MURA编码板γ相机探测器模拟研究

用Geant4软件对γ相机探测器的成像原理进行模拟,γ相机探测器主要由准直器和探测单元构成,模拟得到放射源的响应矩阵,通过精细采样算法和δ解码算法进行图像重建。分别模拟了不同形态放射源在不同位置、不同距离、不同角度的成像情况,研究了编码板的偏移和尺寸变化对成像的影响。     

γ射线旋转调制器成像系统的研制

可对硬X射线、γ射线等成像的旋转调制器(Rotating Modulator,RM)成像技术是一种探测效率高、能量范围宽、能量分辨能力高的技术,可满足核辐射监测中对高性能γ射线成像系统的需求。为此,研制了一台基于RM技术的γ射线成像系统样机。该样机主要包括一个由8条铅条组成的旋转准直器、7个NaI(Tl)探测器、步进电机和相应的读出及控制电路。样机视场角±14.6°,角度分辨率2°,在662 keV处能量分辨率为7%,对662 keVγ射线的探测效率达到22.2%。     

旋转调制器成像的蒙特卡罗仿真及图像重建

基于时间调制的旋转调制器(RM)成像技术是一种可以对硬X射线、γ射线等成像的技术。为利用RM成像技术优势,开展了RM技术在核监测领域应用的研究工作。通过蒙特卡罗仿真,模拟准直器旋转过程,布置7个NaI探测器测量,获得受调制的探测器输出,再用NCAR、MLEM和OSEM算法分别对输出数据进行重建。相对NCAR算法,MLEM算法在抑制噪声的同时,不会在重建源图像周围引入随机边缘。OSEM算法可以加速MLEM算法的收敛过程,提高计算速度。MLEM和OSEM重建图像的角度分辨率可达1.2°,与仿真系统几何角度分辨率比较,达到了约3.8倍的超分辨能力。     

康普顿相机的GEANT4模拟与反投影图像重建

模拟构建了双层康普顿相机,利用康普顿散射原理,获取γ光子在两层探测器发生散射前后沉积的能量和位置信息,通过一定算法进行图像重建,获得放射源位置信息。该相机具有灵敏度高、体积小、应用范围广等优点。通过蒙特卡罗方法模拟了具有双层条状结构位置灵敏探测器(散射探测器、吸收探测器)组成的康普顿相机,其两层探测器分别由Si和Ge材料构成。利用反投影图像重建算法实现了放射源图像重建,当单点源与探测器距离为40 mm时,成像的效率为0.38%,位置分辨率达到8.0 mm,角分辨率达到3°。对于不同位置和不同个数点源的情况下,检验了反投影重建算法在康普顿相机放射源空间重建中的效果。     

高分辨率小动物SPECT成像系统的设计与性能评估

为实现低成本、高分辨率的小动物单光子发射断层成像(SPECT),设计了一种基于临床探测器和针孔准直器的小动物SPECT成像系统。综合考虑视野尺寸、空间分辨率和绝对探测效率等指标,分别给出了单针孔和七针孔准直器的两种最优化设计方案,并通过对比两种设计方案在全视野范围内的平均空间分辨率和探测效率,对成像性能进行了评估。结果表明,与单孔准直器相比采用七针孔准直器设计可同时获得更高的空间分辨率和探测效率。经蒙特卡罗模拟成像实验验证,该七针孔准直器在临床探测器上可达0.5mm级的超高空间分辨率,且成本远低于采用专用探测器的现有小动物SPECT系统。     

大面积高灵敏度编码相机探测器的设计与性能测试

编码孔径相机是一种定位放射性物质的设备,对丢失放射性物质的寻找以及监测具有重要的意义。为了满足编码孔径相机对核突发事故的污染区进行实时定位,并获得污染面积和污染程度等信息,采用大面积CsI(Tl)晶体阵列与光电倍增管(PhotoMultiplier Tube,PMT)阵列耦合的方式构建高灵敏度编码相机的探测器,以此提高探测效率并减少探测时间。该探测器由121根CsI(Tl)晶体构成11×11的阵列,每根晶体的尺寸为15 mm×15 mm×15 mm,通过光导与3×3的光电倍增管阵列耦合为一个探测器模块;由4个探测器模块组成2×2的阵列作为探头部件,采用自主设计的放大滤波成型以及单端转差分电路实现探测器信号的读出处理。通过测试发现,该探测器模块在662 keV的γ射线激发下,能很好地实现各个晶体条的位置分辨,且其平均能量分辨率为9.4%。测试结果表明:该探测器在位置分辨、能量分辨率、峰位一致性以及探测效率一致性等性能方面均能够满足高灵敏度编码相机成像的设计要求。     

