Multi-PSPMT scintillation camera

Gamma ray imaging is usually accomplished by the use of a relatively large scintillating crystal coupled to either a number of photomultipliers (PMTs) (Anger Camera) or to a single large Position Sensitive PMT (PSPMT). Recent ly the development of new diagnostic techniques, such as scintimammography and radio-guided surgery, have highlighted a number of significant limitati ons of the Anger camera in such imaging procedures. In this paper a dedicat ed gamma camera is proposed for clinical applications with the aim of impro ving image quality by utilizing detectors with an appropriate size and shap e for the part of the body under examination. This novel scintillation came ra is based upon an array of PSPMTs (Hamamatsu R5900-C8). The basic concept of this camera is identical to the Anger Camera with the exception of the substitution of PSPMTs for the PMTs. In this configuration it is possible t o use the high resolution of the PSPMTs and still correctly position events lying between PSPMTs. In this work the test configuration is a 2 by 2 arra y of PSPMTs. Some advantages of this camera are: spatial resolution less th an 2 mm FWHM, good linearity, thickness less than 3 cm, light weight, lower cost than equivalent area PSPMT, large detection area when coupled to scin tillating arrays, small dead boundary zone (<3 mm) and flexibility in the s hape of the camera.