A high resolution PET for animal studies

摘要

In the PET system a block detector, which is a position-sensitive photomultiplier (PMT) tube coupled to four arrays of 1.7-mm-wide BGO crystals, is utilized. Fifteen block detectors are positioned to form a 35-cm-diameter ring, with four BGO arrays coupled to each PMT. This provides four detector rings, giving the system a 7-slice imaging capability. The gantry head tilts up to +or-90 degrees , and is capable of moving up and down by 30 cm. These positioning capabilities allow flexibility and great ease of use in subject positioning. A gantry entrance size of 22 cm in diameter allows studies ranging from rats and mice to primates such as Rhesus and squirrel monkeys. The physical performance of the system has been evaluated.