Title :
Optical fiber readout of scintillator arrays using a multi-channel PMT: a high resolution PET detector for animal imaging
Author :
Cherry, Simon R. ; Shao, Yiping ; Siegel, Stefan ; Silverman, Robert W. ; Mumcuoglu, Erkan ; Meadors, Ken ; Phelps, Michael E.
Author_Institution :
Sch. of Med., California Univ., Los Angeles, CA, USA
fDate :
6/1/1996 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The authors report the results from a new high resolution gamma ray imaging detector designed for use in a positron emission tomography (PET) system dedicated to small animal imaging. The detectors consist of an 8×8 array of 2×2×10 mm bismuth germanate (BGO) crystals coupled by 2 mm diameter double clad optical fibers to a 64 pixel multi-channel photomultiplier tube (MC-PMT). A charge division readout board is used to convert the 64 output channels into four position sensitive signals which determine the crystal of interaction. Measurements with a pair of these detectors demonstrate an intrinsic spatial resolution of 1.4 mm, a coincidence timing resolution of 15 ns and an energy resolution ranging between 35 and 60%. Based on these encouraging results, the design for a dedicated animal PET tomograph is proposed and simulations of this system project a reconstructed resolution of less than 2 mm within a 5 cm diameter transaxial field of view
Keywords :
arrays; biological techniques; fibre optic sensors; image resolution; photomultipliers; positron emission tomography; 15 ns; 2 mm; 5 cm; bismuth germanate crystals; charge division readout board; dedicated animal PET tomograph; double clad optical fibers; energy resolution; high resolution PET detector; intrinsic spatial resolution; multichannel PMT; optical fiber readout; scintillator arrays; small animal imaging; transaxial field of view; Animals; Energy resolution; Gamma ray detection; Gamma ray detectors; Image resolution; Nuclear imaging; Optical arrays; Optical fibers; Positron emission tomography; Spatial resolution;
Journal_Title :
Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on
