The ClearPET/spl trade/ neuro scanner: a dedicated LSO/LuYAP phoswich small animal PET scanner

The ClearPET initiative is a project being undertaken by working groups of the Crystal Clear Collaboration (CCC). Its aim is to develop a second-generation high performance small animal positron emission tomograph. The ClearPET/spl trade/ camera is expected to provide both high sensitivity and high spatial resolution. It uses a phoswich arranging combining two types of lutetium-based scintillator materials: LSO and LuYAP:Ce. Based on the same detector modules different designs from each collaboration partner are realized for their associated medical institutes. Each dedicated version is expressed by the name ClearPET/spl trade/ plus an extension. The ClearPET/spl trade/ neuro scanner is a dedicated small animal scanner to allow measurements of signal transduction in non-human primates under physiological conditions. This scanner is build by working groups of the Research Center Julich (FZJ). The gantry allows rotation of the detector modules as well as tilting by 90 degrees to measure non-human primates in an upright sitting position. The opening diameter of the ring is variable between 130 mm and 300 mm, the axial detector length is 110 mm.