Gamma probe with hand-piece control of detection parameters

A handheld nuclear-uptake surgical probe comprising:

• a handle;
• a cannula having a gamma photon sensor unit configured to detect gamma photons, the gamma photon sensor unit having a controller configured to process detected gamma photons into a voltage pulse and analyze the voltage pulse based on a preselected photon energy acceptance window of a plurality of photon energy acceptance windows, wherein the voltage pulse has a magnitude that represents an energy level of the detected gamma photons;
• and
• an actuator coupled in communication with the controller to select between the plurality of photon energy acceptance windows.

A method operating a handheld nuclear-uptake surgical probe, the method comprising:

• detecting, via a gamma photon sensor unit of the handheld nuclear-uptake surgical probe, gamma photons;
• processing the detected gamma photons into a voltage pulse, wherein the voltage pulse has a magnitude that represents an energy level of the detected gamma photons, wherein the step of detecting gamma photons includes converting gamma photon energy into an analog electrical signal with a magnitude proportioned to the energy level of the detected gamma photons;
• and
• analyzing the voltage pulse based on a preselected photon energy acceptance window of a plurality of photon energy acceptance windows of the handheld nuclear-uptake surgical probe.