious kaonic deuterium measurement, together with the preliminary results obtained during the kaonic helium run, preparatory for the SIDDHARTA-2 data taking campaign.
Probing low-energy QCD with kaonic atoms at DAFNE
M. Tuchler, J. Zmeskal, A. Amirkhani, C. Amsler, A. Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. A. Bragadireanu, P. Buhler, M. Cargnelli, M. Carminati, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, R. Del Grande, L. De Paolis, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, S. Niedzwiecki, S. Okada, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, O. Vazquez Doce and E. Widmann
published in: J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 1643, 012182 (2020)
X-ray spectroscopy of kaonic atoms provides a versatile tool to study the strong interaction at low energies via a direct observation of its influence on the ground state of kaonic hydrogen atoms. The SIDDHARTA experiment provided precise results on the energy shift and width of the kaonic hydrogen 1s state induced by the strong interaction. To enable the extraction of the antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths a0 and a1, SIDDHARTA-2 aims to determine the energy shift and width in kaonic deuterium with precisions of 30 eV and 75 eV, respectively. This measurement is aggravated by the low kaonic deuterium X-ray yield and a high background environment and will only be possible by implementing a severe upgrade on the SIDDHARTA apparatus.
Low-energy Kaon Nucleon/Nuclei Studies at DAFNE: the SIDDHARTA-2 Experiment
M. Miliucci, A. Amirkhani, A. Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, C. Curceanu, A. Clozza, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, P. Moskal, S. Niedźwiecki, S. Okada, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, J. Zmeskal
published in: Acta Phys. Polon. B Proc. Suppl. 14 (2021) 49
The experimental studies of light kaonic atoms offer the unique opportunity to investigate the kaon-nucleus interaction at threshold, performing experiments equivalent to scattering at vanishing relative energies without the need of an extrapolation. In this framework, the SIDDHARTA-2 experiment is going to perform the first measurement of kaonic deuterium 2p->1s transition, which is fundamental to extract the isospin-dependent antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths. The setup was installed on the DAFNE collider of LNF-INFN in spring 2019 and is presently in optimization phase. The SIDDHARTA-2 data taking campaign for the kaonic deuterium is planned in 2020-2021.
Studies of kaonic atoms at the DAFNE collider: from SIDDHARTA to SIDDHARTA-2
D. Sirghi, A. Amirkhani, A. Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, S. Niedźwiecki, S. Okada, D.Pietreanu, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, M. Silarski, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, E. Widmann, J. Zmeskal
published in: J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 1526 (2020) 012023
The DA?NE electron-positron collider of the Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati of INFN is a worldwide unique low-energy kaon source and for this reason is suitable for low-energy kaon physics like kaonic atoms and kaon-nucleons/nuclei interaction studies. Kaonic atoms are atomic systems where an electron is replaced by a negatively charged kaon, containing the strange quark, which interacts in the lowest orbits with the nucleus also by the strong interaction. As a result, their study offers the unique opportunity to perform experiments equivalent to scattering at vanishing relative energy. This allows to study the strong interaction between the antikaon and the nucleon or the nucleus at threshold, without the need of ad hoc extrapolation to zero energy, as in scattering experiments. The most precise kaonic hydrogen measurement to date, together with an exploratory measurement of kaonic deuterium, were carried out by the SIDDHARTA collaboration at the DA?NE electron-positron collider of LNF-INFN, by combining the excellent quality kaon beam delivered by the collider with new experimental techniques, as fast and precise Silicon-Drift X-ray Detectors. The measurement of kaonic deuterium will be realized in the near future by SIDDHARTA-2, a major upgrade of SIDDHARTA.
Kaonic atoms experiment at the DAFNE collider by SIDDHARTA/SIDDHARTA-2
M. Skurzok, A. Amirkhani, A. Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Carminati, M. Cargnelli, A. Clozza, C. Curceanu, L. De Paolis, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P Moskal, S. Niedzwiecki, S. Okada, D. Pietreanu, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, A. Spallone, M. Tüchler, O. Vazquez Doce, E. Widmann and J. Zmeskal
published in: SciPost Phys. Proc. 3 (2020) 039
The excellent quality kaon beam provided by the DAFNE collider of LNF-INFN (Italy)
together with SIDDHARTA/SIDDHARTA-2 new experimental techniques, as very precise
and fast-response X-ray detectors, allow to perform unprecedented measurements on
light kaonic atoms crucial for a deeper understanding of the low-energy quantum chro-
modynamics (QCD) in the strangeness sector. In this paper an overview of the main
results obtained by the SIDDHARTA collaboration, as well as the future plans related to
the SIDDHARTA-2 experiment, are discussed.
