Optimization of K-edge imaging for vulnerable plaques using gold nanoparticles and energy resolved photon counting detectors: a simulation study.

We investigated the effect of different imaging parameters, such as dose, beam energy, energy resolution and the number of energy bins, on the image quality of K-edge spectral computed tomography (CT) of gold nanoparticles (GNP) accumulated in an atherosclerotic plaque. A maximum likelihood technique was employed to estimate the concentration of GNP, which served as a targeted intravenous contrast material intended to detect the degree of the plaque's inflammation. The simulation studies used a single-slice parallel beam CT geometry with an x-ray beam energy ranging between 50 and 140 kVp. The synthetic phantoms included small (3 cm in diameter) cylinder and chest (33 × 24 cm(2)) phantoms, where both phantoms contained tissue, calcium and gold. In the simulation studies, GNP quantification and background (calcium and tissue) suppression tasks were pursued. The x-ray detection sensor was represented by an energy resolved photon counting detector (e.g., CdZnTe) with adjustable energy bins. Both ideal and more realistic (12% full width at half maximum (FWHM) energy resolution) implementations of the photon counting detector were simulated. The simulations were performed for the CdZnTe detector with a pixel pitch of 0.5-1 mm, which corresponds to a performance without significant charge sharing and cross-talk effects. The Rose model was employed to estimate the minimum detectable concentration of GNPs. A figure of merit (FOM) was used to optimize the x-ray beam energy (kVp) to achieve the highest signal-to-noise ratio with respect to the patient dose. As a result, the successful identification of gold and background suppression was demonstrated. The highest FOM was observed at the 125 kVp x-ray beam energy. The minimum detectable GNP concentration was determined to be approximately 1.06 µmol mL(-1) (0.21 mg mL(-1)) for an ideal detector and about 2.5 µmol mL(-1) (0.49 mg mL(-1)) for a more realistic (12% FWHM) detector. The studies show the optimal imaging parameters at the lowest patient dose using an energy resolved photon counting detector to image GNP in an atherosclerotic plaque

Electrical Characterization Of Isotype N-Zno/N-Gan Heterostructures

Electrical properties of n-ZnO/n-GaN isotype heterostructures obtained by rf-sputtering of ZnO films on GaN layers grown by metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy are discussed. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the n-ZnO/n-GaN diodes revealed highly rectifying behavior with forward and reverse current densities ∼1.42×102 A/cm2 and ∼2.4×10-4 A/cm2, respectively, at ±5 V. From the Arrhenius plot built using temperature dependent current-voltage characteristics (I-V-T) an activation energy 0.125 eV was derived for the reverse bias leakage current path, and 0.618±0.004 eV for the band offset from forward bias measurements. From electron-beam induced current measurements the minority carrier diffusion length in ZnO was estimated in the range 0.125-0.175 μm, depending on excitation conditions. The temperature dependent EBIC measurements yielded an activation energy of 0.462±0.073 V. © 2007 Materials Research Society

Optimization of K-edge imaging for vulnerable plaques using gold nanoparticles and energy resolved photon counting detectors: a simulation study.

We investigated the effect of different imaging parameters, such as dose, beam energy, energy resolution and the number of energy bins, on the image quality of K-edge spectral computed tomography (CT) of gold nanoparticles (GNP) accumulated in an atherosclerotic plaque. A maximum likelihood technique was employed to estimate the concentration of GNP, which served as a targeted intravenous contrast material intended to detect the degree of the plaque's inflammation. The simulation studies used a single-slice parallel beam CT geometry with an x-ray beam energy ranging between 50 and 140 kVp. The synthetic phantoms included small (3 cm in diameter) cylinder and chest (33 × 24 cm(2)) phantoms, where both phantoms contained tissue, calcium and gold. In the simulation studies, GNP quantification and background (calcium and tissue) suppression tasks were pursued. The x-ray detection sensor was represented by an energy resolved photon counting detector (e.g., CdZnTe) with adjustable energy bins. Both ideal and more realistic (12% full width at half maximum (FWHM) energy resolution) implementations of the photon counting detector were simulated. The simulations were performed for the CdZnTe detector with a pixel pitch of 0.5-1 mm, which corresponds to a performance without significant charge sharing and cross-talk effects. The Rose model was employed to estimate the minimum detectable concentration of GNPs. A figure of merit (FOM) was used to optimize the x-ray beam energy (kVp) to achieve the highest signal-to-noise ratio with respect to the patient dose. As a result, the successful identification of gold and background suppression was demonstrated. The highest FOM was observed at the 125 kVp x-ray beam energy. The minimum detectable GNP concentration was determined to be approximately 1.06 µmol mL(-1) (0.21 mg mL(-1)) for an ideal detector and about 2.5 µmol mL(-1) (0.49 mg mL(-1)) for a more realistic (12% FWHM) detector. The studies show the optimal imaging parameters at the lowest patient dose using an energy resolved photon counting detector to image GNP in an atherosclerotic plaque

Air-Pressure Tunable Depletion Width, Rectification Behavior, and Charge Conduction in Oxide Nanotubes

Metal-oxide nanotubes provide large surface areas and functionalizable surfaces for a variety of optical and electronic applications. Here we report air-tunable rectifying behavior, depletion width modulation, and two-dimensional (2D) charge conduction in hollow titanium-dioxide nanotubes. The metal contact forms a Schottky-diode in the nanotubes, and the rectification factor (on/off ratio) can be varied by more than 3 orders of magnitude (1–2 × 10³) as the air pressure is increased from 2 mTorr to atmospheric pressure. This behavior is explained using a change in depletion width of these thin nanotubes by adsorption of water vapor on both surfaces of a hollow nanotube, and the resulting formation of a metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) junction, which controls the 2D charge conduction properties in thin oxide nanotubes