METHOD OF DETERMINATION OF THE DEPTH OF INTERACTION IN A PIXELLATED RADIATION DETECTOR, DETECTOR AND RELATED APPLICATIONS

The invention concerns a method for determining the depth of an interaction in a pixellated gamma radiation detector characterized in that it comprises the following steps: -detecting first photons on the detector (10); -measuring the arrival time (Tpc) of said first photons on the detector (10) for a central pixel; -measuring the arrival time (Tpa) of the first photons in a pixel adjacent to said central pixel; -comparing the time (Tpa) with the time (Tpc) in order to estimate the depth of interaction (Z) owing to the different light propagation speeds in adjacent pixels; -integrating the radiation emitted over the whole of the emission of a crystal of the detector in order to determine the energy of the interaction; and -recording the integral of the energy emitted by this detection. The invention further concerns a pixellated gamma radiation detector for implementing the above method. The invention further concerns a method of time calibration of pixellated detectors between same and the application of said pixellated detector in PET imaging.