An evaluation of a two-dimensional array detector for high resolution PET.

A two-dimensional array detector system, consisting of 4x8 matrices of bismuth germanate (BGO) crystals coupled to four photomultipliers, was evaluated. Coincidence timing resolution of a pair of array detectors was 6.1 ns FWHM and 11.3 ns FWTM. Energy resolution per individual crystal ranged from 16.8 to 24.1% FWHM at 511 keV for an amplitude variation of a factor of 2.8. The signals from the photomultipliers were summed pairwise, the pairs in each dimension subtracted, and the differences divided by the amplitude of the signal summed from all four photomultipliers. The resulting two-pulse-height spectra contained peaks corresponding to the row or column containing the detector of interaction. Six conditions of detector identification were tested. The correct identification of detector ranged from 76% to 87% of the events. The largest single factor in improving crystal identification and spatial resolution was energy discrimination.