The evaluation of a large-area hybrid photodiode for PET applications

A large-area hybrid photodiode interfaced to scintillating crystals is being evaluated to determine its application as part of a positron camera dedicated to imaging the breast, positron emission mammography (PEM). The sensitive photocathode area of the HPD is 72 mm in diameter and the diode is divided into 61 separate pixels. The principal of the detector for PEM will be the use of analogue information from the individual diodes to provide 2D positional information. Simulations of the device attached to a low noise amplifier system show that a spatial resolution of a few mm should be possible. Estimates of the spatial resolution, sensitivity and energy resolution from different scintillating crystals detecting annihilation photons will be presented.