用于~(16)C核集团结构实验研究的望远镜探测器阵列性能研究

对16C核集团结构实验研究中使用的望远镜探测器阵列的性能进行了研究,此望远镜阵列主要用于靶后反应产物的探测及粒子鉴别。探测器阵列由9组望远镜组成,其中包括了硅微条、位置灵敏硅探测器(PSD)、大面积硅探测器(SSD)和CsI探测器单元在内的多种类型的探测器。用241Amα源对组成望远镜的各探测器进行了测试和优化,且在中国科学院近代物理研究所的重离子加速器放射性次级束流线(RIBLL)上进行了在束测试。结果表明,研制的望远镜探测器阵列具有较好的能量分辨、高的角分辨及粒子鉴别能力,可满足通过碎裂反应来研究16C等原子核的集团结构的需要。     

双层分离式康普顿相机研制及其性能研究

康普顿成像技术是近年新兴的一种辐射热点定位技术，其无需准直，视野广，效率高，应用前景广阔。针对核设施热点定位需求，采用两块像素型碲锌镉(Cadmium Zinc Telluride,CZT)探测器，基于专用读出芯片(Application Specific Integrated Circuit,ASIC)的读出电子学系统，结合列表模式期望最大化极大似然(Listmode Maximum Likelihood Expectation Maximization,LM-MLEM)图像重建算法研制了一套双层分离式康普顿相机。采用¹³⁷Cs点源对该系统的成像性能开展了实验测试，并对探测器层间距、吸收层面积等成像性能影响参数展开了优化研究，最后通过移动探测器的测量位置实现了对放射源的远场三维成像功能测试。该系统优势在于其结构可调性，探测器成本低，读出电子学相对简单，成像视野范围宽于传统γ相机，测试结果表明：系统的能量分辨率约为3%(FWHM@662 keV)，能确定5 m外的137Cs点源三维位置信息，优化后的系统前锥角θ和侧向方位角φ的角分辨率约为10°。     

放射性废物桶γ检测探测器准直器模拟设计

介绍了在放射性废物桶γ检测中基于MC模拟的阵列探测器准直器的设计。利用MCNP程序建立探测系统模型,计算了在圆形、方形、菱形准直孔,以及铅、钨、不锈钢准直材料条件下,碲锌镉探测器对体源和点源的探测效率,分析了准直器形状和材料对探测效率的影响。结果表明:相比方形和菱形准直孔,圆形准直孔的探测效率相对较高;相比铅和钨,不锈钢准直时出现多路射线干扰,且铅和钨的准直效果相当。     

受控热核聚变装置软X射线反演成像探测研究

介绍了探测系统的角向分辨率、径向分辨率、探测器空间分辨率、探测器阵列空间分辨率和探测系统的时间分辨率的设计原则。其角向分辨率由探测阵列数目决定．其径向分辨率由阵列中探测器数量决定。根据装置的具体条件,研制专用的条形探测器可以获得最佳的探测器空间分辨率和探测器阵列空间分辨率。研制宽频带放大滤波电路系统可以保证高时间分辨率。高质量反演探测系统可采用多角度多阵列方式或在刚体旋转假设下采用完美的单阵列方式。小装置上的高灵敏的反演成像探测系统可在中心电子温度约150eV,电子密度约10^15cm-3的低参数条件下探测到稳定信号并完成图像反演。     

