Development of a pixelated GSO gamma camera system with tungsten parallel hole collimator for single photon imaging

Purpose: In small animal imaging using a single photon emitting radionuclide, a high resolution gamma camera is required. Recently, position sensitive photomultiplier tubes (PSPMTs) with high quantum efficiency have been developed. By combining these with nonhygroscopic scintillators with a relatively low light output, a high resolution gamma camera can become useful for low energy gamma photons. Therefore, the authors developed a gamma camera by combining a pixelated Ce-doped Gd₂SiO₅ (GSO) block with a high quantum efficiency PSPMT. Methods: GSO was selected for the scintillator, because it is not hygroscopic and does not contain any natural radioactivity. An array of 1.9 mm 1.9 mm 7 mm individual GSO crystal elements was constructed. These GSOs were combined with a 0.1-mm thick reflector to form a 22 22 matrix and optically coupled to a high quantum efficiency PSPMT (H8500C-100 MOD8). The GSO gamma camera was encased in a tungsten gamma-ray shield with tungsten pixelated parallel hole collimator, and the basic performance was measured for Co-57 gamma photons (122 keV). Results: In a two-dimensional position histogram, all pixels were clearly resolved. The energy resolution was ∼15 FWHM. With the 20-mm thick tungsten pixelated collimator, the spatial resolution was 4.4-mm FWHM 40 mm from the collimator surface, and the sensitivity was ∼0.05. Phantom and small animal images were successfully obtained with our developed gamma camera. Conclusions: These results confirmed that the developed pixelated GSO gamma camera has potential as an effective instrument for low energy gamma photon imaging.