Department of Radiology -
Center for Advanced Imaging

Nuclear Instrumentation Research
About the Lab
Laboratory Director: Raymond R. Raylman, Ph.D. (e-mail Ray)
The Nuclear Medicine Instrumentation Research Laboratory (NMIRL) is a 500 sq. foot facility located within the Center for Advanced Imaging in the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at West Virginia University. The major emphasis of this facility is to develop new methods for in vivo localization of positron-emitting radiopharmaceuticals. Current projects include the construction and testing of an intraoperative beta particle-sensitive probe. This probe will be used to detect areas of residual tracer-avid tumor fragments following excision of a primary tumor. The ability of this device to detect the presence of cancer cells in lymph nodes in situ is also currently under investigation.

The other main project which the NMIRL is actively involved is the development of a device and method for positron emission mammography (PEM)-guided breast biopsy. PEM is a relatively new method for obtaining high-resolution planar images of the radiotracer distribution in a breast. Therefore, such proven tumor-avid PET radiopharmaceuticals as 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose can be used to image the suspicious breast lesions. Our group is developing a method to use stereotactic PEM images to guide the biopsy of lesions optimally visualized with PEM. This project is a collaborative effort between the Center for Advanced Imaging and the Detector Group at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, VA led by Stan Majewski.