Radiation cameras

A method for detecting the positions of sources of gamma or X-rays comprising:

• a) a track detector for determining the coordinates of an electron track created by the interaction of the electromagnetic radiation wherein said track detector comprises:
• a1) a solid, high brilliance scintillator, and
• a2) optical systems for projecting the 3D track images on 2D planes situated on two orthogonal directions from said scintillator, each from two diametrically symmetric directions, and
• a3) digital cameras placed at the focal points of said optical systems, for imaging tracks within the solid scintillator, from each of the four symmetric directions, and
• b) pixellated position sensitive detectors placed at solid angles not covered by the optical systems, and
• c) time coincidence circuits for correlating tracks in the track detector with signals detected by the position sensitive detectors, and
• d) a data processor wherein said data processor:
• d1) calculates for each track event the actual distance of the track from the respective sets of optical systems, by comparing the number of photons detected by the respective cameras from each of the symmetrically opposite directions, and
• d2) deconvolves for every track event the blurred image obtained by each of the static cameras, by a Point Spread Function of the track for a given distance, as projected by the optical system on the digital cameras, and
• d3) calculates:
• d31) the beginning, and direction of the electron tracks by a best fit to a straight line of the initial, substantially straight section of the track, after correcting the large deviations due to Coulomb scattering, as imaged in the orthogonal projections registered by the Cameras, and
• d32) the energy deposited on the track by adding the amplitude of the respective signals registered by the Cameras, and
• d33) the compton scattered electron tracks by their coincidence with the position sensitive detectors and lack of very short x-ray electron track in the close proximity of their end, and
• d34) the photo-electric tracks by their lack of coincidence with position sensitive detectors and the existence of a very short x-ray electron track in the close proximity of their end, and
• d35) the direction of the scattered electromagnetic radiation as the line joining the beginning of the scattered electron track and the beginning of the electron track in coincidence, and
• d36) the direction of the scattered electromagnetic radiation as the line joining the beginning of the scattered electron track and the pixel of the position sensitive detector where a signal in coincidence with the track detector was registered, and
• d37) the direction and energy of the primary electromagnetic radiation interacting with the track detector from the direction and range of the scattered electron and the direction and energy of the scattered electromagnetic radiation in coincidence, and
• d38) the direction and energy of the primary electromagnetic radiation interacting with the track detector, from the direction and energy of the scattered electron and the direction and energy of the scattered electromagnetic radiation in coincidence, and
• d39) the direction and energy of the primary electromagnetic radiation interacting with the track detector from the direction and energy of the scattered electron and the direction and energy of the scattered electromagnetic radiation in coincidence as detected by the same track detector, and
• d310) the direction and energy of the primary electromagnetic radiation interacting with the track detector from the direction and energy of the scattered electron and the direction and energy of the scattered electromagnetic radiation as detected by the track detector and the position sensitive detectors in coincidence, and
• d311) the intersection points in 3D of the directions of all the primary electromagnetic radiations interacting with the track detector, and
• d312) builds a 3D map of the intersection points.