Title :
An Intensified EMCCD Camera for Low Energy Gamma Ray Imaging Applications
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Nucl. Eng., Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI
Abstract :
This paper presents the design and feasibility study of a very-high resolution gamma camera for detecting 27-35 keV X and gamma rays emitted by I-125 labelled radiotracers. This detector consists of a newly developed Electron-multiplying CCD (EMCCD) sensor and a de-magnifier tube coupled to a thin layer of scintillator. A prototype detector was developed and experimentally evaluated. This detector has a detection area of ~5times5 cm2. It provided an intrinsic spatial resolution of <60 mum FWHM and a high signal-to-noise ratio for detecting the 27-35 keV photons, which ensures an excellent counting efficiency. This detector will be used as the key component for a single photon emission microscope (SPEM) system that is under development
Keywords :
gamma-ray detection; microscopy; radioactive tracers; single photon emission computed tomography; FWHM; I-125 labelled radiotracers; SPECT; X-rays emission; de-magnifier tube; detection area; electron-multiplying CCD sensor; excellent counting efficiency; intrinsic spatial resolution; low energy gamma ray imaging applications; prototype detector; scintillator; signal-to-noise ratio; single photon emission microscope system; very-high resolution gamma camera; Cameras; Charge coupled devices; Electron tubes; Energy resolution; Gamma ray detection; Gamma ray detectors; Gamma rays; Nuclear imaging; Prototypes; Spatial resolution; De-magnifier tube; EMCCD;
Journal_Title :
Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TNS.2006.878574
