imXgam

The X and Gamma Imaging team (imXgam) conducts interdisciplinary research activities for ionizing radiation imaging applications in the field of health and energy. These are based on the expertise in electronics and instrumentation of IN2P3, capitalizing its development for large instruments dedicated to high energy physics.

In this context, the imXgam team has built several generations of hybrid pixel cameras for various applications in crystallography and biomedical imaging. We contribute to the development of data acquisition electronics for positron detection by pixelated probes and for rapid gamma imaging in hadrontherapy and we are involved in the development of a Compton camera for nuclear dismantling and hadrontherapy operations.

ClearPET/XPAD Prototype.
Spectral Scanner PIXSCAN-FLI.
Intensity projections (MIP) of an iodine-labeled mouse computed from (left) a conventional photon-counter CT and (in the center) a K-edge image of the iodine acquired with composite pixels to identify the accumulation of iodine in the mpouse kidneys and its excretion by the ureters to the bladder. The image on the right is a superposition of the two previous MIPs. (source: Thesis Carine Kronland-Martinet, Aix Marseille Univ, 2015)

The imXgam team is a member of the Crystal Clear collaboration and the OpenGATE collaboration, which develop and maintain the GATE simulation platform. At the national level, the research themes of the imXgam team fit into the context of the activities of the Modeling and Instrumentation GDR for Biomedical Imaging (MI2B).

Researchers and Research professors

Engineers and Technicians

PHD students and post-doctoral fellows

PhD started in 2023
Leroy Melissa
Subject: Simulation et caractérisation de détecteurs spectrométriques à comptage de photons
Fundings: CIFRE Detection technology
PhD director : Yannick Boursier
PhD started in 2022
Garnier Alicia
Subject: Imagerie à temps-de-vol pour l'imagerie des gamma prompts en protonthérapie
Fundings: CNRS et IN2P3
PhD director : Christian Morel
Co-supervisor: Yannick Boursier
See old PhDs (15)

Publications imXgam

Articles

2023: 3 articles

  • Monte Carlo simulation of a scintillation crystal read by a SiPM with GATE, B. Mehadji et al. , Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 1048 (2023) 167905
  • Detailed simulation of the ClearMind prototype detection module and event reconstruction using artificial intelligence, C.-H. Sung et al. , Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 1053 (2023) 168357
  • A high sensitivity Cherenkov detector for prompt gamma timing and time imaging, M. Jacquet et al. , Sci. Rep 13 (2023) 3609

2022: 1 article

  • Monte Carlo simulation of SiPMs with GATE, B. Mehadji et al. , J. Instrum 09 (2022) P09025

2021: 4 articles

  • ProMeSCT : a proximal metric algorithm for spectral CT, S. Tairi et al. , IEEE T. Rad. Plasma Med. Sci 5(4) (2021) 548-558
  • A time-of-flight-based reconstruction for real-time prompt-gamma imaging in protontherapy, M. Jacquet et al. , Phys. Med. Biol 66 (2021) 135003
  • Advanced Monte Carlo simulations of emission tomography imaging systems with GATE, D. Sarrut et al. , Phys. Med. Biol 66 (2021) 10TR03
  • Characterization of a beam-tagging hodoscope for hadrontherapy monitoring, O. Allegrini et al. , J. Instrum 16 (2021) P02028

2020: 3 articles

  • Roadmap toward the 10 ps time-of-flight PET challenge, P. Lecoq et al. , Phys. Med. Biol 65 (2020) 21RM01
  • On the role of single particle irradiation and fast timing for efficient online-control in particle therapy, D. Dauvergne et al. , Front. Phys. 8 (2020) 434
  • Design study of a "scintronic" crystal targeting tens of picoseconds time resolution for gamma ray imaging: the ClearMind detector, D. Yvon et al. , J. Instrum 15 (2020) P07029

Conference proceedings

2021: 1 conference proceeding

  • Modelisation of light transmission through surfaces with thin film optical coating in Geant4, L. Cappellugola , S. Curtoni , M. Dupont , C.-H. Sung, V. Sharyy, D. Yvon, C. Morel , indéfini, IEEE NSS/MIC’2021, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (2021), Yokohama, Japan, 16-23 Oct 2021

