Optimization of scintillation-detector timing systems using Monte Carlo analysis

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1994 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/23.281528· OSTI ID:7296630

Binkley, D M ^[1]

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1. CTI PET Systems, Inc., Knoxville, TN (United States)

Monte Carlo analysis is used to model statistical noise associated with scintillation-detector photoelectron emissions and photomultiplier tube operation. Additionally, the impulse response of a photomultiplier tube, front-end amplifier, and constant-fraction discriminator (CFD) is modeled so the effects of front-end bandwidth and constant-fraction delay and fraction can be evaluated for timing-system optimizations. Such timing-system analysis is useful for detectors having low photo-electron-emission rates, including Bismuth Germanate (BGO) scintillation detectors used in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) systems. Monte Carlo timing resolution for a BGO / photomultiplier scintillation detector, CFD timing system is presented as a function of constant-fraction delay for 511-keV coincident gamma rays in the presence of Compton scatter. Monte Carlo results are in good agreement with measured results when a tri-exponential BGO scintillation model is used. Monte Carlo simulation is extended to include CFD energy-discrimination performance. Monte Carlo energy-discrimination performance is experimentally verified along with timing performance (Monte Carlo timing resolution of 3.22 ns FWHM versus measured resolution of 3.30 ns FWHM) for a front-end rise time of 10 ns (10--90%), CFD delay of 8 ns, and CFD fraction of 20%.

• OSTI ID: 7296630
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States), Vol. 41:1 Pt2; ISSN 0018-9499
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BGO DETECTORS
TIMING CIRCUITS
POSITRON COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
DESIGN
COMPTON EFFECT
ENERGY RESOLUTION
GAMMA RADIATION
PERFORMANCE
TIME RESOLUTION
BASIC INTERACTIONS
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
ELASTIC SCATTERING
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
EMISSION COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
INTERACTIONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATIONS
RESOLUTION
SCATTERING
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SOLID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
TIMING PROPERTIES
TOMOGRAPHY
550601* - Medicine- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics