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Event Processing for Modular Gamma Cameras with Tiled Multi-Anode Photomultiplier Tubes
Esen Salçın1, Lars R Furenlid2
1Center for Gamma-Ray Imaging and College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA ( esalcin@optics.arizona.edu ).
IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record. Nuclear Science Symposium
|September 9, 2015
Summary
This study explores event processor strategies for modular gamma cameras using multi-anode photomultiplier tubes (MAPMTs) for improved SPECT and PET imaging. A novel regional triggering approach enhances spatial resolution uniformity across camera modules.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Nuclear Instrumentation
- Photon Detection
Background:
- Modular scintillation cameras for SPECT and PET benefit from multi-anode photomultiplier tubes (MAPMTs) due to their high spatial resolution and depth-of-interaction estimation.
- Current modular designs face challenges with small MAPMT module areas and handling large numbers of channels for event processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate event-processor strategies for modular gamma cameras utilizing multiple MAPMTs.
- To optimize read-out electronics for compact, adaptable systems capable of handling high channel counts.
- To enhance spatial resolution uniformity in modular gamma cameras.
Main Methods:
- Simulated anode signals from hypothetical gamma-camera geometries based on scintillation camera stochastic processes.
- Employed maximum-likelihood (ML) methods for event localization, energy, and timing estimation.
- Quantified information content using the Fisher Information Matrix (FIM) to compare triggering and read-out schemes.
Main Results:
- Identified strategies for amplifying, digitizing, and recording large numbers of channels per event.
- Demonstrated that including neighboring MAPMT signals improves spatial resolution at module edges.
- Proposed a regional anode signal division for improved trigger management between adjacent MAPMTs.
Conclusions:
- The proposed regional triggering strategy enhances spatial resolution uniformity across the entire modular camera face.
- This approach facilitates the development of advanced, high-resolution modular gamma cameras for SPECT and PET.
- Optimized event processing is crucial for realizing the full potential of MAPMT-based imaging systems.
