Abstract:
A composite crystal array for a pixelated gamma camera and a method of making thereof, which are adapted to a photoelectric matrix that consists of position sensitive photomultiplier elements, in which the photoelectric matrix is divided into sensible and non-sensible areas with a geometric distribution, so as to set a ratio of a segmented region; a configuration detail of a partial optical splitting crystal array and a configuration detail of a whole optical splitting crystal array are set according to the ratio of the segmented region; and the partial optical splitting crystal array and the whole optical splitting crystal array are made according to the two configuration details, and two kinds of crystal arrays are combined to form a whole crystal array for the pixelated cameras according to the segmented region, so that the effective area of the pixelated camera is kept continuous and the resolution thereof is kept uniform.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a composite crystal array for a pixelated gamma camera and a method of making thereof, which are adapted to a photoelectric matrix that consists of a plurality of position sensitive photomultiplier elements; and provide the composite crystal array that is combined from a whole optical splitting configuration and a partial optical splitting configuration according to a certain ratio, in which the certain ratio is set according to sensible and non-sensible areas with a geometric distribution in the photoelectric matrix, and is obtained according to the method in the present invention. In the composite crystal array, the whole optical splitting configuration is able to correspond to a photoelectrical area of the photoelectric matrix, and the partial optical splitting configuration is able to correspond to the non-sensible area, so that the out-going lights from the crystals over the non-sensible, discontinuous area is able to enter the photoelectrical area of two adjacent position sensitive photomultiplier elements, so as to solve a problem of a discontinuous crystal position response and at the same time keep a desirable resolution that is uniform in a whole imaging area. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    A nuclear medicine imaging technology, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), provides vivo functional information to compensate for the deficiencies in anatomical images, such as ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), so that a nuclear medicine imaging technology has the advantages such as high sensitivity, non-invasiveness and high reproducibility and is widely applied for diagnosing some diseases. In a nuclear medicine imaging machine, a gamma camera is the core component of the whole machine. 
         [0005]    To improve the resolution performance of a camera, the use of a position sensitive photomultiplier element, for example, a position sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT), is an effective solution. The size of an effective area of the camera depends on a combination of multiple position sensitive photomultiplier elements (a photoelectric matrix thereinafter), but a non-sensible, discontinuous area might occur between two adjacent photomultiplier elements due to the combination thereof, leading to the phenomenon of an discontinuous crystal position response, which may become more serious as the area of the camera grows larger (more position sensitive photomultiplier elements are combined). 
         [0006]    To solve the above problem, at least two modes exist. In one mode, a light transmission medium with a thickness (about more than 2 mm) of a coverage area and a refractive index of about 1.5, for example, an optical glass is coupled between the illuminated surfaces of a whole optical splitting crystal array and a photoelectric matrix, so as to enlarge a light cone of a transmitted light from each crystal unit in the crystal array, so that the incident lights from the crystals over the non-sensible, discontinuous area are able to enter the photoelectrical area of two adjacent position sensitive photomultiplier elements, accordingly, the event flashes sent by those crystals may be measured and located to achieve the purpose of imaging. Although the problem of a discontinuous crystal position response can be solved, the mode may deteriorate the resolution of a whole imaging area by at least 25% and a crystal position response pattern becomes fuzzy, leading to the failure in well-separating events of each crystal and correctly determining the crystal where the event occurs, which, as an evidence for event accumulation, results in a fuzzy image reconstructed subsequently, so that the overall image quality is affected and the diagnostic difficulty is increased. 
         [0007]    In the other mode, a tapered fiber bundle with a scaling ratio is coupled between a bottom side of the crystal array as an illuminated surface and the incoming window of the photoelectric matrix; a matrix is formed of a plurality of tapered fiber bundles and the connection end of the crystal arrays has a continuous surface, and the connection end of the photoelectric matrixes is discontinuous and only corresponds to the effective photoelectrical area of each position sensitive photomultiplier element. Although the problem of the discontinuous position response can be solved, the mode may reduce the coverage area of the light cone causing that a crystal of a smaller size cannot be used, and also has the similar defect of deteriorating all the resolutions as in the aforementioned mode. Moreover, the unit price of the tapered fiber bundle is high and thus a single camera requires a considerable amount of tapered fiber bundles, which is not cost effective. 
