Multifunction gamma radiation detector

A multifunction gamma radiation detector comprising:

• a supporting rod;
• a detection head coupled or integrated with a first end of said supporting rod and comprising a plurality of detection elements which are separate from each other for simultaneously detecting gamma radiation directed along respective directions different to each other, each detection element comprising at least one scintillation crystal and a corresponding first electronic conversion circuitry for receiving a scintillation optical signal generated within the crystal and converting the optical signal into an electrical signal, each of said detection elements being associated with a respective collimator made of a material with a high atomic number and suitable to screen the gamma radiation striking said detection element with an external angle and a predetermined solid angle, said detection element being configured to allow an operator to locate gamma radiations emitted by a suitably energised body tissue during handling of the detector;
• a handgrip connected or connectable to a second end of the supporting rod and which can be gripped manually by an operator for directing said detector;
• a second electronic circuitry for converting and/or treating the signals connected to said first electronic conversion device for processing the electrical signal generated by the first electronic conversion circuitry;
• wherein said detection head further comprises at least one optical detection device configured to acquire a sequence of tissue-emitted optical signals from said suitably energised body tissue, wherein said detection elements are angularly distributed on the detection head about said at least one optical detection device and wherein said detection elements define respective solid detection angles shaped and/or oriented in such a way as to define between the solid detection angles a blind zone outside the solid detection angles, said blind zone having a length having a minimum value that is approximately equal to 5 mm and a maximum value that is approximately equal to 50 mm;
• wherein the detector comprises a processing and control unit configured, for each of said detection element, to derive a value related to a quantity of gamma radiation absorbed by the detection element;
• wherein said optical detection device is located and/or oriented in such a way to acquire said sequence of optical signals when said values are cancelled or reach a value below a predetermined threshold for each of the detection element.

A multifunction gamma radiation detector comprising:

• a supporting rod;
• a detection head coupled or integrated with a first end of said supporting rod and comprising a plurality of detection elements which are separate from each other for simultaneously detecting gamma radiation directed along respective directions different to each other, each detection element comprising at least one scintillation crystal and a corresponding first electronic conversion circuitry for receiving a scintillation optical signal generated within the crystal and converting the optical signal into an electrical signal, each of said detection elements being associated with a respective collimator made of a material with a high atomic number and suitable to screen the gamma radiation striking said detection element with an external angle and a predetermined solid angle;
• a handgrip connected or connectable to a second end of the supporting rod and which can be gripped manually by an operator for directing said detector;
• a second electronic circuitry for converting and/or treating the signals connected to said first electronic conversion device for processing the electrical signal generated by the first electronic conversion circuitry;
• wherein said detection head further comprises at least one optical detection device configured to acquire a sequence of tissue-emitted optical signals from a suitably energised body tissue, wherein said detection elements are angularly distributed on the detection head about said at least one optical detection device and wherein said detection elements define respective solid detection angles shaped and/or oriented in such a way as to define between the solid detection angles a blind zone outside the solid detection angles, said blind zone having a length having a minimum value that is approximately equal to 5 mm and a maximum value that is approximately equal to 50 mm;
• wherein the detection head is made in the form of a solid body having a cylindrical shape extending along a longitudinal axis of extension and having a flat front surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of extension;
• wherein the optical detection device is centered on the longitudinal axis of extension and the detection elements are distributed on the front surface around the longitudinal axis of extension in such a way to define said blind zone centered on the longitudinal axis.