A LSO scintillator array for a PET detector module with depth of interaction measurement

Abstract

Presents construction methods and performance results for a production scintillator array of 64 optically isolated, 3/spl times/3/spl times/30 mm sized LSO crystals. This scintillator array has been developed for a PET detector module consisting of the 8/spl times/8 LSO array coupled on one end to a single photomultiplier tube (PMT) and on the opposite end to a 64 pixel array of silicon photodiodes (PD). The PMT provides an accurate timing pulse and initial energy discrimination, the PD identifies the crystal of interaction, the sum provides a total energy signal, and the PD/(PD+PMT) ratio determines the depth of interaction (DOI). Unlike the previous LSO array prototypes, the authors now glue Lumirror reflector material directly onto 4 sides of each crystal to obtain an easily manufactured, mechanically rugged array with their desired depth dependence. With 511 keV excitation, the authors obtain a total energy signal of 3600 electrons, pulse-height resolution of 25% fwhm, and 6-15 mm fwhm DOI resolution.