High sensitivity, low cost PET using lead-walled straw detectors

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a highly sensitive imaging modality particularly useful in oncology imaging. Unfortunately, the high cost of crystal detectors and limited axial field of view of current systems pose major limitations in this clinical application. A novel technology for detection of 511 keV photons for coincidence PET imaging is proposed based on lead walled straw tubes (LWS). Such detector tubes have been produced and investigated both experimentally and with Monte Carlo techniques. Initial results of detector efficiency versus lead wall thickness, time resolution, and longitudinal spatial resolution are presented. A technique of modular fabrication is also described. It is proposed that a low cost PET camera can be designed using the basic LWS in close packed modular arrays. Such a camera can provide full three-dimensional, high resolution PET with very large axial acceptance and therefore very high sensitivity.