VIP

IFAE Research Groups

Medical Physics Group

  • Medical Physics Group

    Since 1999, IFAE used its expertise with sophisticated radiation detectors to develop advanced medical imaging devices.

    The Medical Physics group at IFAE is led by M. Chmeissani.

    In 2009 M. Chmeissani was awarded an ERC Advanced Grant (VIP) to develop a novel detector concept for PET, based on CdTe detectors featuring 3D pixels (voxels). The concept allows detecting positron-annihilation photons with unprecedented energy and position resolution. This detector can operate in high magnetic fields, which allows its use within MRI devices and opens a whole range of potentially revolutionary applications in medical research and diagnostics. The main goal of the group has been the completion of the VIP prototype.

    In parallel, the group has worked on the development of an innovative ASIC for an X-ray scanner. The Deep-Detection start-up company has been recently constituted to exploit this technology.

    A new spin-off company, Baretek Barcelona Detector Technologies, was created in 2019 dedicated to development of silicon pixel detector technologies for security and medical applications.

    VIP
    Voxel Imaging PET Credit: IFAE

  • Group Members

    Medical Physics Group

    Staff Researchers

    Postdoc Researchers

    • Machiel Kolstein

      Machiel Kolstein

    Research Engineers

    PhD Students

    • Viveka Gautam

      Viveka Gautam

  • Research Projects

    Medical Physics Group

    Proyectos I+D+i Pruebas de Concepto 2022, 2022

    A novel Range Telescope for proton CT

    ASTRA will build a small prototype detector as proof-of-concept and expose it to proton beams. The detector concept is based on a scintillator tracker on which the group worked for the T2K experiment. A published feasibility study of the detector concept indicates that the performance could be excellent and the key to bring proton CT to the next level of development.

      ERC-Starting, 2022

      CHerenkov Light mOdulE for time-of-flight Positron Emission Tomography (CHLOE-PET)

      The goal of this project is to build a gamma detector concept for TOF-PET able to improve the time resolution and spatial segmentation of state-of-the-art detectors by a factor of up to 7 and 10, respectively, without additional production costs. CHLOE-PET is a forward-looking gamma detector design for TOF-PET able to exploit the new photodetector technologies that are currently under development and will become available within the next 5-to-10 years.

        Proyectos I+D+i Pruebas de Concepto 2022, 2022

        Micro Detectores 3D para estudio de terapia FLASH (MIDFE) - IFAE

        The MIDFE project aims to develop micro-detectors using SiC semiconductor micro-technology to measure micro-doses in FLASH scenes, specifically optimized for FLASH therapy. The project will explore different techniques to create columnar electrodes in SiC substrates and perform Monte Carlo simulations to simulate irradiation FLASH conditions. The expected result is to obtain the first SiC 3D-microdetector array to characterize the response at ultra-high dose rates with micro-metric and micro-second resolutions, which could offer a new way to use hadrons for therapy and optimize towards clinical trials.

          Medipix

          Proyectos de I+D+i Retos Investigación, 2020

          SOFTPIX

          The goals of this project involve the development and utilization of the Timepix4 ASIC and LGAD radiation detectors for various applications in applied physics and material science, as well as potential use in low-energy X-ray imaging for medical purposes. Overall, the project seeks to advance scientific research and technological innovation in various fields through the development and utilization of advanced detector technologies.

          BIST Ignite, 2018

          A fast monolithic multi-channel ASIC for diffuse optical, non-invasive blood flow measurement (BIOSPAD)

          The project aims to explore the usage of a new generation of sensors as single photon avalanche detectors to overcome the shortcomings of the present state of the art technologies used forfor Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (DCS) and relate methods.

          Camera for the 3D biopsy

          RIS3CAT, 2018

          3D Biopsy for Tomosynthesis (3D-BonT)

          The objective of the project is to develop innovative products and technologies in the field of biology devices that can bring more precise diagnosis of breast pathologies in the prone position

            La Caixa Health Research, 2018

            Adaptive Retinal Implant Technology for Vision Restoration (I-VISION)

            This project will develop the next generation of retinal prosthesis technology in efforts to restore high-acuity artificial vision to individuals blinded by retinal degeneration.