         [0008]    Therefore, both the modes have defects of resolution deterioration and low cost effectiveness, so that both the modes can be further optimized. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In view of the defects described above, an objective of the present invention is to provide a composite crystal array for a pixelated gamma camera and a method of making thereof, which are adapted to a photoelectric matrix that consists of position sensitive photomultiplier elements, in which the photoelectric matrix is divided into sensible and non-sensible areas with a geometric distribution, so as to set a ratio of a segmented region; a configuration detail of a partial optical splitting crystal array and a configuration detail of a whole optical splitting crystal array are set according to the ratio of the segmented region. The partial optical splitting crystal array and the whole optical splitting crystal array are made according to the two configuration details, and two kinds of crystal arrays are combined according to the segmented region to from the whole crystal array of the camera, in which, by modifying the height of the retroreflective material between the crystal sidewalls of the partial optical splitting crystal array, the partial optical splitting crystal array makes the height of the retroreflective material to decrement from its two ends towards its center, and show expected modifications with the position changes with expectably changing the coverage areas of the outgoing light cone of each crystal in a region having a light transmission gap material instead of the retroreflective material on the sidewells, so that flickering lights of crystals across or near the non-sensible area may be detected and the position thereof may be determined. Therefore, the configuration of the composite crystal array made according to the geometric distribution of the target photoelectric matrix is not only able to solve the problem of discontinuous crystal position response in the non-sensible areas of the camera but also able to keep the resolution in the whole area uniform. Moreover, the present invention does not have the defects such as resolution deterioration or low cost effectiveness. 
         [0010]    To achieve the objective, a technical solution of the present invention provide a method of making a composite crystal array for a pixelated gamma camera, and the method comprises the following steps: 
         [0011]    providing sensible dimensional sizes of a first dimension and a second dimension of two adjacent position sensitive photomultiplier elements of a photoelectric matrix, where the two adjacent position sensitive photomultiplier elements have a dimensional size Y 1  on the first dimension and a dimensional size W 2  on the second dimension, a non-sensible, discontinuous area exists between the two position sensitive photomultiplier elements, and the non-sensible, discontinuous area has a dimensional size Y 2  on the first dimension; 
         [0012]    providing a specification for a partial optical splitting crystal array, where the partial optical splitting crystal array has a dimensional size W 1  on the first dimension, W 1  is Y 2 +(Y 1 ×a ratio)× 2 , W 1  has N 1  crystals, and the partial optical splitting crystal array has N 2  crystals in another dimension size, so that the total number of the crystals of the partial optical splitting crystal array is N 1 ×N 2  and the height of the crystal is L; 
         [0013]    providing a retroreflective material of the partial optical splitting crystal array, where the height (H) of the retroreflective material is smaller than the height L of the crystal and decrements from two sides (H=L) of the partial optical splitting crystal array towards the center thereof; 
         [0014]    providing N 1 ×N 2  crystals for the retroreflective material of the partial optical splitting crystal array, where the N 1 ×N 2  crystals are set in the retroreflective material to form a partial optical splitting crystal array, and a light transmission gap material is set in each gap, and the height of the light transmission gap material is L−H; and 
         [0015]    combining the partial optical splitting crystal array with the whole optical splitting crystal array, where the partial optical splitting crystal array is combined with at least one whole optical splitting crystal array to form a whole crystal array. 
         [0016]    The present invention further provides a composite crystal array for a pixelated gamma camera, which comprises: 
         [0017]    a partial optical splitting crystal array, having a retroreflective material, where the retroreflective material forms a grid, the retroreflective material has a height H, and the height H decrements from the two sides of the partial optical splitting crystal array towards the center thereof; a plurality of crystals, each having a height L, where L is larger than H, the crystals are set in the grid and a gap is formed between the crystal sidewall and its neighbor crystal sidewall, the height of the gap is L−H; and a light transmission gap material set in the gap; and 
         [0018]    at least one whole optical splitting crystal array set on at least one side of the partial optical splitting crystal array. 
