Small PET-guided probe for laparoscopic prostate cancer surgery
Optimizing PET Radio-Guided Probes for Laparoscopic Surgery: Small Compton-Angles Collimation for Increased SNR and Size and Weight Reduction
Trying a tiny PET-guided probe to help surgeons find and remove prostate cancer during laparoscopic operations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11263716 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a patient, I would hear that engineers are designing a thin probe under 12 mm that fits through standard laparoscopic ports so it can be used during prostate removal. The team plans to use a novel small Compton-angle collimation method to detect positron emissions (β+) instead of the usual 511 keV gamma rays to improve signal quality while cutting size and weight. They will build and bench-test prototypes using phantoms and lab measurements to check directionality and signal-to-noise before any work in people. If those tests are successful, the device could move toward trials in surgical settings at the sponsoring institution.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people scheduled for laparoscopic radical prostatectomy who might benefit from intraoperative PET-guided localization.
Not a fit: Patients not having laparoscopic surgery, those undergoing open procedures, or cancers not targeted by PET tracers used here are unlikely to benefit from this probe.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, surgeons could locate cancerous tissue more precisely during laparoscopic prostate surgery, reducing missed tumor regions and possibly lowering recurrence.
How similar studies have performed: Related early work on positron-detecting probes has shown promise but struggled with sensitivity and probe size, so this approach builds on limited prior efforts and is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mehadji, Brahim — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Mehadji, Brahim
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.