Influence of the detector parameters on a Compton camera

With the Compton camera, spatial resolution and efficiency can be in principle improved with respect to today's PET and SPECT techniques. The optimisation of a Compton camera system in terms of efficiency and resolution is a complex multi-parameter problem. The dependence of the efficiency is studied as a function of various detector parameters (material, thickness, positioning etc.). The influence of these parameters on the image reconstruction is investigated for a conventional reconstruction technique in order to find optimum detector parameters. It was found that high energy gamma sources (300 keV and more) are preferable to be used. A Si-detector as a scatter detector and an angular range between 30 and 80 degrees is most useful considering the various physical and experimental constraints. Concerning the scatter detector thickness a suitable compromise between efficiency and resolution has to be made. The case studies are based on a model for a system consisting of a Silicon detector (electron detector) and a scintillator detector (photon detector). Effects of secondary and background processes will be soon fully included. Also a critical review of radionuclides is being made, to assess the applicability of suitable high energy radionuclides in various medical diagnostics.