              Graphretina eye

              GRAPHCAT, 2018

              GraphRetina

              The long-term goal of the GraphRetina project is to produce a new generation of retinal prosthesis for patients with retinal degeneration

                ATTRACT

                H2020-INFRAINNOV, 2018

                Photonic System for Liquid Biopsy (PHIL)

                ATTRACT project PHIL in collaboration with LEITAT to develop a Photonic System for Liquid Biopsy for the development a diagnosis system for Cancer and other diseases

                  ATTRACT

                  H2020-INFRAINNOV, 2018

                  Self-triggered ECObattery TAGS for instant and ubiquitous event detection (ECOTAGS)

                  Attract project forr the development of eco-friendly heat detectors for fire detection applications

                    LINDA sensor

                    FEDER-AGAUR, 2018

                    X-ray LINe Detector with novel photon counting ASIC (LINDA)

                    Pixel CdTe sensor with a built in fast algorithm (patent protected) to minimize the charge sharing among neighbouring pixels and thus maintains the spectral X-ray energy information per pixel

                      ERC-Advanced, 2014

                      Voxel Imaging PET (VIP)

                      Pixel CdTe sensor with a built in fast algorithm (patent protected) to minimize the charge sharing among neighbouring pixels and thus maintains the spectral X-ray energy information per pixel

                      • Publications

                        Medical Physics Group

                      • Group Highlights

                        Gerard Ariño, IFAE

                        Highlight

                        IFAE Researcher Gerard Ariño Estrada obtains funding in the ATRAE Call

                        January 17, 2024

                        IFAE researcher Gerard Ariño awarded the VERSATILE project under the ATRAE call, focusing on advancing nuclear medicine capabilities. VERSATILE aims to develop a gamma detector with innovative technology for Targeted Alpha Therapy dosimetry, Boron Neutron Capture Therapy, and high-performance Time-of-Flight Positron Emission Tomography.

                        Highlight

                        New ERC Starting Grant to improve the diagnostic capabilities of Time-of-Flight Positron Emission Tomographies with innovative detector technologies

                        September 20, 2022

                        Gerard Ariño-Estrada and his team plan to build a gamma detector for time-of-flight positron emission tomography with improved time and spatial detection features by exploiting a novel gamma detector design.

                        Deep Detection IFAE PhotonAI

                        Highlight

                        Deep Detection raises 1M€ in funding for X-ray inspection technology

                        November 22, 2021

                        The IFAE's spin-off Deep Detection has secured the investment from specialist photonics VC Vigo Ventures, Clave Capital, ESOM, and public financing. Founded in July 2020, Deep Detection is preparing to launch its first product, PhotonAI, an X-ray camera with deep learning capabilities.

                        Group News

                        Patents

                        Three new IFAE patents

                        October 9, 2023

                        IFAE filed a new medical imaging technology patent application: “Proton CT System with Improved Proton Energy Detector” and a patent application was granted named “Devices, Systems, and Methods for Mammography with a Detector Having Reduced Dimensions.” The third is a PET technology based new patent application filed in the European Patent Office.

                        Spin-off

                        Bullnet Capital leads new investment in the IFAE spin-off Deep Detection

                        July 20, 2023

                        The IFAE spin-off Deep Detection, a cutting-edge X-ray inspection technology company, has secured a substantial investment led by Bullnet Capital, a prominent Spanish venture capital firm specializing in deep-tech companies.

                        New Projects

                        Two IFAE projects selected in the «Prueba de Concepto» 2022 call

                        November 9, 2022

                        Two IFAE projects were selected for funding in the “Prueba de Concepto 2022” call.

                        Patents

                        New IFAE Patent

                        January 19, 2022

                        The European Patent Office as communicated the intention to grant the European patent ARTIFICIAL VISION SYSTEM filed by IFAE. The inventors are M.Chmeissani, J G Macias and M. Verdaguer.

                        New Patent

                        New granted IFAE patent

                        October 29, 2021

                        IFAE’s patent “systems and methods for monitoring metabolic activity and detectors for detecting photons” based on the Compton PET technology, has been issued as United States Patent No. 11,141,117 on October 12, 2021 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

                        New Paper

                        New Timepix4 publication

                        October 13, 2021

                        “Timepix4, a large area pixel detector readout chip which can be tiled on 4 sides providing sub-200ps timestamp binning”, by R. Casanova and others, has been submitted to JINST.