Gamma ray camera methods and apparatus employing cooled scintillation crystal
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorsJohn F. Moore, Richard T. Bernardi
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for improving the operation of a gamma camera which employs a planar scintillation crystal having a circumferential edge in the form of a mechanism and related method for cooling the crystal by thermally coupling the circumferential edge of the crystal to a heat sink and a mechanism and related method for applying pressure to the circumferential edge of the crystal sufficient to maintain the crystal in compression when cooled and thereby avoid cracking of the crystal due to temperature differentiation across the surface of the crystal.
Claims6
A method for improving the operation of a gamma camera which employs a planar scintillation crystal having a circumferential edge, comprising the steps of
- (a) cooling said crystal by thermally coupling said circumferential edge to a heat sink;
- and
- (b) applying pressure to said circumferential edge sufficient to maintain said crystal in compression when cooled.
In a gamma camera employing a planar scintillation crystal having a circumferential edge, the improvement comprising:
- (a) a heat sink;
- (b) means for cooling said crystal by thermally coupling said circumferential edge to said heat sink;
- and
- (c) means for applying pressure to said circumferential edge sufficient to maintain said crystal in compression when cooled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.