Imaging Properties of a Positron Tomograph with 280 Bgo Crystals

Abstract

The basic imaging properties of the Donner 280-BGO-Crystal positron tomograph were measured and compared with the same system when it was equipped with 280 NaI(T1) crystals. The NaI(T1) crystals were 8 mm × 30 mm × 50 mm deep, sealed in 10 mm wide stainless steel cans. The BGO crystals are 9.5 mm wide × 32 mm × 32 mm deep and as they are not hygroscopic do not require sealed cans. With a shielding gap of 3 cm (section thickness 1.7 cm FWHM) the sensitivity of the BGO system is 55,000 events per sec for 1 μCi per cm3 in a 20 cm cylinder of water, which is 2.3 times higher than the NaI(T1) system. For a 200 μCi/cm line source on the ring axis in a 20 cm diameter water cylinder, the BGO system records 86% of the scatter fraction and 66% of the accidental fraction of the NaI(T1) system. The lower light yield and poorer time resolution of BGO requires a wider coincidence timing window than NaI(T1); however, the ability to use full-energy pulse height selection with a 2.3-fold improvement in sensitivity results in an overall reduction in the fraction of accidental events recorded. The in-plane resolution of the BGO system is 9-10 mm FWHM within the central 30 cm diameter field, and the radial elongation at the edge of the field in the NaI(T1) system has been nearly eliminated.