Design of a new BaF/sub 2/ PET module concept and preliminary evaluation results

We describe a new positron emission tomography (PET) detection module using BaF/sub 2/ crystals. We use the separation between the fast (0.6 ns, 220 nm) and the slow (630 ns, 310 nm) scintillation component of the barium fluoride through an ultraviolet glass filter to code the interaction localization. The timing is done on the fast component and the spectroscopy on the slow component. The photoelectric yield of BaF/sub 2/ crystals (10 /spl times/ 10 /spl times/ 30, 8 /spl times/ 8 /spl times/ 30, and 6 /spl times/ 6 /spl times/ 30 mm/sup 3/) coupled to 1-in-diameter photomultiplier tubes has been measured to quantify the light losses due to this geometry. As a reference, we present simulations and measurements of the efficiency of these crystals for detection of 511-keV gammas in coincidence and a measurement of the time resolution of the system.