PMT gain and energy calibrations using lutetium background radiation
US7633057B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 15, 2006 |
| Grant date | Dec 15, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B6/037
- WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A scintillator (18) includes radioactive elements which emit radiation of a characteristic energy, such as lutetium176, which emits 202 keV and 307 keV γ-rays. The scintillators have light output levels that vary and photomultiplier tubes that respond to the light scintillations tend to drift. When a scanner (10) is not generating diagnostic images, the photomultiplier tubes detect scintillations from the lutetium 176 radiation. A self-calibration processor (40) adjusts the gain for each photomultiplier tube such that its output peak corresponds to 202 keV or 307 keV and adjusts a scaling factor for PMT outputs corresponding to each scintillator such that the output peaks have a common amplitude.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.