         [0019]    In the partial optical splitting crystal array and the method of making thereof of the present invention, the height of the retroreflective material of the partial optical splitting crystal array is changed, that is, the height decrements form the two sides of the partial optical splitting crystal array towards the center thereof, and the light transmission gap material is set in each gap of the partial optical splitting crystal array, so that the change of the height and the light transmission gap material enable incident lights of the crystal over the non-sensible, discontinuous area to enter sensible areas of the two adjacent position sensitive photomultiplier elements, so as to accomplish the determination of an event position. The whole optical splitting crystal array provides an imaging signal source in an original sensible area of each element in the photoelectric matrix, the gap between the side surface of each crystal and the retroreflective material (mask) is filled with a material with a low refractive index, and the height of the retroreflective material is the same with the height of the crystal. The crystal arrays with the two configuration are combined in a certain ratio according to the geometric distribution of the sensible and non-sensible areas in the position sensitive photoelectric matrix, so that the problem that the non-sensible area of the photoelectric matrix causes the discontinuous crystal position response may be solved, the effective imaging area of an image camera is complete and continuously cover at least more than 85% of the area of the photoelectric matrix, and the resolutions in the whole effective area are kept uniform. Moreover, the present invention also provides a method to achieve the making of the crystal array in a cost effective fashion, and can solve the problem of discontinuous crystal position response without affecting the resolution and in a cost effective fashion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a schematic flow chart of a method of making a composite crystal array for a pixelated gamma camera of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of two adjacent position sensitive photomultiplier elements; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a partial optical splitting crystal array of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a whole optical splitting crystal array of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a partial exploded schematic diagram of a whole optical splitting crystal array; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of setting a whole crystal array in two adjacent position sensitive photomultiplier elements of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of a grid formed by a retroreflective material of a partial optical splitting crystal array; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a schematic action diagram of setting a crystal in a grid for a partial splitting crystal array; 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of setting a crystal in a grid for a partial splitting crystal array; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram of a composite crystal array for a plurality of adjacent position sensitive photomultiplier elements. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    The implementations of the present invention are described below with reference to special and detailed embodiments, and it is easy for persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand other advantages and efficacies of the present invention based on the disclosed contents of the specification. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the present invention is a method of making a composite crystal array for a pixelated gamma camera, which includes the following steps. 
         [0032]    Provide sensible dimensional sizes  10  of a first dimension and a second dimension of any two adjacent position sensitive photomultiplier elements of a photoelectric matrix. Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , any two adjacent position sensitive photomultiplier elements (for example, position sensitive photomultiplier tubes, PSPMT hereinafter)  62  in a photoelectric matrix  60  have a dimensional size Y 1  on the first dimension and a dimensional size W 2  on the second dimension, a non-sensible, discontinuous area  61  exists between the two PSPMTs  62  in a photoelectric matrix  60 , the non-sensible, discontinuous area  61  has a dimensional size Y 2  on the first dimension, the size of Y 2  is 2% to 10% of Y 1 , and the photoelectric matrix is formed of the multiple position sensitive photomultiplier elements. 