2020: 2 conference proceedings

  • MAPSSIC, a communicating MAPS-based intracerebral positrons probe for deep brain imaging in awake and freely-moving rats, F. Gensolen , L .Ammour, M. Bautista , J. Heymes, S. Fieux, M. Kachel, F. Lefebvre, P. Pangaud , L. Pinot, P. Lanièce, J. Baudot, P. Gisquet, L. Zimmer, M-A. Verdier, C. Morel , indéfini, ANIMMA 2019 Conf Rec. (2020), Portoroz, Slovenia, 17-21 Jun 2019
  • Case for setting up a 10ps challenge: A step toward reconstruction-less TOF-PET, P. Lecoq, C. Morel , J. Prior, Nuovo Cim. C, 43, FAst Timing Applications for nuclear physics and medical imaging (2020) 2, Acireale, Italy, 03-05 Sep 2019

Talks

2023: 3 talks

  • A standalone Monte Carlo simulation toolkit at the micro-cell level to mimic SiPMs signals, B. Mehadji, C. Trigila, M. Dupont , C. Morel , E. Roncali, 2023 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium (NSS), Medical Imaging Conference (MIC) and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector (RTSD) Conference (NSS/MIC 2023), Vancouver, Canada, 4-11 Nov 2023
  • An alternating algorithm for Prompt Gamma Time Imaging with the TIARA project, A. Cherni , A. Garnier , M. Dupont , A. André, J. Hérault, D. Maneval, C. Hoarau, M. L. Gallin-Martel, S. Marcatili, C. Morel , Y. Boursier , 2023 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium (NSS), Medical Imaging Conference (MIC) and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector (RTSD) Conference (NSS/MIC 2023), Vancouver, Canada, 4-11 Nov 2023
  • MAPSSIC, a beta + implantable microprobe for neuroimaging of awake and freely moving rats: first sensor characterization and in vivo imaging simulations, S. E. Ketara, F. Agnese, L. Ammour, J. Baudot, S. Bouvard, M. Dupont , F. Gensolen , M. Kachel, J. Laurence , C. Morel , P. Pangaud , T. Weicherding , L. Zimmer, P. Lanièce, M. A. Verdier, 2023 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium (NSS), Medical Imaging Conference (MIC) and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector (RTSD) Conference (NSS/MIC 2023), Vancouver, Canada, 4-11 Nov 2023

2022: 9 talks

  • Deep-learning data processing of spectral PC-CT longitudinal studies to design and optimize combined immuno-anticancer treatments in liver cancer mouse models, F. Cannet , Y. Boursier , C. Morel , R&D Seminar - "Imaging 2022", Institute Marseille Imaging (IMI), Marseille, France, 26-30 Sep 2022
  • Monte Carlo simulation of a scintillation crystal read by a SiPM with GATE, B. Mehadji , M. Dupont , C. Morel , NDIP20, 9th Conference on New Developments in Photodetection, Troyes, France, 4-8 Jul 2022
  • A mathematical framework for Prompt-Gamma time imaging with TIARA, Y. Boursier , M. Jacquet, M. Dupont , C. Morel , D. Maneval, J. Hérault, M.-L. Gallin-Martel, S. Ansari, S. Marcatili , RITS’2022, Recherche en Imagerie et Technologies pour la Santé, Brest, France, 22-25 Mai 2022
  • Spectral CT : avancées technologiques et méthodologiques avec les pixel hybrides, Y. Boursier , RITS’2022, Recherche en Imagerie et Technologies pour la Santé, Brest, France, 22-25 Mai 2022
  • Development of a fast Cherenkov detector dedicated to Prompt Gamma Time Imaging, M. Jacquet, A. André, S. Marcatili, M.-L. Gallin-Martel, S. Ansari, Y. Boursier , M. Dupont , L. Gallin-Martel, J. Hérault, C. Hoarau, P. Hofverberg, D. Maneval, C. Morel , J.-F. Muraz, FTMI, Fast Timing in Medical Imaging, Valencia, Spain, 3-5 Jun 2022
  • High-speed, efficient, high-resolution gamma ray imaging: the ClearMind project, D. Yvon, V. Sharyy, M. Follin, C.-H. Sung, A. Galindo-Tellez, T. Chaminade, D. Breton, J. Maalmi, P. Rusquart, C. Cheikalib, C. Morel , L. Cappellugola , S. Curtoni , M. Dupont , Y. Boursier , J.-P. Logier, G. Daniel, J.-M. Martinez, S. Jan, C. Comtat, O. Kochebina, NDIP20, 9th Conference on New Developments in Photodetection, Troyes, France, 4-8 Jul 2022
  • Characterization of a one face instrumented monolithic PbWO4 integrated detector toward the pico-seconds TOF-PET applications, A. Galindo-Tellez, V. Sharyy, D. Yvon, M. Follin, C.-H. Sung, T. Chaminade, D. Breton, J. Maalmi, P. Rusquart, C. Cheikalib, C. Morel , L. Cappellugola , S. Curtoni , M. Dupont , Y. Boursier , J.-P. Logier , G. Daniel, J.-M. Martinez, S. Jan, C. Comtat, O. Kochebina, IEEE NSS/MIC’2022, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, Milan, Italy, 5-12 Nov 2022
  • Development of a high sensitivity TOF detector dedicated to prompt gamma time imaging, S. Marcatili, A. André, S. Ansari, Y. Boursier , M. Dupont , J. Hérault, C. Hoarau, J.P. Hofverberg, M.-L. Gallin-Martel, L. Gallin-Martel, M. Jacquet, D. Manéval, C. Morel , J.-F. Muraz, IEEE NSS/MIC’2022, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, Milano, Italy, 5-12 Nov 2022
  • Update of the optical light transport in Geant4 to model optical coating, L. Cappellugola , M. Dupont , S. Curtoni , C.-H. Hsun, V. Sharyy, D. Yvon, T. Proslier, C. Morel , Technical Forum, 27th Geant4 Collaboration Meeting, Rennes, France, 27 Sep 2022

