Zecotek Photonics Inc. and NuCare Medical Systems of Seoul, Korea have entered into an agreement for integrating a high performance positron emission tomography (PET) medical scanning device with a new data acquisition board and readout system utilizing patented LFS scintillation crystals, solid-state MAPD photo detectors from Zecotek.
In a release, Dr. Jinhun Joung, Chief Executive Officer NuCare Medical Systems, said, “It is strategically very important for a company to have innovation and differentiation in its products. I strongly believe that Zecotek’s world-leading patented technologies of the LFS scintillation crystals and the MAPD photo detectors combined with Nucare’s imaging technologies will enable us to secure a superior competitive position in the field of nuclear medicine in near future.”
By integrating LFS crystals, MAPD photo detectors and the data acquisition board and readout system into a combined solution, Zecotek and NuCare will introduce a new PET scanning device within Chinese markets as well as other emerging markets.
NuCare will support commercialization of components and the sub-systems and deliver its expertise for developing the PET System and a PET Insert for CT (computed tomography) as well as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) systems. Zecotek’s patented Lutetium Fine Silicate scintillation crystals have been designed to support faster and higher-resolution operation within medical imaging devices.
Dr. Faouzi Zerrouk, Chairman and President of Zecotek, said, “We chose to work with Nucare in integrating our imaging technologies into components and sub-systems for emerging markets to leverage the many years of expertize of Nucare highly qualified personnel. Dr. Joung and his scientific team are recognized as leaders in the design of imaging technologies and are highly qualified to develop competing, high performance PET technology at a favorable cost.”
The Micro-pixel Avalanche Photo Diodes (MAPD) photo detectors from Zecotek are compact and insensitive to high magnetic fields which can effectively enhance linearity and can support tight timing resolution via a fast pulse rise time and low jitter. When working with Zecotek’s LFS scintillation material, they deliver an optimized solution for medical imaging applications that use γ-ray detection.
The Chinese-based Beijing Opto-Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. and the Malaysian Institute for Micro-electronics Systems (Malaysia) have been roped in for ensuring a consistent supply of components for the development of the new integrated solution in the field of nuclear medicine.
Calvin Azuri is a contributing editor for HealthTechZone. To read more of Calvin’s articles, please visit his columnist page.Edited by
Rich Steeves