         [0033]    A specification  11  for a partial optical splitting crystal array is provided, where the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  has a dimensional size W 1  on the first dimension, W 1  is Y 2 +(Y 1 ×a ratio)×2, the ratio is 3% to 8%; the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  has N 1  crystals on the first dimension, the number is an integer and is smaller than 100, for example, preferably, the number is an even number, such as the number of 2-16 and the objective of N 1  being an even number is to avoid that the center of a crystal pixel  51  is aligned with the center of a non-sensible, discontinuous area  61 , the unilateral size of the crystal pixel  51  on the first dimension is the same as the unilateral size of the crystal pixel thereof on the second dimension, and the unilateral size of the crystal pixel is P, P=W 1 /N 1 −S, S is a gap of the crystal  51 , S is 0.05 mm-0.2 mm, the gap S is to be set with a light transmission gap material  52 , a retroreflective material  70 , the light transmission gap material  52  is a material transmittable to an incident light with a wavelength between 300 nm and 700 nm and has a transparency &gt;95%, and a refractive index larger than 1.45, the thickness of the material of the retroreflective material  70  should be smaller than 100 μm and the surface is able to reflect or absorb the incident light with the wavelength between 300 nm and 700 nm. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the crystal  51  of the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  has N 2  crystals  51  in the direction of the second dimension, so N 2 ′=W 2 /(P+S), the N 2 ′ may be rounded to the number of the crystals on the second dimension N 2 , so that the total number of the crystals  51  of the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  is N 1 ×N 2 ; if the crystal array size on the second dimension is WA 2 =N 2  (P+S), only WA 2 ≦W 2  is checked, and if WA 2 &gt;W 2 , only one row needs to be reduced, that is, N 2 ′=N 2 −1. 
         [0035]    N 1  depends on the resolution specification of a camera, P depends on W 1  and N 1 , and N 2  is calculated through P and W 2  in combination. 
         [0036]    A retroreflective material  12  of a partial optical splitting crystal array is provided, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the crystal  51  has a height L, the height H (H hereinafter, and the unit is mm) of the retroreflective material  70  is smaller than L, the retroreflective materials  70  are cut flush with the upper edge of crystal  51 , H decrements from the two sides of the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  towards the center thereof, for example, H can be obtained from one of a linear-curve equation, a quadratic curve equation, a logarithmic curve equation, and an exponential equation. 
         [0037]    In the case of a linear-curve equation, H is H(X)=aX+b; X is the number of the crystal gap, by taking the central gap of the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  as 0,X increments by an integer towards the two sides till X=N 1 / 2 ; a and b are constants, the range of a is 0.1˜5, and the range of b is 5˜25. 
         [0038]    In the case of a quadratic curve equation, H is H(X)=a×X 2 +b×X+c; a, b and c are constants, the range of a is 0.2˜1.8, the range of b is −2.8˜5.3 and the range of c is −2˜6.3. 
         [0039]    In the case of a exponential curve equation, H is H(X)=a×exp(b×X), a and b are constants, the range of a is 0.1˜3.1 and the range of b is 0.19˜1.2. 
         [0040]    In the case of an exponential equation, H is H(X)=a×2 (b×X) , a and b are constants, the range of a is 0.21˜3.3, and the range of b is 0.1˜2.3. 
         [0041]    In the case of an exponential equation, H is H(X)=a×10 (b×X) , a and b are constants, the range of a is 0.13˜3.1, and the range of b is 0.1˜0.9. 
         [0042]    Provide N 1 ×N 2  crystals for the retroreflective material  13  of the partial optical splitting crystal array. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the N 1 ×N 2  crystals  51  obtained in the above step are set in the retroreflective material  70  to form a partial optical splitting crystal array  50 , and each gap S is set with the light transmission gap material  52 , that is, the light transmission gap material  52  is located between the crystal  51  and the retroreflective material  70 . To put it another way, the light transmission gap material  52  is located in the gap S generated between two crystal sidewall and by the retroreflective material  70  whose height decrements from the two sides towards the center and the crystal array  50 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , if the height of the retroreflective material  70  is H, the height of the light transmission gap material  52  is L−H, the light transmission gap material  52  should be a transparent material with the refractive index larger than 1.45, for example, a light transmission curable adhesive and a light transmission UV adhesive. 
