A room temperature LSO/PIN photodiode PET detector module that measures depth of interaction

We present measurements of a 4 element PET detector module that uses a 2/spl times/2 array of 3 mm square PIN photodiodes to both measure the depth of interaction (DOI) and identify the crystal of interaction. Each photodiode is coupled to one end of a 3/spl times/3/spl times/25 mm LSO crystal, with the opposite ends of all 4 crystals attached to a single PMT that provides a timing signal and initial energy discrimination. Each LSO crystal is coated with a "lossy" reflector, so the ratio of light detected in the photodiode and PMT depends on the position of interaction in the crystal, and is used to determine this position on an event by event basis. This module is operated at +25/spl deg/C with a photodiode amplifier peaking time of 2 /spl mu/s. When excited by a collimated beam of 511 keV photons at the photodiode end of the module (i.e. closest to the patient), the DOI resolution is 4 mm FWHM and the crystal of interaction is identified correctly 95% of the time. When excited at the opposite end of the module, the DOI resolution is 13 mm FWHM and the crystal of interaction is identified correctly 73% of the time. The channel to channel variations in performance are minimal.< >