A high performance DAQ system for a free hand small-field γ-camera

A high performance software application to control and to collect real time data from a free hand small-field γ-Camera system developed in our laboratory is presented in this work. This data acquisition (DAQ) system is based on a LabVIEW platform and integrates a fast PCI Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) for the readout of the charge signals from a Position Sensitive Photo-Multiplier Tube in both Anger and Resistive Chain technique, as well as basic functions of the Bluetooth protocol for wireless connection of commercially available position and gravitational sensors for the real-time movement reconstruction of the free hand γ-Camera. The recorded signals of these sensors are offline analyzed in an event-by-event reconstruction to automatically correct the position of the detected γ-ray photons and to produce clear diagnostic planar images of clinical value. The software architecture of this application straightforwardly allows a number of additions in the existing code and parameter modifications to allow its easy adaptation to other, similar movable imaging devices.