Application of gamma camera imaging and SPECT systems in chemical processes

SPECT imaging systems are used in nuclear medicine for diagnostic imaging o f heart, brain, lung and other organ functions. Radiopharmaceuticals are in jected in the blood stream of a patient. The propagation of the radio-pharm aceutical is monitored as a function of position and time using a gamma cam era. In many tests, the monitoring occurs in real time. This technique has been extended for use in chemical process monitoring in our laboratory. In particular, a Siemens gamma camera with SPECT capabilities is routinely use d for real time tracer studies, radioactive particle tracking and SPECT ima ging. The same radio-pharmaceutical used in medical testing are used for pr ocess monitoring. The system has been used in determining hydrodynamic prop erties of gas/solid and liquid/solid fluidized beds and in visualizing and monitoring of multi-phase flow phenomena in porous media. (C)2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.