Positron emission tomography detector based on monolithic scintillator crystal
View Patent ↗A high-resolution nuclear imaging detector for use in systems such as positron emission tomography includes a monolithic scintillator crystal block in combination with a single photomultiplier tube read-out channel for timing and total energy signals, and one or more solid-state photosensor pixels arrays on one or more vertical surfaces of the scintillator block to determine event position information.
1. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector, comprising:
a monolithic scintillator crystal block;
a photomultiplier tube optically coupled to a surface of the monolithic scintillator crystal block normal to incident radiation; and
at least one solid-state photosensor pixel array optically coupled to at least one surface of the monolithic scintillator crystal block other than a surface normal to incident radiation.
2. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said monolithic scintillator crystal block is structured into separate optical zones.
3. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said monolithic scintillator crystal block is separated into a center section and edge sections.
4. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said center section is unstructured and transparent.
5. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said edge sections are split into two different zones with different degrees of optical separation.
6. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 5 , wherein said different degrees of optical separation are provided by a different density of scatter centers.
7. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 5 , wherein said different degrees of optical separation are provided by a different scatter probability at each scatter element.
8. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said photomultiplier tube has a single channel.
9. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said photomultiplier tube has a square entrance window.
10. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said photomultiplier tube has a rectangular entrance window.
11. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 10 , wherein said entrance window is matched in size with a scintillator face of said monolithic scintillator crystal.
12. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said photomultiplier tube has a rounded entrance window.
13. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said solid-state photosensor pixel arrays are silicon photomultipliers.
14. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said solid-state photosensor pixel arrays are avalanche photodiodes.
15. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said solid-state photosensor pixel array are p-i-n photodiodes.
16. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said solid-state photosensor pixel array is one-dimensional.
17. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said solid-state photosensor pixel array is two-dimensional.
18. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a second solid-state photosensor pixel array provided on a second surface of the scintillator block.
19. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said second surface is adjacent to said at least one surface.
20. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said second surface is opposite to said at least one surface.
21. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 18 , further comprising a third solid-state photosensor pixel array provided on a third surface of the scintillator block.
22. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 21 , further comprising a fourth solid-state photosensor pixel array provided on a fourth surface of the scintillator block.
23. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a solid-state photosensor pixel array provided on a surface of the scintillator block incident to gamma event radiation.
24. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein an area of the scintillator block that is not covered by a photosensor pixel array is covered with a reflective material.
25. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 , where photosensor pixels are spaced uniformly.
26. A high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector comprising:
a monolithic scintillator crystal block;
a photomultiplier tube optically coupled to one surface of the monolithic scintillator crystal block; and
at least one solid-state photosensor pixel array optically coupled to another surface of the monolithic scintillator crystal block, where photosensor pixels are spaced non-uniformly.
27. A PET imaging system, comprising a high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 1 .
28. A PET imaging system, comprising a high-resolution nuclear radiation imaging detector as set forth in claim 26 .