POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY CAMERA WITH QUADRANT-SHARING PHOTOMULTIPLIERS AND CROSS-COUPLED SCINTILLATING CRYSTALS

摘要

A positron emission tomography camera is provided having an array of scintillation crystals (16) placed adjacent other arrays to form an arcuate detection surface surrounding a patient area. Alternatively, the arrays may be placed in a planar configuration on opposing sides of the patient area. Either a three-dimensional image or a two-dimensional image can be formed from a patient's body placed within the patient area. Moreover, the edges between the arrays of crystals are offset in relation to the edges between the light detectors. Each light detector (14) is suitably positioned adjacent four adjacent quadrants of four respective arrays to simultaneously detect radiation emitted from the four quadrants of each array. Moreover, each crystal within the array is selectively polished and selectively bonded to adjacent crystals to present a cross-coupled interface which can tunably distribute light to adjacent light detectors.