Potential for RbGd2Br7:Ce, LaBr3:Ce, LaBr3:Ce, and LuI3:Ce in nuclear medical imaging

Several new scintillators (RbGd2Br7:Ce, LaCl3:Ce, LaBr3:Ce, and LuI3:Ce) have excellent energy resolution, high light output, short decay time, and moderate density and effective atomic number, making them attractive for nuclear medical imaging. We analyze how well these four materials meet the requirements for SPECT and PET. Because of their high light output and excellent energy resolution, LaBr3:Ce and LaCl3:Ce have the potential to replace NaI:Tl as the material of choice for SPECT. The light output and energy resolution make LaBr3:Ce and LuI3:Ce the most promising of these scintillators for PET, but their relatively low density and photoelectric fraction make them less attractive than BGO and LSO. © 2001 Elsevier Science. All rights reserved