A new /spl gamma/-probe for radioassisted oncological surgery

The operating principle and preliminary results of a new hand-held non imaging /spl gamma/-probe are presented and its use in radioassisted oncological surgery is discussed. The probe, having an external diameter of about 17 mm, is based on a square array of four 5/spl times/5 mm/sup 2/ CdTe semiconductor detectors read separately by each own electronic circuit. An original handling of the signals allows the probe to provide at the same time both the total counting rate as well as an indication on the value of displacement of the probe axis from the center of the emitting source and the direction towards which move to center. Using this probe during surgical operation a significant improvement in a faster and more accurate localization of gamma-emitting regions will be possible with respect to those obtained with a conventional single detector probe.