[Characteristics of NaI detector in positron imaging device HEADTOME employing circular ring array]

In positron emission computed tomographs employing circular ring arrays of detectors, the performance of the imaging device has been specified ultimately by the characteristics of the detector. The responses of NaI detector were studied when detecting positron annihilation photon (511 keV). The study was mainly by using the NaI detector used in hybrid emission computed tomography (CT) "HEADTOME" we had developed. A series of measurements were carried out positioning two detectors with 40 cm distance and scanning 22Na point source in water. Both detectors was inclined from 0 degrees through 30 degrees to change incident angle of positron annihilation toward crystal face. Energy window was set from 100 to 700 keV. The results were presented as follows: Shortening the crystal length from 7 to 5 cm made sensitivity decrease about 10% and resolution deteriorate about 1 mm (FWHM). As the results of varying the width of the crystal, 20 mm width was optimal at any incident angle. The lead septum between the detectors was the thickness of 4 mm enough to reject multiple detector interactions (crosstalk). Beam mask which was made of lead in order to improve spatial resolution and placed on crystal face worked effectively for incident angles from 0 degrees to 15 degrees but degraded uniformity of spatial resolution from 0 degrees to through 30 degrees.