Gamma cameras--state of the art

The growth of nuclear medicine has paralleled the development and acceptance of gamma cameras, which are stationary instruments that produce an image of an isotope distribution. The most successful gamma camera is based on a large, single crystal of the scintillator sodium iodide coupled to an array of photomultiplier tubes and electronic networks to determine the location of a gamma ray. Current cameras are capable of spatial resolution of 4.0 mm or better. Other types of gamma cameras have been developed, including the multi-crystal camera and a limited number of instruments using gas detectors and semiconductor detectors. The scintillation type of gamma camera will continue to be the dominant camera for the next 5 to 10 years, and will continue to gradually improve. Most significant improvements will result from application of digital electronics to position circuits.