Kaonic atoms measurements at the DAFNE Collider
D. Sirghi, A. Amirkhani, A. Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, G. Bellotti, C. Berucci, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, C. Curceanu, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, F. Ghio, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, J. Martona, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, S. Niedzwiecki, S. Okada, D. Pietreanu, K. Piscicchia, A. Scordo, H. Shi, M. Silarski, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, H. Tatsuno, E. Widmann, J. Zmeskal
published in: PoS Confinement 2018 (2019) 215
The DAFNE electron-positron collider of the Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati of INFN is a worldwide unique low-energy kaon source, which is being used to produce and to study kaonic atoms by the SIDDHARTA collaboration. The X-ray measurements of kaonic atoms play an important role for understanding the low-energy QCD in the strangeness sector. Significant achievements have been obtained by the SIDDHARTA experiment, among which: the most precise kaonic hydrogen measurement of the 1s level shift and width induced by the presence of the strong interaction; an upper limit of the X-ray yield for kaonic deuterium K-series; the accurate measurement of the 2p level shift and width of kaonic helium-4 and kaonic helium-3; yields of various light kaonic atoms transitions. Using the experience gained with SIDDHARTA experiment, the first kaonic deuterium measurement is in preparation in the framework of the SIDDHARTA-2 experiment with the goal to determine the antikaon-nucleon isospin dependent scattering lengths, which is possible only by combining the K-p and the upcoming K-d results. An overview of the experimental results of SIDDHARTA and an outlook to SIDDHARTA-2 experiments are given in this paper.
Kaonic Atoms Measurement at DAFNE: SIDDHARTA and SIDDHARTA-2
L. De Paolis, D. Sirghi, A. Amirkhani, A. Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, G. Bellotti, C. Berucci, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, C. Curceanu, A. Dawood Butt, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, F. Ghio, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, S. Niedźwiecki, S. Okada, D. Pietreanu, K. Piscicchia, H. Shi, M. Silarski, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, H. Tatsuno, O. Vazquez Doce, E. Widmann and J. Zmeskal
published in: Springer Proc. Phys. 225 (2019) 191-195
Light kaonic atoms studies provide the unique opportunity to perform experiments equivalent to scattering at threshold, being their atomic binding energies in the keV range. High precision atomic X-rays spectroscopy ensures that the energy shift and broadening of the lowest-lying states of the kaonic atoms, induced by the strong interaction between the kaon and nucleus, can be detected. Kaonic hydrogen and kaonic deuterium are the lightest atomic systems and their study deliver the isospin-dependent kaon-nucleon scattering lengths. The SIDDHARTA collaboration was able to perform the most precise kaonic hydrogen measurement to date, together with an exploratory measurement of kaonic deuterium. The measurement of the kaonic deuterium will be realized in the near future by a major upgrade of SIDDHARTA: SIDDHARTA-2. In this paper an overview of the main results obtained by SIDDHARTA together with the future plans are presented.
Spectroscopy of kaonic atoms at DAFNE and J-PARC
J. Marton, A. Amirkhan, A. Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, G. Bellotti, C. Berucci, D. Bosnar, M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, C. Curceanu, A. Dawood Butt, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, F. Ghio, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P. Levi Sandri, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, S. Niedźwiecki, S. Okada, D. Pietreanu, K. Piscicchia, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, H. Tatsuno, O. Vazquez Doce, E. Widmann and J. Zmeskal
published in: EPJ Web Conf. 199 (2019) 03004
The interaction of antikaons (K-) with nucleons and nuclei in the low-energy regime represents a very active research field in hadron physics. A unique and rather direct experimental access to the antikaon-nucleon scattering lengths is provided by precision X-ray spectroscopy of transitions in low-lying states in the lightest kaonic atoms (i.e. kaonic hydrogen and deuterium). In the SIDDHARTA experiment at the electron-positron collider DAFNE of LNFINFN we measured the most precise values of the strong interaction observables in conic hydrogen. The strong interaction on the 1s ground state of the electromagnetically bound K-p atom causes an energy shift and broadening of the 1s state. SIDDHARTA will extend the spectroscopy to kaonic deuterium to get access to the antikaon-neutron interaction and thus the isospin dependent scattering lengths. At J-PARC a kaon beam is used in a complementary experiment with a different setup for spectroscopy of kaonic deuterium atoms. The talk will give an overview of the of the upcoming experiments SIDDHARTA and the complementary experiment at J-PARC.Furthermore, the implications of the experiments for the theory of low-energy strong interaction with strangeness will be discussed.