2021: 5 talks

  • Compton 3D imaging with sparse number of views: progress on image quality @ 511 keV, M.Z. Hmissi, G. Lebonvallet, A. Iltis, B. Mehadji and C. Morel , 34th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM 2021), Hamburg, Germany, 20-23 Oct 2021
  • Estimating the relative SNR of individual TOF-PET events for Gaussian and non-Gaussian TOF-kernels, J. Nuyts, E. Roncali, S. Gundacker, C. Morel , D. Visvikis, P. Lecoq, Fully-3D’2021, 16th International meeting on fully 3D image reconstructionin radiology and nuclear medicine, Leuven, Belgium, 19-23 Jul 2021
  • Modelisation of frustrated transmission for the ClearMind module, L. Cappellugola , M. Dupont , C. Morel , S. Sharyy, C.-H. Sung, D. Yvon, 75th Crystal Clear Collaboration meeting, Genève, Suisse, 25 Mar 2021
  • Geant4 simulation for the ClearMind project and reconstruction of the gamma conversion, C.-H. Sung, L. Cappellugola , M. Follin, M. Dupont , C. Morel , D. Yvon, V. Sharyy, IEEE NSS/MIC’2021, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, Yokohama, Japan, 16-23 Oct 2021
  • Modelisation of light transmission through surfaces with optical coating in Geant4, L. Cappellugola , S. Curtoni , M. Dupont , C.-H. Sung, V. Sharyy, D. Yvon, C. Morel , 76th Crystal Clear Collaboration meeting, Genève, Suisse, 18 Nov 2021

2020: 4 talks

  • MAPSSIC, a communicating MAPS-based intracerebral positrons probe for deep brain imaging in awake and freely-moving rats, F. Gensolen , L. Ammour, M. Bautista , J. Heymes, S. Fieux, M. Kachel, F. Lefebvre, P. Pangaud , L. Pinot, P. Lanièce, J. Baudot, P. Gisquet, L. Zimmer, M.-A. Verdier, C. Morel , 6th International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation Measurement Methods and their Applications, Protoroz, Slovenia, 17-21 Jun 2019
  • Detectors for X-ray imaging, C. Morel , European School of Instrumentation in Particle & Astroparticle Physics, ESIPAP’2020, Archamps, France, 2-6 Mar 2020
  • Monte Carlo implementation and experimental validation of a model of SiPM, B. Mehadji , M. Dupont and C. Morel , IEEE NSS/MIC’2020, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, Boston, United States, 31 Oct - 7 Nov 2020
  • Monte Carlo implementation and experimental validation of a model of SiPM into GATE, B. Mehadji , M. Dupont , D. Fougeron, C. Morel , 74th Crystal Clear Collaboration meeting, Genève, Suisse, 19 Nov 2020

Posters

2023: 1 poster

  • Preneoplastic behaviours in hepatocellular carcinoma: cellular and molecular traits in quiescent versus evolving lesions, F. Cannet , C. Sequera, S. Richelme, Y. Boursier , P. Michea, J.-P. Borg, C. Morel , F. Maina, EMIM’2023, 18th European Molecular Imaging Meeting, Salzburg, Austria, 14-17 Mar 2023

