Liquid xenon scintillators for imaging of positron emitters

The current understanding of xenon scintillation physics is summarized and keyed to the use of xenon as a gamma-ray detector in medical radioisotope imaging systems. Liquid xenon has a short scintillation pulse (approximately 10(8) sec) and high gamma-ray absorption and scintillation efficiencies. The fast pulse may facilitate imaging in vivo distributions of hot positron sources and allow recovery of additional spatial information by time-of-flight techniques. We begin by describing our own study of the feasibility of making a practical positron scanning system, and consider the problems of scintillation decay time, linearity, efficiency, purity, and electricfield amplifcation. The prospects for a practical instrument are considered.