Pinhole collimator design for nuclear survey system

A conventional knife-edge collimator, which is widely used in gamma camera for medical diagnosis, is not suitable for nuclear imaging system because many scattering radiations near the pinhole aperture happen and blur image. A new pinhole collimator, which shapes a channeled aperture for reducing image degradation induced by the scattering radiations, is introduced and its characteristics are analyzed by Monte Carlo simulation. Resolutions defined as the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of point spread function and efficiencies are calculated about several pinhole diameters from 4 to 8 mm and channel heights from 2 to 10 mm. For this calculation, we assumed that ¹³⁷Cs radiation sources with 662 keV mono-energies enter into our designed collimator at the 1 m distance from the detector plane. The efficiencies and resolutions of the channeled collimator are compared with those of the conventional collimator. By comparison results, it is verified that the new collimator takes advantage more than the conventional collimator. The optimum channel height and diameter of the pinhole collimator from simulation results are also proposed and designed. We finally acquired nuclear image mounting this collimator in the nuclear survey system.     

Development of a low-energy high resolution X-ray camera for high-energy gamma photon background environments

Although a high-energy gamma camera can obtain images of ¹³⁷Cs distribution by detecting the 662-keV gamma photons, its spatial resolution is reduced because high-energy gamma photons penetrate the edge of the pinhole collimator. To solve this problem, we developed a low-energy X-ray camera that detects the characteristic X-ray photons (32–37 keV) that are emitted from ¹³⁷Cs to obtain high resolution images. We used a 45 × 45 × 1-mm-thick NaI(Tl) scintillator that was encapsulated in 0.1-mm-thick aluminum and optically coupled to a 2-inch square, position sensitive photomultiplier tube (Hamamatsu Photonics, PSPMT:H12700 MOD) as an imaging detector. The imaging detector was encased in a 2-cm-thick tungsten alloy container and a pinhole collimator was attached to its camera head. The spatial resolution and sensitivity were ～5 mm full-width at half-maximum and ～0.6 cps/MBq for the 1.5-mm pinhole collimator 10 cm from the collimator surface, respectively. We administered 5 MBq of ¹³⁷Cs to a soybean seedling, imaged the distribution of radionuclides for six hours, and successfully obtained a high resolution image of it with our developed X-ray camera. We believe our camera will be a powerful tool for such ¹³⁷Cs imaging in plants.     

X射线编码孔成像技术在近地太空核爆探测中的应用

根据X射线编码孔成像的原理,搭建了地面模拟成像系统,在此基础上建立了编码孔成像技术探测近地太空核爆当量和方位的理论计算方法,获得了系统响应（灰度）与X射线强度、重建图像质心位置与X射线入射角度之间的关系,并开展了核爆当量和方位的模拟探测实验,对实验数据和理论计算数据进行了对比和分析。结果表明,理论计算结果与实验结果吻合较好,验证了采用X射线编码孔成像技术探测近地太空核爆的可行性,同时证明X射线编码孔成像具有较多针孔成像更高的探测灵敏度、信噪比和抗干扰能力。     

Characteristics of parallel-hole and pinhole collimators for nuclear medicine imaging

In this paper,the spatial resolution and geometry sensitivity of parallel- and pin-hole collimators in compact gamma camera are presented,and quantitatively compared by GEANT4 code in Monte-Carlo library.The results show that the geometry sensitivity for pinhole collimator rapidly drops with increasing the gamma source-to- collimator distance(SCD);and for parallel-hole collimator,mildly.Meanwhile,the spatial resolution for pin-hole collimator mildly deteriorates;and for parallel-hole collimator,severely.The pin-hole collimator for close imaging objects has higher geometry sensitivity than parallel-hole collimator.Our findings are helpful for setting compact gamma camera collimators in nuclear medicine imaging.     