         [0043]    Provide a specification  20  for the whole optical splitting crystal array. As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , the size (P) of the crystal  41  and the gap (S) of the crystal  41  of the whole optical splitting crystal array  40  all follow the above partial optical splitting crystal array  50 , but a single whole optical splitting crystal array  40  is the same as the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  on the first dimension. If the dimensional size of the whole optical splitting crystal array  40  on the first dimension is not equal to W 3 , a row of the particles of the crystal  41  is reduced or the size of the crystal  41  is changed accordingly, W 3 =(Y 1 −W 1 )/2 and the whole optical splitting crystal array  40  has N 3  crystals  41  on the first dimension, N 3 ′=W 3 /(P+S) and then N 3 ′ is rounded to obtain N 3 , so that the total size of the whole optical splitting crystal array  40  on the first dimension is WA 3 , WA 3 =N 3  (P+S), WA 3 /W 3 =r and r is a ratio; if r=1 or is a number within 97.5%˜102.5%, P does not need to change and only S needs to be adjusted; if r is larger than 102.5%, a row of the crystals is reduced, that is, N 3 ″=N 3 −1, and the size of the crystal  41  is recalculated to be P′=W 3 /N 3 ″−S, the value of P′ is rounded to two digits after the decimal point and the unit is mm; if r is smaller than 97.5%, a row is added and the size of the crystal  41  is recalculated, that is, N 3 ″=N 3 +1, the size of the crystal  41  is P′=W 3 /N 3 ″−S and is rounded to two digits after the decimal point, and the unit is mm, reassign N 3 ″ as N 3 , so that the number of the crystals  41  of the whole optical splitting crystal array is N 2 ×N 3 . 
         [0044]    Provide a retroreflective material  21  of the whole optical splitting crystal array. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the height of the retroreflective material  71  is cut flush with an upper edge and the lower edge of the crystal  41 , respectively, the retroreflective material  71  also forms a grid, and as described above, the height of the retroreflective material  71  is equal to L. 
         [0045]    Provide N 2 ×N 3  crystals for a retroreflective material  22  of the whole optical splitting crystal array. The N 2 ×N 3  crystals  41  obtained in the above step are set in the retroreflective material  71  to form a whole optical splitting crystal array  40 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the sidewall surface of the crystal  41  is able to be selectively set with the light transmission material (not shown), for example, the light transmission curable adhesive  72  or air. The making mode and structure of the whole optical splitting crystal array  40  belong to the prior art, and is described in detail in Robert S. Miyaoka, Steve G. Kohlmyer, and Tom K. Lewellen, “Performance Characteristics of Micro Crystal Element (MiCE) Detectors”, IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NUCLEAR SCIENCE, VOL. 48, NO. 4, AUGUST 2001, and it should be noted that, the steps described above are merely brief descriptions. 
         [0046]    Alternatively, a residual area which is divided into at least two equal parts by the partial optical splitting crystal array area should be filled with at least two same whole optical splitting crystal arrays. Every whole optical splitting crystal array has a first dimensional size W 3  and a second dimensional size W 2 , where W 3  is (Y 1 −W 1 )/2; after the calculation of the crystal unilateral size P and W 3  in combination, the number N 3  of the crystals of the whole optical splitting crystal array on the first dimension may be obtained, so that the number of the whole optical splitting crystal array should be N 3 ×N 2 , and the residual area is the area having no corresponding partial optical splitting crystal array  50  of a position sensitive photomultiplier element  60 . 
         [0047]    In combination of the partial optical splitting crystal array and the whole optical splitting crystal array  30 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  obtained by the above step is combined with at least one whole optical splitting crystal array  40  to form a whole crystal array  80 , the whole crystal array  80  is set in the above photoelectric matrix  60 , and any two position sensitive photomultiplier elements  62  in the photoelectric matrix  60  are close to each other. 
         [0048]    With reference to the following diagrams and descriptions, the steps of making of the above partial optical splitting crystal array  50  is further described. 
         [0049]    Referring to  FIG. 7  to  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 3 , as discussed in the step of providing the retroreflective material of the partial optical splitting crystal array, the retroreflective material  70  forms a grid  53 . As described above, the height of the retroreflective material  70  decrements from the two sides towards the center; the top of the grid  80  is adhered flush to a plane; and the surface of the crystal  51  is able to be set with the light transmission gap material  52 , for example, the light transmission curable adhesive, which is inserted inside the grid  53  from the bottom of the grid  53  until the grid  53  is filled with the crystal  51 . Here, because of the liquidity, the wet adhesive mixes with the adhesives in other gaps pushed by the retroreflective material  70 , and fills the crystal gap S. When cured, the adhesive becomes a continuous light transmission gap material, so that a partial optical splitting crystal array  50  is formed, and here, the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  is turned over to make the top upward and the bottom facing the plane, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0050]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , as described above in the step of providing the dimensional sizes of a first dimension and a second dimension, the two position sensitive photomultiplier elements (PSPMTs)  60  may also be a combination of multiple position sensitive photomultiplier elements  60 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , in the case of a combination of multiple position sensitive photomultiplier elements  62 , the method of making a composite crystal array for a pixelated gamma camera is the same as the description above. 
