Microchannel plate detectors for 14C autoradiography

The authors describe a new type of detector for digital autoradiography which combines high sensitivity, useful detecting area (93×93 mm) and good spatial resolution (<100 μm). This instrument is suitable, inter alia, for imaging beta-emitting whole body thin tissue slices. Measured detector sensitivity and linearity derived from images of a ¹⁴C standard are presented. The authors also describe results from (i) a ¹⁴C labelled rat whole body slice showing selective radiopharmaceutical uptake in clearly identifiable organs and (ii) ¹⁴C-Tamoxifen doped semi-thin tissue sections of rat womb and liver