AUTOMATIC CALIBRATION SYSTEM FOR A SCINTILLATION DEVICE AND METHOD OF OPERATION

A scintillation device, such as a scintillation scanner, having a calibrate system for automatically calibrating the value of data signals representative of measured radiation activity in response to the value of reference signals representative of the level of maximum radiation activity, i.e., signals representative of radiation activity at a calibration point or a "hot spot." The calibrate system utilizes circuitry for counting the number of signals which occur at the calibration point for a predetermined number of intervals of time, and then dividing the number of counted signals by the number of intervals of time to develop calibration signals having a high degree of statistical accuracy. The values of the data signals obtained during the normal operation are then calibrated with reference to the calibrate signals to that the data signals always remain within a preselected range of values regardless of the levels of measured radiation activity.