Dr. Abbaszadeh from the University of Illinois has invented a method and system for increasing radiation sensitivity in semiconductor detectors used in medical imaging devices, such as Positron emission tomography (PET) scanners. Cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) is used in radiation detection medical applications. The cross- strip configuration of CZT detectors reduces the number of readout channels from n2 in pixelated electrode configuration to n. If there are multiple interaction photon events, multiple anodes and cathodes will be triggered at the same time and create ambiguity in determining the exact position of interaction. Generally, the multiple interaction events in cross-strip detectors are discarded. This invention will increase the sensitivity of semiconductor detectors by including these events. The sensitivity of the system is improved by nearly an order of magnitude.
Schematic of box-shaped CZT-based small animal PET system.