The kaonic atoms research program at DAFNE: overview and perspectives
C. Curceanu, A. Amirkhani, A Baniahmad, M. Bazzi, G. Bellotti, C. Berucci, D. Bosnar, A.M. Bragadireanu, M. Cargnelli, A. Dawood Butt, R. Del Grande, L. Fabbietti, C. Fiorini, F. Ghio, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, M. Iwasaki, P.Levi Sandri, J. Marton, M. Miliucci, P. Moskal, S. Niedzwiecki, S. Okada, D. Pietreanu, K. Piscicchia, H. Shi, M. Silarski, D. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, M. Skurzok, A. Spallone, H. Tatsuno, O. Vazquez Doce, E. Widmann, J. Zmeskal
published in: J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 1138 no. 1 (2018) 012011
The interaction of antikaons with nucleons and nuclei in the low-energy regime represents an active research field in hadron physics with still many important open questions. The investigation of light kaonic atoms is, in this context, a unique tool to obtain precise information on this interaction. The energy shift and broadening of the lowest-lying states of such atoms, induced by the kaon-nucleus strong interaction, can be determined with high precision from atomic X-ray spectroscopy. This experimental method provides unique information to understand the low energy kaon-nucleus interaction at threshold. The lightest atomic systems, kaonic hydrogen and kaonic deuterium, deliver the isospin-dependent kaon-nucleon scattering lengths. The most precise kaonic hydrogen measurement to date, together with an exploratory measurement of kaonic deuterium, were carried out by the SIDDHARTA collaboration at the DAFNE electron-positron collider of LNF-INFN, by combining the excellent quality kaon beam delivered by the collider with new experimental techniques, as fast and precise X-ray detectors: Silicon Drift Detectors. The measurement of kaonic deuterium will be realized in the near future by SIDDHARTA-2, a major upgrade of SIDDHARTA. In this paper an overview of the main results obtained by SIDDHARTA together with the future plans, are given.
Studies of discrete symmetries in decays of positronium atoms
E. Czerwiński, C. Curceanu, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, M. Gorgol, A. Heczko, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, D. Kisielewska, G. Korcyl, B. Korzeniak, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, E. Kubicz, W. Migdał, M. Mohammed, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, J. Raj, Z. Rudy, S. Sharma, S. Shivani, R. Y. Shopa, M. Silarski, M. Skurzok, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński and P. Moskal
published in: EPJ Web Conf. 181 (2018) 01019
A positronium - a bound state of electron and positron - is an eigenstate of parity and charge conjugation operators which decays into photons. It is a unique laboratory to study discrete symmetries whose precision is limited, in principle, by the effects due to the weak interactions expected at the level of 10?14 and photon-photon interactions expected at the level of 10-9.
The Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) is a detector for medical imaging as well as for physics studies involving detection of electronpositron annihilation into photons. The physics case covers the areas of discrete symmetries studies and genuine multipartite entanglement. The J-PET detector has high angular and time resolution and allows for determination of spin of the positronium and the momenta and polarization vectors of annihilation quanta. In this article, we present the potential of the J-PET system for studies of discrete symmetries in decays of positronium atoms.
