May 8, 2002
Source: Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc

Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc. via NewsEdge Corporation: TOKYO (Nikkei)--A research team from Sophia University and the University of Tokyo has developed a material that can quickly detect gamma rays.

Used in conjunction with the new medical imaging technology known as positron emission topography, the material promises to quadruple the resolving power of positoron emission topography imaging, meaning earlystage tumors can be detected with greater accuracy.

The new material is built from alternating layers of inorganic lead halide, which converts gamma rays into light, and organic amine, which dose not allow the passage of electrons. This structure enable the direct conversion of gamma rays into light. In contrast, conventional positron emission topography materials work indirectly by absorbing the gamma rays and then converting that energy into light.

Due to the direct conversion of gamma rays into light, positron emission topography imaging using the new material can detect gamma rays generated during an interval of just 5 picoseconds, compared with the 50 picoseconds needed with conventional positron emission topography materials. This enables 10 times more information to be collected during the positron emission topography session.

The limit of resolution with conventional positron emission topography is said to be a mass with a diameter of 4.5 mm, but with the new material the theoretical limit is 2 mm.

(The Nikkei Bussiness Daily Wednesday edition)

Copyright (c) 2002 Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc.

この英文は、私の修士論文の内容を日経産業新聞が記事にしたものを、NewsEdge社が英訳して世界へ配信したものである。やや誤りも含まれているが、元の日本語の記事に非常に間違いが多かったにもかかわらず、翻訳の方は比較的正しい記述となっている。記者の実力の差によるものであろうか。