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High positioning accuracy coded aperture gamma camera based on monolithic CeBr3 crystal
Huixing Gong1,2,3,4, Xianchao Huang1,3,4, Shenghao Fang5
1Beijing Engineering Research Center of Radiographic Techniques and Equipment, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|May 2, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a monolithic Cerium Bromide (CeBr3) crystal for coded aperture cameras, improving radiation source localization accuracy and energy resolution. The new system achieves superior spatial and depth resolution for enhanced gamma imaging.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear physics and instrumentation
- Medical imaging and radiation detection
- Applied physics
Background:
- Traditional gamma cameras often use array-type crystals, which can limit spatial and energy resolution.
- Improving the accuracy of radiation source detection is crucial for various applications, including medical diagnostics and security screening.
- Coded aperture imaging offers a potential alternative for enhanced imaging capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the performance of a novel coded aperture camera system utilizing a monolithic Cerium Bromide (CeBr3) crystal.
- To enhance energy resolution and improve the accuracy of determining the angular position of radiation sources.
- To achieve high spatial and depth resolution for gamma imaging applications.
Main Methods:
- A monolithic 26 × 26 × 10 mm³ CeBr3 crystal coupled to an 8 × 8 SiPM array was employed.
- A coded aperture mask using tungsten blocks and a rank 11 MURA pattern was designed.
- Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) were utilized for image reconstruction and depth estimation.
- Position-segmented energy calibration and advanced decoding algorithms were applied.
Main Results:
- The system achieved an energy resolution better than 5% @662 keV with position-segmented energy calibration.
- Spatial resolution of approximately 1.2 mm and depth resolution of approximately 2 mm were obtained using CNNs.
- Image angular resolution of 5.2° and angular accuracy of 3.44° were achieved within a 44° field of view.
- Experiments were validated using various radioactive sources (Co-57, Na-22, Cs-137, Co-60).
Conclusions:
- The monolithic CeBr3 crystal significantly enhances the performance of coded aperture gamma cameras.
- The developed system demonstrates superior spatial, depth, and angular resolution compared to traditional methods.
- This technology holds promise for improved radiation source detection and imaging applications.
