Patent ID: 6362479
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: A61B,G01T

Abstract:
A scintillation detector array for encoding energy, position and time coordinates of gamma ray interactions for use in Single Photon Emission Tomography, Single Photon Emission Tomography with coincidence photon imaging, Planar Imaging, and Positron Emission Tomography imaging, said scintillation detector array comprising:a plurality of discrete scintillator elements which interact with incident gamma-rays to produce a quantifiable number of scintillation photons; an optical detector associated with each of said plurality of discrete scintillator elements and positioned for sensing and quantifying said scintillation photons exiting each of said plurality of discrete scintillator elements; a segmented light guide disposed between said plurality of discrete scintillator elements and said associated optical detectors, said segmented light guide having a plurality of optical barriers of predetermined lengths to control the distribution of scintillation photons along the axial and transaxial dimensions of said segmented light guide for scintillation photons exiting said discrete scintillators; a means operatively associated with said scintillation detector array for determining time, energy and transverse and longitudinal position coordinates of gamma ray interactions in said plurality of discrete scintillator elements.