J-PET: A novel TOF-PET detector based on plastic scintillators
Paweł Moskal, Dominika Alfs, Tomasz Bednarski, Piotr Białas, Catalina Curceanu, Eryk Czerwiński, Kamil Dulski, Aleksander Gajos, Bartosz Głowacz, Marek Gorgol, Beatrix Hiesmayr, Bożena Jasińska, Daria Kamińska, Grzegorz Korcyl, Paweł Kowalski, Tomasz Kozik, Wojciech Krzemień, Ewelina Kubicz, Muhsin Mohammed, Monika Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, Szymon Niedźwiecki, Marek Pałka, Lech Raczyźski, Zbigniew Rudy, Oleksandr Rundel, Neha Gupta Sharma, Michał Silarski, Jerzy Smyrski, Adam Strzelecki, Anna Wieczorek, Wojciech Wiślicki, Bożena Zgardzińska, Marcin Zieliński
published in: IEEE Xplore: Nucl. Sci. Symp., Med. Imag. Conf. and Room-Temp. Semiconductor Detector Workshop, DOI:10.1109/NSSMIC.2016.8069617
Statistical Analysis of Time Resolution of the J-PET Scanner
L. Raczyński, W. Wiślicki, P. Kowalski, W. Krzemień, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, B. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, D. Kamińska, G. Korcyl, T. Kozik, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, S. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, N. Gupta Sharma, M. Silarski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
published in: IEEE Xplore: Nucl. Sci. Symp., Med. Imag. Conf. and Room-Temp. Semiconductor Detector Workshop, DOI:10.1109/NSSMIC.2016.8069407
Studies of discrete symmetries in a purely leptonic system using the Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph
P. Moskal, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, N. Gupta-Sharma, M. Gorgol, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, D. Kamińska, O. Khreptak, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, W. Krzemień, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, M. Silarski, J. Smyrski, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, and M. Zieliński
published in: EPJ Web Conf. 130 (2016) 07015
Discrete symmetries such as parity (P), charge-conjugation (C) and time reversal (T) are of fundamental importance in physics and cosmology. Breaking of charge conjugation symmetry (C) and its combination with parity (CP) constitute necessary conditions for the existence of the asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the observed Universe. The presently known sources of discrete symmetries violations can account for only a tiny fraction of the excess of matter over antimatter. So far CP and T symmetries violations were observed only for systems involving quarks and they were never reported for the purely leptonic objects. In this article we describe briefly an experimental proposal for the test of discrete symmetries in the decays of positronium atom which is made exclusively of leptons. The experiments are conducted by means of the Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) which is constructed from strips of plastic scintillators enabling registration of photons from the positronium annihilation. J-PET tomograph together with the positronium target system enable to measure expectation values for the discrete symmetries odd operators constructed from (i) spin vector of the ortho-positronium atom, (ii) momentum vectors of photons originating from the decay of positronium, and (iii) linear polarization direction of annihilation photons. Linearly polarized positronium will be produced in the highly porous aerogel or polymer targets, exploiting longitudinally polarized positrons emitted by the sodium 22Na isotope. Information about the polarization vector of orthopositronium will be available on the event by event basis and will be reconstructed from the known position of the positron source and the reconstructed position of the orthopositronium annihilation. In 2016 the first tests and calibration runs are planned, and the
data collection with high statistics will commence in the year 2017.
J-PET detector system for studies of the electron-positron annihilations
M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, O. Khreptak, A. Gajos, A. Wieczorek, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, C. Curceanu, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, B. Głowacz, N. Gupta-Sharma, M. Gorgol, B. C. Hiesmayr, B. Jasińska, D. Kamińska, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, W. Krzmień, N. Krawczyk, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, Sz. Niedźwiecki, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, M. Silarski, W. Wiślicki, B. Zgardzińska, M. Zieliński, and P. Moskal
published in: EPJ Web Conf. 130 (2016) 07020
Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) has been recently constructed at the Jagiellonian University as a prototype of a cost-effective scanner for the metabolic imaging of the whole human body. J-PET detector is optimized for the measurement of momentum and polarization of photons from the electron-positron annihilations. It is built out of strips of plastic scintillators, forming three cylindrical layers. As detector of gamma quanta it will be used for studies of discrete symmetries and multiparticle entanglement of photons originating from the decays of ortho-positronium atoms.
A novel TOF-PET detector based on plastic scintillators
W. Krzemien, D. Alfs, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, K. Dulski, A. Gajos, B. Głowacz, M. Gorgol, ´ B. Jasińska, D. Kamińska, Ł. Kapłon, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, E. Kubicz, M. Mohammed, ´ Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, O. Rundel, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, K. Stola, A. Strzelecki, A. Wieczorek, W. Wiślicki, B. K. Zgradzińska, M. Zieliński, P. Moskal
published in: Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC) (2015) IEEE
The Jagiellonian-PET (J-PET) collaboration is developing
a novel TOF-PET tomography scanner based mainly
on the timing of signals instead of their amplitudes for the
reconstruction of Lines-of-Response, therefore a very precise time
resolution is one of the main challenges of the project. The
novelty of the concept lies in employing long strips of plastic
scintillators instead of crystals as detectors of the annihilation
quanta. The diagnostic chamber consists of plastic scintillator
strips readout by pairs of photomultipliers arranged axially
around a cylindrical surface. To take advantage of the superior
timing properties of plastic scintillators, the signals are sampled
in the voltage domain with an accuracy of 20 ps by novel ultrafast
electronics, and the data are collected by the FPGA-based
trigger-less data acquisition system. The hit-position and hittime
are reconstructed by the dedicated reconstruction methods
based on the compressing sensing theory and a library of
synchronized model signals. The solutions are subject of sixteen
patent applications. So far, a time-of-flight resolution of 125 ps
(?) was achieved for a double-strip prototype with 30 cm fieldof-view
(FOV). It is by more than a factor of two better than the
TOF resolution achievable in current TOF-PET modalities and
at the same time, the FOV of 30 cm long prototype is significantly
larger with respect to typical commercial PET devices. The axial
geometry gives unique possibilities of combining J-PET with
Computed Tomography or with Magnetic Resonance Imaging,
allowing to perform the simultaneous scan of the patient with
both methods.