2022: 5 posters

  • Micro Photon-Counting Computed Tomography to document longitudinally treatment response in hepatocellular carcinoma mouse models, F. Cannet , Y. Boursier , C. Sequera, S. Richelme; P. Michea, J.-P. Borg, C. Morel , F. Maina, 17th European Molecular Imaging Meeting | EMIM 2022, Thessaloniki, Greece, 15-18 Mar 2022
  • Development of a fast Cherenkov detector for prompt gamma ray imaging in particle therapy, M. Jacquet, S. Marcatili, M.-L. Gallin-Martel, S. Ansari, Y. Boursier , M. Dupont , L. Gallin-Martel, J. Hérault, C. Hoarau, P. Hofverberg, D. Maneval, C. Morel , J.-F. Muraz, NDIP20, 9th Conference on New Developments in Photodetection, Troyes, France, 4-8 Jul 2022
  • Simulation and event reconstruction in monolithic PbWO4 crystal detector for the ClearMind project, C.-H. Sung, D. Yvon, V. Sharyy, M. Follin, A. Galindo-Tellez, T. Chaminade, D. Breton, J. Maalmi, P. Rusquart, C. Cheikalib, C. Morel , L. Cappellugola , S. Curtoni , M. Dupont , Y. Boursier , J.-P. Logier, G. Daniel, J.-M. Martinez, S. Jan, C. Comtat, O. Kochebina, NDIP20, 9th Conference on New Developments in Photodetection, Troyes, France, 4-8 Jul 2022
  • Etude longitudinale de l'effet de différents traitements pour le carcinome hépatocellulaire chez la souris assistée par l'imagerie à rayons X, F. Cannet , Y. Boursier , S. Richelme, C. Sequera, P. Michea, J.-P. Borg, C. Morel , F. Maina, RITS’2022, Recherche en Imagerie et Technologies pour la Santé, Brest, France, 22-25 Mai 2022
  • Spectral CT reconstruction with ProMeSCT: results on real data from PIXSCAN, Y. Boursier , F. Cannet , S. Anthoine, C. Morel , IEEE NSS/MIC’2022, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, Milano, Italy, 5-12 Nov 2022

2021: 1 poster

  • A mathematical framework for prompt-gamma time imaging with TIARA, Y. Boursier , M. Jacquet, M. Dupont , C. Morel , D. Maneval, J. Hérault, M.-L. Gallin-Martel, S. Ansari, S. Marcatili, IEEE NSS/MIC’2021, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, Yokohama, Japan, 16-23 Oct 2021

2020: 1 poster

  • Towards a binocular Compton Camera for low activity Imaging, M. Z. Hmissi, A. Iltis, C. Tata, G. Zeufack, B. Mehadji , C. Morel , H. Snoussi, IEEE NSS/MIC’2020, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, Boston, United States, 31 Oct - 7 Nov 2020

Mémoires

2024: 1 mémoire

  • Apprentissage profond pour l'imagerie CT spectrale par Comptage de Photons et conception de traitement sur des modèles murins de cancer du foie, F. Cannet, Aix-Marseille Université, 04 Mar 2024

2023: 1 mémoire

  • Modélisation Monte Carlo d'un détecteur scintronique à haute résolution spatio-temporelle couplé à un tube multiplicateur à galette de micro-canaux, L. Cappellugola, Aix-Marseille Université, 07 Jui 2023

2021: 1 mémoire

  • Modélisation Monte Carlo d'une caméra Compton basée sur l'utilisation de détecteurs à scintillation sensibles à la position couplés à des SiPM, B. Mehadji, ,

2020: 1 mémoire

  • Mise en œuvre et caractérisation du système d'acquisition de données d'une caméra Compton pour l'imagerie des gammas prompts en protonthérapie, C. Pimenta Cheble Caplan, Aix-Marseille Université, 11 Dec 2020


Complete list (PDF)

  • Development and characterization of imaging performance of the PIXSCAN X-ray photon counting (PC)-CT prototype scanners using hybrid pixels.

    • F. Cassol et al. Characterization of imaging performance of a micro-CT system based on the photon counting XPAD3/Si hybrid pixel detectors. Biomed. Phys. Eng. Express 2 (2016) 025003
    • Franca Cassol. From particle tracking to counting tomography. HDR, Aix-Marseille Université, Apr 2018

  • Construction of PIXSCAN-FLI, a third PC-CT prototype scanner funded by France Life Imaging (FLI), which is assessed through joint application projects dedicated to longitudinal imaging of spontaneous liver tumours in mice with the Institute for Developmental Biology of Marseille IBDM.

    • Loriane Portal. Étude de la tomographie à comptage de rayons X avec des pixels hybrides en Si et en CdTe et application au suivi longitudinal du carcinome hépatocellulaire chez la souris. Ph.D. thesis, Aix-Marseille Université, Oct 2018
    • F. Cassol et al. Tracking dynamics of spontaneous tumours in mice using Photon Counting Computed Tomography. iScience 21 (2019) 68-83
    • Laureate of the MITI 80IPrime for the DePIcT (2020-2023) project

  • Development of ProMeSCT, in collaboration with the Institute of Mathematics of Marseille I2M, a new proximal metric algorithm for material basis decomposition of spectral-CT data.