区域γ辐射定向监测仪准直器的设计

为区域γ辐射分布定向监测实验相机系统设计了一个针孔准直器。应用针孔准直器的解析公式,根据探测器内在分辨率和实验相机系统的预期分辨率,考虑探测器尺寸,确定了相机的焦距及准直器的张角;然后根据预期角分辨率计算有效孔径,得出孔径和孔深的范围;再利用蒙特卡罗方法模拟面源入射,在各种孔径和孔深组合中,挑选出透射和散射光子份额最小的组为最优组,对应孔径和孔深参数即为最优参数。     

High-resolution SPECT for small-animal imaging

1Introduction The rapid advance in molecular biology and the increasing use of transgenic mice as models of human biology and diseases have led to significant interests in the development of noninvasive,high-resolution,in vivo imaging techniques for small animals[1-4].Medi-cal imaging techniques including ultrasound(US),computed tomography(CT),magnetic resonance im-aging(MRI),positron emission tomography(PET),and single-photon emission computed tomography(SPECT),are contributing to this …     

Phantom experiments on a PSAPD-based compact gamma camera with submillimeter spatial resolution for small animal SPECT

We demonstrate a position sensitive avalanche photodiode (PSAPD) based compact gamma camera for the application of small animal single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The silicon PSAPD with a two-dimensional resistive layer and four readout channels is implemented as a gamma ray detector to record the energy and position of radiation events from a radionuclide source. A 2 mm thick monolithic CsI:Tl scintillator is optically coupled to a PSAPD with a 8mm×8mm active area, providing submillimeter intrinsic spatial resolution, high energy resolution (16% full-width half maximum at 140 keV) and high gain. A mouse heart phantom filled with an aqueous solution of 370 MBq (99m)Tc-pertechnetate (140 keV) was imaged using the PSAPD detector module and a tungsten knife-edge pinhole collimator with a 0.5 mm diameter aperture. The PSAPD detector module was cooled with cold nitrogen gas to suppress dark current shot noise. For each projection image of the mouse heart phantom, a rotated diagonal readout algorithm was used to calculate the position of radiation events and correct for pincushion distortion. The reconstructed image of the mouse heart phantom demonstrated reproducible image quality with submillimeter spatial resolution (0.7 mm), showing the feasibility of using the compact PSAPD-based gamma camera for a small animal SPECT system.     

A compact gamma camera with scintillation array and parallel-hole collimator

A new compact gamma camera for small object imaging has been developed. It consists of a pixelized Nal（T1） scintillator array coupled to a position sensitive photomultiplier tube （Hamamatsu R2486） with a parallel-hole lead collimator. The compact camera has better spatial resolution than Anger camera. The average value of intrinsic spatial resolutions is 2.3 mm （FWHM）. The overall spatial resolution （FWHM） is 3, 5 and 6 mm at 0, 2.5 and 3 mm SCD （source-to-collimator distance）, respectively. The phantom studies with the compact camera have demonstrated that parallel-hole collimator gamma camera is a practical technique for nuclear medicine application.     

Radioactivity measurement of Sr/Y-90 mixed with Cs-134 and Cs-137 using large solid angle detectors without chemical separation

We proposed a method to measure the radioactivity of Sr/Y-90 in the mixture of Cs-134 and Cs-137 without chemical pretreatment. It was realized by subtracting the electrons produced in Cs-134 and Cs-137 from entire electron emission rate that can be determined by the efficiency tracer technique in the 4πβ–γ coincidence counting method. The radioactivity of Cs-134 and Cs-137 can be determined by gamma ray spectrometry. The measurements were conducted using plastic and NaI(Tl) scintillation detector with a large solid angle. The validity of the measurement method was shown by agreement of the results with the known radioactivities.     

Monte-Carlo simulation of pinhole collimator of a small field of view gamma camera for small animal imaging

Needs in scintimammography applications,especially for small animal cardiac imaging,lead to develop a small field of view,high spatial resolution gamma camera with a pinhole collimator.However the ideal pinhole collimator must keep a compromise between spatial resolution and sensitivity.In order to design a pinhole collimator with an optimized sensitivity and spatial resolution,the spatial resolution and the geometric sensitivity response as a function of the source to collimator distance has been obtained by means of Monte-Carlo simulation for a small field of view gamma camera with a pinhole collimator of various-hole diameters.The results show that the camera with pinhole of 1 mm,1.5 mm and 2 mm diameter has respectively spatial resolution of 1.5 mm,2.25 mm and 3 mm and geometric sensitivity of 0.016%,0.022% and 0.036%,while the source to collimator distance is 3 cm.We chose the pinhole collimator with hole diameter size of 1.2 mm for our the gamma camera designed based on the wade-off between sensitivity and resolution.