Performance measurements of a high-spatial-resolution YAP camera

Physical properties of a position-sensitive camera for the analysis of biodistributions of gamma- and beta-emitting radiopharmaceuticals in small animals have been studied, in order to achieve optimal operating conditions. The camera consisted of a highly segmented yttrium-aluminate perovskite (YAP) scintillator, coupled to a position-sensitive photomultiplier. The energy resolution, the detection efficiency, the spatial resolution, the spatial linearity and the count-rate linearity of the YAP camera have been determined. Images related to initial activity levels and successive biodistribution evolution in mice organs are presented as an illustration of the camera performance.