System Response Kernel Calculation for List-mode Reconstruction in Strip PET Detector
P. Białas, J. Kowal, A. Strzelecki, T. Bednarski, E. Czerwiński, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, P. Kowalski, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, P. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, L. Raczyński, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N. Gupta-Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński
published in: Acta Phys. Polon. B Suppl. 6 (2013) 1027-1036
Reconstruction of the image in Positron Emission Tomographs (PET) requires the knowledge of the system response kernel which describes the contribution of each pixel (voxel) to each tube of response (TOR). This is especially important in list-mode reconstruction systems, where an efficient analytical approximation of such function is required. In this contribution, we present a derivation of the system response kernel for a novel 2D strip PET.
Application of Compressive Sensing Theory for the Reconstruction of Signals in Plastic Scintillators
L. Raczyński, P. Kowalski, T. Bednarski, P. Białas, E. Czerwiński, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Korcyl, J. Kowal, T. Kozik, W. Krzemień, M. Molenda, P. Moskal, Sz. Niedźwiecki, M. Pałka, M. Pawlik, Z. Rudy, P. Salabura, N.G. Sharma, M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, A. Strzelecki, W. Wiślicki, M. Zieliński
published in: Acta Phys. Polon. B Suppl. 6 (2013) 1121-1127
Compressive Sensing theory says that it is possible to reconstruct a measured signal if an enough sparse representation of this signal exists in comparison to the number of random measurements. This theory was applied to reconstruct signals from measurements of plastic scintillators. Sparse representation of obtained signals was found using SVD transform.
MATRIX-PET: A novel PET detector concept based on large blocks of organic scintillators
P. Moskal, T. Bednarski, A. Heczko, M. Kajetanowicz, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Konopka - Cupiał, G. Korcyl, W. Krzemień, K. Łojek, W. Migdał, M. Molenda, S. Niedzwiecki, P. Salabura. M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, Z. Rudy, J. Zdebik, M. Zieliński
published in: Nuclear Medicine Review 15 (2012) A47-A48
Matrix-PET is a novel detector solution for the Positron Emission Tomography. It is one of the
two methods which is developed at present at the Jagiellonian University.
STRIP-PET: Concept of TOF-PET scanner based on polymer scintillator strips
P. Moskal, T. Bednarski, A. Heczko, M. Kajetanowicz, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Konopka - Cupiał, G. Korcyl, W. Krzemień, K. Łojek, W. Migdał, M. Molenda, S. Niedźwiecki, P. Salabura. M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, Z. Rudy, J. Zdebik, M. Zieliński
published in: Nuclear Medicine Review 15 (2012) A61-A63
The aim of the poster is to present an idea of a new PET scanner based on strips of polymer scintillators
arranged in a large acceptance detector system which may allow a simultaneous diagnostic
of a large fraction of (or even the whole) human body.
Polymer Scintillator Detectors for TOF-PET with Large Longitudinal Field of View
P. Moskal, T. Bednarski, A. Heczko, M. Kajetanowicz, Ł. Kapłon, A. Kochanowski, G. Konopka - Cupiał, G. Korcyl, W. Krzemień, K. Łojek, W. Migdał, M. Molenda, S. Niedzwiecki, P. Salabura. M. Silarski, A. Słomski, J. Smyrski, Z. Rudy, J. Zdebik, M. Zieliński
published in: Nuclear Medicine Review 15 (2012) A25-A26
In this contribution we present a concept of the large acceptance detector systems based on
the organic scintillators which in the future may allow for simultaneous diagnostic of large fraction
of the human body.
