Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for use in medical imaging including a collimator having an array of positive apertures and an array of negative apertures formed thereon. A housed collimator directed at a detector to essentially eliminate all gamma radiation except that which enters the apertures of the collimator is used. During an imaging operation, a first image of a targeted photon source is generated through the collimator portion having a positive aperture arrangement. A second image of the targeted photon source is generated through the collimator portion having a negative aperture arrangement, wherein the first and second generated images are summed. The summation of these images causes a significant fraction of background artifacts to be reduced from a resulting summed representation of a targeted photon source.

Abstract: A position-sensitive electromagnetic radiation detector for measuring the position and energy of high energy electromagnetic radiation emitted from a high energy electromagnetic radiation source. The detector may also be used for measuring the position and energy of high energy electromagnetic radiation emitted from a radioactive material administered to a patient in a medical diagnostic imaging system to produce an image of the patient. The electromagnetic radiation includes X-ray and Gamma ray radiation. The electromagnetic radiation detector includes the combination of a cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) crystal to absorb the incident radiation (incident photons) and directly convert the incident photons into electrons and a micro-channel plate (MCP) to collect and multiply these electrons.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the level of cross-talk between scintillating fibers and the secondary attenuation length corresponding to a desired level of cross-talk and for utilizing cross-talk adjusted scintillating fibers in a medical imaging system is provided by the present invention. An input device receives a secondary attenuation length, which is then stored by a memory device. A central processing unit determines a level of cross-talk between scintillating fibers by calculating an average number of visible light photons produced within the fibers due to simulated interaction of an energized particle within the fibers. An output device displays the level of cross-talk. The central processing unit may also determine a plurality of levels of cross-talk for a plurality of secondary attenuation lengths and select a desired secondary attenuation length corresponding to a desired level of cross-talk.