Quad-HIDAC, a next-generation PET camera for small-animal imaging

Summary form only received as follows: A quad-detector HIDAC camera with 64 converters is now fully operational for small animal PET. The field-of-view is 170 mm in diameter by 280 mm axially with a uniform, three-dimensional spatial resolution of 1 mm/sup 3/ (fwhm). Scatter-corrected sensitivity is 2% for a central point source or 74,000 cps/uCi/ee for a uniform phantom 55 mm in diameter and 60 mm long. In typical usage, at a coincidence rate of 100,000 cps, the random coincidence contribution is 30% and the electronic deadtime is 20%. Scatter fractions are 30-40% depending on the object size. The maximum coincidence counting rate is 600,000 cps. Detailed measurements of these parameters of this next generation HIDAC-PET camera are reported.