    • Souhil Tairi. Développement de méthodes itératives pour la reconstruction en tomographie spectrale. Ph.D. thesis, Aix-Marseille Université, Jun 2019
    • S. Tairi et al. ProMeSCT: a proximal metric algorithm for spectral CT. IEEE Trans. Radiat. Plasma Med. Sci. 5 (2021) 548-558

  • Development of positron probes for imaging awake, free-moving small animals, in collaboration with IJCLab (Orsay), IPHC (Strasbourg) and CERMEP (Lyon).

    • L. Ammour et al. MAPSSIC, a novel CMOS intracerebral positron probe for deep brain imaging in awake and freely-moving rats: a Monte Carlo study. IEEE Trans. Radiat. Plasma Med. Sci. 3 (2019) 302-314
    • F. Gensolen et al. MAPSSIC, a communicating MAPS-based intracerebral positrons probe for deep brain imaging in awake and freely-moving rats. EPJ Web of Conferences 225 (2020) 09002

  • Development of imaging of prompt gammas in hadrontherapy in the framework of the INSERM PCSI projects CLaRyS-UFT (2018-2021) and TIARA (2020-2023) with LPSC (Grenoble), IP2I (Lyon), Créatis (Lyon) and CAL (Nice).

    • C. Caplan et al. A µTCA back-end firmware for data acquisition and slow control of the CLaRyS Compton camera. in Conf. Rec. IEEE NSS/MIC’2019
    • D. Dauvergne et al. On the role of single particle irradiation and fast timing for efficient online-control in particle therapy. Front. Phys. 8 (2020) 567215
    • Cairo Pimenta Cheble Caplan. Mise en œuvre et caractérisation du système d'acquisition de données d'une caméra Compton pour l'imagerie des gammas prompts en protonthérapie. Ph.D. thesis, Aix-Marseille Université, Dec 2020
    • O. Allegrini et al. Characterization of a beam-tagging hodoscope for hadrontherapy monitoring. J. Instrum. 16 (2021) P02028
    • M. Jacquet et al. A time-of-flight-based reconstruction for real-time prompt-gamma imaging in protontherapy. Phys. Med. Biol. 66 (2021) 135003

  • Development of highly time-resolved gamma-ray detectors for time-of-flight positron emission tomography (PET) in the framework of the ANR project ClearMind (2019-2023) with CEA-Irfu (Saclay) and IJCLab (Orsay).

    • D. Yvon et al. Design study of a “scintronic” crystal targeting tens of picoseconds time resolution for gamma ray imaging: the ClearMind detector. J. Instrum. 15 (2020) P07029
    • P. Lecoq, C. Morel et al. Roadmap toward the 10 ps time-of-flight PET challenge. Phys. Med. Biol. 65 (2020) 21RM01
    • L. Cappellugola et al. Modelisation of light transmission through surfaces with thin film optical coating in Geant4. in Conf. Rec. IEEE NSS/MIC’2021
    • Release of an update of the optical light transport in Geant4 11.1 to model optical coating (Laurie Cappellugola, Dec 2022)

  • Development of Compton cameras for nuclear dismantling imaging applications in the framework of the ANDRA projects TEMPORAL (2016-2021) and TEMPORAL II (2022-2024) with Damavan Imaging (Troyes), UTT (Troyes) and Weeroc (Villebon-sur-Yvette).

    • Iltis et al. Temporal Imaging CeBr3 Compton camera: a new concept for nuclear decommissioning and nuclear waste management. EPJ Web of Conferences 170 (2018) 06003
    • B. Mehadji et al. Extension of the List-Mode MLEM algorithm for poly-energetic imaging with a Compton camera. in Conf. Rec. NSS/MIC’2018
    • D. Sarrut et al. Advanced Monte Carlo simulations of emission tomography imaging systems with GATE. Phys. Med. Biol. 66 (2021) 10TR03
    • Brahim Mehadji. Modélisation Monte Carlo d'une caméra Compton basée sur l'utilisation de détecteurs à scintillation sensibles à la position couplés à des SiPM. Ph.D., Aix-Marseille Université, May 2021
    • Mehadji et al. Monte Carlo simulation of SiPMs with GATE. J. Instrum. 17 (2022) P09025
    • Mehadji et al. Monte Carlo simulation of a scintillation crystal read by a SiPM with GATE. Nucl. Instr. Meth. Phys. Res. A 1048 (2023) 167905