A proposed gamma ray camera using the Compton effect
A proposed gamma ray camera using the Compton effect
The use of gamma ray emitting isotopes for clinical diagnosis is well established. It has led to the development of image forming systems based on detectors placed in the proximity of the radiating source. In this way abnormalities within the body such as tumours andd gross lesions may be detected.'Since gamma-rays cannot be focused image formation involves the estimation of ~particle trajectories. Generally this means the elimination of all trajectories outside a narrow range of incidence.angles which has, been achieved by using lead collimators. Such systems give, directional information but do not indicate the distance from the detector too the source point. tClearly two dimensional images result from such systems. Use of a collimated detector causes severe limitations in camera systems at present in use. Considerable effort has been devoted in trying to overcome some of these limitations notably by attempts' to develop large semiconductor detectors.This thesis presents a completely different approach to the principles of gamma ray imaging which appears to offer considerable advantages over existing systems.The Compton effect is associated with multiple interactions which form a noise process. inn conventional cameras. The position and intensity of these interactions, however, within a detector medium define,1within statistical limits, the trajectory of the incident photon. In principle this will allow a conical projection back onto an image plane to form an elliptical probability contour.If a single point source of activity is considered, a succession of emissions will generate a number of ellipses which have a common point of intersection thereby defining the image point. The image of a. radiating body may be considered to consist of many such small elements each representing a small area of the source. The feasability of this system using,a small semiconductor detector has been simulated on a digital computer a where possible, vindicated by analysis and experimentation. The result of these studies would indicate that the proposed camera has a much improved performance over conventional cameras in both sensitivity and spatial resolution as well as offering the potential of three dimensional image construction.A simplified prototype is proposed which is capable of investigating this Compton Camera principle.
University of Southampton
Everett, David Barrington
1975
Everett, David Barrington
Everett, David Barrington
(1975)
A proposed gamma ray camera using the Compton effect.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
The use of gamma ray emitting isotopes for clinical diagnosis is well established. It has led to the development of image forming systems based on detectors placed in the proximity of the radiating source. In this way abnormalities within the body such as tumours andd gross lesions may be detected.'Since gamma-rays cannot be focused image formation involves the estimation of ~particle trajectories. Generally this means the elimination of all trajectories outside a narrow range of incidence.angles which has, been achieved by using lead collimators. Such systems give, directional information but do not indicate the distance from the detector too the source point. tClearly two dimensional images result from such systems. Use of a collimated detector causes severe limitations in camera systems at present in use. Considerable effort has been devoted in trying to overcome some of these limitations notably by attempts' to develop large semiconductor detectors.This thesis presents a completely different approach to the principles of gamma ray imaging which appears to offer considerable advantages over existing systems.The Compton effect is associated with multiple interactions which form a noise process. inn conventional cameras. The position and intensity of these interactions, however, within a detector medium define,1within statistical limits, the trajectory of the incident photon. In principle this will allow a conical projection back onto an image plane to form an elliptical probability contour.If a single point source of activity is considered, a succession of emissions will generate a number of ellipses which have a common point of intersection thereby defining the image point. The image of a. radiating body may be considered to consist of many such small elements each representing a small area of the source. The feasability of this system using,a small semiconductor detector has been simulated on a digital computer a where possible, vindicated by analysis and experimentation. The result of these studies would indicate that the proposed camera has a much improved performance over conventional cameras in both sensitivity and spatial resolution as well as offering the potential of three dimensional image construction.A simplified prototype is proposed which is capable of investigating this Compton Camera principle.
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Published date: 1975
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Local EPrints ID: 462699
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/462699
PURE UUID: 834baa3d-2e8b-4aa2-b389-a14901fafdc8
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 19:42
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 19:42
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Author:
David Barrington Everett
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