projects founded

reSPECT: Towards a new family of nuclear imaging gamma detectors

reSPECT: Towards a new family of nuclear imaging gamma detectors

  • Project Code: 2022Z72Y3K
  • Project start and end date: 28/09/2023 -27/09/2025
  • Extension date: 28/02/2026
  • Funding source: MUR Call for Proposal 104/2022 – NRRP – Next Generation EU, Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.1 – ‘Fund for the National Research Programme and Projects of Significant National Interest” (PRIN)
  • CUP: F53D23001500006
  • CREF Funding amount: 106.408,80 €
  • Total project cost: 133.684,00 €

Principal Investigator:

Michela Marafini 

Participating research units

  1. National coordinator: CREF – Michela Marafini 
  2. Research Unit: Sapienza University o Rome – Department of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering (SBAI) – Marco Toppi
  3. Research Unit: University of Trento – Roberto Passerone

Research team and staff recruited within the project

  • Coordinator of the research group: Michela Marafini
  • Component of the research group: Marco Garbini
  • Component of the research group: Arianna Vannucci (CREF research fellowship)
  • Research fellow recruited through the project: Marta David
  • Research fellow recruited through the project: Mattia Bonuso

Results achieved

The project demonstrated the feasibility of a compact, flexible, and cost-effective gamma detector for nuclear imaging based on high-Z doped plastic scintillators. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations in FLUKA guided the optimization of detector geometry, dopant type and concentration, collimator materials, energy thresholds, sensitivity, and spatial resolution. A 5 × 5 cm² modular prototype integrating a tungsten collimator and segmented scintillator was designed and fabricated. Lead- and bismuth-doped scintillators, including patented formulations with Bi concentrations up to 10%, were produced and experimentally characterized. Particular effort has been devoted to balancing high-Z loading, optical transparency, and light yield, and to developing a photocurable formulation compatible with MSLA 3D printing and direct integration into metallic structures. Reconstruction algorithms to be tested in SPECT-like configurations have been investigated. In parallel, a scalable digital readout architecture based on CMOS SPAD sensors and FPGA boards has been designed and validated. The system supports high count rates, networked multi-module operation, data compression, and sensor-response linearization. Overall, the combined simulation, material, detector, and readout activities validated the proposed technology and established the basis for a scalable modular nuclear imaging system.

Scientific publications

Organized events or conference participation

  • Quattrini Oral Presentation at Jagiellonian Symposium 2025 – Development of high-Z organic scintillators for modern SPECT imaging and theranostic dosimetry
  • Vannucci Oral Presentation at SIF 2025 The reSPECT and Trondheim projects for the usage of high-Z doped plastic scintillators in SPECT imaging and radiometabolic dosimetry
  • Vannucci Oral Presentation at SIF School Varenna 2025 Innovative applications of high-Z doped plastic scintillators in radiometabolic dosimetry: the ReSPECT and Trondheim projects
  • Vannucci Oral Presentation at AIFM 2025 Development of high-Z doped plastic scintillators for SPECT imaging and radiometabolic dosimetry
  • Quattrini Oral Presentation at IDF 2025 Development of high-Z doped plastic scintillators for SPECT imaging and radiometabolic dosimetry
  • Bonuso Poster Presentation at VCI 2025 New high-Z organic scintillators for total-body SPECT and theranostic dosimetry
  • Traini Oral Presentation at SCINT2024 A new class of plastic scintillators for fast timing detector and medical applications
  • De Gregorio Oral Presentation at Jagielloniam Symposium 2024 Organic high-Z scintillators for a flexible and fast total body nuclear imaging
  • Marafini E-Poster Presentation at PSMR 2024 The reSPECT project for a flexible and fast total body nuclear imaging diagnoses with high-Z organic scintillators
  • Traini E-Poster Presentation at PS 2024 The reSPECT project: an innovative SPECT detection system based on high-Z organic scintillators
  • Garbini Oral Presentation at SIF2024 High-Z plastic scintillators for an innovative SPECT detection system: the reSPECT projectA fluorescence-based beam monitor for ultra-high dose rate therapeutical beams
  • Marafini Oral Presentation at iWorid 2024 A new nuclear imaging detection technology for total body, flexible and fast SPECT diagnoses
  • Quattrini Oral resentation at SIRR 2023 Characterisation of innovative organic scintillators for a modern SPECT detection system
  • Alessandro Tontini A histogram compensation process for SPAD-based d-ToF LiDAR systems for high photon flux measurements. In Peter Schelkens and Tomasz Kozacki, editors, Optics, Photonics, and Digital Technologies for Imaging Applications VIII, volume 12998, page 129980X, Strasbourg, France, April 7–11, 2024. International Society for Optics and Photonics, SPIE.

