Virtual Point Source Synthesis method for 3D Scintillation Detector Characterization

TL;DR

This paper introduces a fast, efficient calibration method for 3D scintillation detectors using fan-beam scanning and the common-data subset technique, significantly reducing calibration time while maintaining accuracy.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel fan-beam based calibration method combined with the CDS data-processing strategy for rapid 3D detector calibration including DOI information.

Findings

Reduced number of scans needed for calibration

Validated with Monte Carlo simulations and experiments

Effective for detectors with complex MDRFs

Abstract

A novel data-processing method was developed to facilitate scintillation detector characterization. Combined with fan-beam calibration, this method can be used to quickly and conveniently calibrate gamma-ray detectors for SPECT, PET, homeland security or astronomy. Compared with traditional calibration methods, this new technique can accurately calibrate a photon-counting detector, including DOI information, with greatly reduced time. The enabling part of this technique is fan-beam scanning combined with a data-processing strategy called the common-data subset (CDS) method, which was used to synthesize the detector's mean detector response functions (MDRFs). Using this approach, $2N$ scans ($N$ in x and $N$ in y direction) are necessary to finish calibration of a 2D detector as opposed to $N^2$ scans with a pencil beam. For a 3D detector calibration, only $3N$ scans are necessary to achieve the 3D detector MDRFs that include DOI information. Moreover, this calibration technique can be used for detectors with complicated or irregular MDRFs. We present both Monte-Carlo simulations and experimental results that support the feasibility of this method.