GAMMA CAMERAS
Gamma camera is the basic tool of the modern radionuclide diagnostics. Gamma cameras are designed to visualize and study the kinetics of radiopharmaceuticals in the internal organs and physiological systems of the patient’s body for early detection of oncological, cardiovascular, and other human diseases.
A modern gamma camera comprises as follows:
- A multichannel collimator.
- A NaI(Tl) crystal with a large surface area.
- The optical fiber used for optical communication of crystal with a hexagonal matrix of a photomultiplier tube and of an analogue electronic device unit capable of detecting the coordinates and amplitudes of signals.
- A sufficiently thick lead screen, which encloses all of these components to minimize the background of the radiation sources located beyond the camera coverage.
Currently, all the leading manufacturers and suppliers of gamma cameras such as Siemens, General Electric, Toshiba, and Sopha Medical have mastered the way of production and already supply the models of gamma cameras with two detectors of rectangular shape with the camera coverage of at least 350–510 mm.