Posters, dissemination materials, output

Thesis:

  • Master Thesis in Physics: Flavia Allegra 2025 – Facoltà di Scienze Matematiche Fisiche e Naturali, Corso di Laurea in Fisica e Astrofisica – “Characterization of high-Z organic scintillators for innovative nuclear imaging” – Thesis has been carried out by Flavia Allegra at the University of Sapienza in Rome under the supervision of Prof. Marco Toppi and Dr. Michela Marafini.
  • Bachelor Thesis in Physics: Johannes Elias Maria Deister 2025 – Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Heidelberg – “Monte Carlo based Characterization of Plastic Scintillators” – Thesis has been carried out by Johannes Elias Maria Deister at the University of Sapienza in Rome under the supervision of Prof. Marc Ladd, Dr. Peter Jörg and Dr. Michela Marafini.
  • Master Thesis in Physics: Flaminia Quattrini 2024 – Facoltà di Scienze Matematiche Fisiche e Naturali, Corso di Laurea in Fisica e Astrofisica – “Characterization of innovative high-Z organic scintillators for a modern SPECT detection system: the reSPECT project” – Thesis has been carried out by Flaminia Quattrini at the University of Sapienza in Rome under the supervision of Dr. Giacomo Traini and Dr. Michela Marafini.
  • Bachelor Thesis in Engineering: Alessia Rinaldi 2024 – Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science, Corso di Laurea in Ingegneria Informatica, delle Comunicazioni ed Elettronica – “Progettazione e verifica di un sistema di lettura dati provenienti da SBAM chip su FPGA: un Contributo al Progetto reSPECT.” – Thesis has been carried out by Alessia Rinaldi at the University of Trento under the supervision of Prof. Roberto Passerone and Dr. Enrico Manuzzato.
  • Bachelor Thesis in Physics: Laura Scholz 2022 – LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITÄT MÜNCHEN – “ReSPECT” – Thesis has been carried out by Laura Scholz at the University of Sapienza in Rome under the supervision of Prof. Katia Parodi, Prof. Vincenzo Patera and Dr. Michela Marafini.
  • Master Thesis in Engineering: Federica Pietracci 2023 – Facoltà di Ingegneria Civile e Industriale, Corso di Laurea in Ingegneria Biomedica – “Imaging SPECT innovativo con scintillatori organici ad alto Z: caratterizzazione e ottimizzazione del rivelatore.” – Thesis has been carried out by Federica Pietracci at the University of Sapienza in Rome under the supervision of Prof. Vincenzo Patera and Dr. Michela Marafini.

Activities for general public:

  • Laboratory: Festival della Scienza Genova 2024. Laboratorio, spazio Kids in the city. Palazzo Ducale – Il Torneo degli Elementi: la sfida di Fermi e la radioattività indotta – 23 ottobre – 4 novembre 2024. 1500 partecipanti (3-13 anni)
  • Presentation at a press event dedicated to the figure of Maria Skłodowska Curie 17 settembre 2024 CNRN Sessione Umano e Cosmico: “La radioterapia: le radiazioni che salvano la vita”.
  • Laboratorio: Notte dei Riceratori 2024 Roma – Il Torneo degli Elementi.
  • Quattrini Oral Presentation at ShareScience 2024 Innovative SPECT detection system based on high-Z plastic scintillators.
  • SIF Prima Pagina, n. Ottobre 2024 M. Marafini “Il torneo degli elementi: gli esperimenti di Fermi diventano un gioco”.
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