As physicians strive for earlier and more accurate detection of neurological disorders, cardiovascular disease and cancers, positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) molecular imaging innovations play an essential role in revealing the complete picture of the disease. Unlike conventional anatomic medical imaging, PET/CT enables physicians to visualize biological processes at the cellular level, where disease begins. The widespread availability of PET/CT technology has led to the significant growth and acceptance of molecular imaging over the past several years, according to Michael Casey (60), a developer of PET devices. Casey, who lives in Tennessee, a state in the central U.S., has helped to create numerous inventions relating to PET/CT, many of which have accelerated patient scan times and improved image quality—contributing to enhanced patient care.

The process of generating a molecular image begins with a PET imaging biomarker being injected into a patient, which is left to circulate in the body for a short period of time. Next, a patient scan is performed on a high-resolution PET/CT system, such as Siemens’ industry-leading Biograph™ mCT, to identify where the imaging biomarker has been absorbed into the patient’s tissues and organs. This information is then transferred to a computer that converts the data into 3D, functional images. The resulting images highlight areas of potentially abnormal activity, providing physicians with valuable information that allows for more effective treatment decisions. Casey’s inventions have had an impact on the way in which the mathematical algorithms – responsible for the conversion from data to images—are structured and operate. As new PET imaging biomarkers become available for the detection of disease, PET/CT technology powered by Casey’s algorithms will continue to help provide physicians with the information they need to evaluate and develop individualized treatment plans for their patients. For example, Siemens recently began offering the world’s first comprehensive PET/CT amyloid imaging solution to support physicians in evaluating patients for Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of cognitive decline.

Casey has been fascinated by positron emission tomography technology ever since he earned his engineering degree in the late 1970s. “There were only a handful of PET scanners in the world at the time,” says Casey, who back then worked at a company that specialized in making devices for nuclear physics applications. Even though the company was the first commercial supplier of PET, the company’s management was not interested in including this technology in its business scope. As a result, Casey and his colleagues decided to establish their own company in Tennessee in order to forge ahead with this and other developments. “However, we quickly found out that our design was more costly than our competitors,” says Casey. This was the reason why Casey and his colleges developed an all-new detector that was much less expensive and had a higher resolution than conventional systems. The company had the invention patented. That design is still the heart of the Siemens PET/CTs today, as well as its competitors. In 2006, the company became part of the Siemens family, along with its research director, Michael Casey. “I regard myself as a person who has ideas and can motivate the right people to apply these ideas through new inventions,” says Casey to describe his mission. And that’s basically the approach he adopted in order to come up with an invention for which he will now receive an award. Casey’s idea was to create a mathematical concept that would enable images to be created more quickly from the data supplied by PET detectors. “I sent the concept to one of my colleagues, who is a mathematician,” explains Casey. “He quickly developed the algorithms that we use to actually put the idea into practice.” Siemens used the new algorithms for the first time in 2008, when they were employed in its PET/CT scanners.

PET/CT moved from a purely research realm to routine clinical practice in the early 2000s. Its major clinical application is in the diagnosis and management of cancer. Yet, the potential for new applications is huge. The key to new clinical applications hinges on development of next-generation PET imaging biomarkers, which is steadily progressing as our knowledge of illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s, cancer and cardiovascular diseases increases, says Casey. “Our understanding of how these diseases arise and can be potentially managed is improving day by day, and PET/CT will no doubt continue to play an intregal role in shaping tomorrow’s healthcare,” he claims.

According to Casey, an inventor’s primary task is to solve problems. “I’m very lucky to have discovered a profession that I really enjoy,” he says. Even as a child, Casey wanted to know how things worked and how they could be improved. Over the past 34 years he has registered 31 inventions, which are protected by 43 individual patents. Michael Casey is also the father of three grownup children. To balance out his fascination for technology, he likes to spend time in his workshop where he does workworking. But even while his hands are busy creating a new table, his mind is focused on coming up with the next great idea.
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