         [0051]    Further referring to  FIG. 6 , the present invention is a composite crystal array for a pixelated gamma camera, which has a partial optical splitting crystal array  50  and at least one whole optical splitting crystal array  40 . 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  has a plurality of crystals  51 , a retroreflective material  70  and a light transmission gap material  52 , where the retroreflective material  70  forms a grid  53 , the height of the retroreflective material  70  is smaller than that of the crystal  51  and decrements from the two sides of the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  towards the center thereof. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the number of the plurality of crystals  51  is N 1 ×N 2 , the crystal  51  is set in the retroreflective material  70  and the top of the crystal  51  is cut flush with the top of the grid, and the light transmission gap material  52  is set in the gap S between two sidewalls of each crystal  51  and its neighbor one. Same as the above, the height of the gap S is L−H, so that the height of the light transmission gap material  52  is L−H. 
         [0053]    When the position sensitive photomultiplier element  62  are combined in two dimensions to expand the photoelectric matrix  60 , a corresponding smaller special partial optical splitting crystal array  90  is required on a junction of four elements, and the number of the used crystals is N 1 ×N 1 . The changes of the height of the retroreflective material  70  among the crystal arrays of the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  are merely implemented in one dimension crossing the non-sensible, discontinuous area  61 , and for the special partial optical splitting crystal array  90 , the changes of the height of the retroreflective material  70  requires to be implemented in both dimensions; except that, other crystal array parameters, such as the height of the crystal, the size of the crystal and the height of the retroreflective material  70  are the same for the both. 
         [0054]    As is shown in  FIG. 5 , the whole optical splitting crystal array  40  is set on at least one side of the partial optical splitting crystal array  50 , and the whole optical splitting crystal array  40  has a plurality of crystals  41  and a retroreflective material  71 , the retroreflective material  71  forms a grid, the number of the plurality of crystals  41  is N 3 ×N 2 , the crystal  41  is set in the retroreflective material  71 , that is, the crystal  41  is located in the grid, and the height of the retroreflective material  71  is the same as the height of the crystal  41 , so that the top and the bottom of the crystal  41  are cut flush with the top and the bottom of the grid, respectively. Additionally, if the photomultiplier element is a square, N 2 =N 3 , that is, the number of the crystals of the whole optical splitting crystal array  40  is N 2 ×N 2  or N 3 ×N 3 . 
         [0055]    Therefore, in the present invention, by taking use of the changes of the height of the retroreflective material  70  of the partial optical splitting crystal array  50  and setting the light transmission gap material  52  in the partial optical splitting crystal array  50 , the emitted light of the crystal over the non-sensible, discontinuous area  61  is enabled to enter the sensible areas of the two adjacent position sensitive photomultiplier elements  62 , so as to solve the problem of discontinuous crystal position response; the residual area is filled with the whole optical splitting crystal array  40  that consists of the crystal arrays with the same or approximately similar sizes, so that the composite crystal array capable of covering the photoelectric matrix  60  shown in  FIG. 10  is completed, and the residual area is the area where the position sensitive photomultiplier element  62  does not have a corresponding partial optical splitting crystal array  50 . 
         [0056]    The composite crystal array can achieve a pixelated gamma camera capable of covering the whole photoelectric matrix, having continuous imaging area, and keeping high resolutions uniform without affecting the resolution under in a cost effective fashion. 
         [0057]    The detailed embodiments above are required for the descriptions of features and efficacies of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the implementation. Any equivalent variations and modification made without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions shall fall within the protection scope of the claims described below.