Excellent pulse height uniformity response of a new LaBr3:Ce scintillation crystal for gamma ray imaging

Nuclear Medicine SPECT imaging is taking on new challenges, regarding the improvement of quality and contrast of images. In order to reach this goal, energy resolution and Compton rejection capability have to be enhanced. For detectors based on scintillation crystal, the choice of a scintillator with high light yield is suitable; recently one of the major candidates is Lanthanum Tri-Bromide (LaBr3:Ce), with its high 63,000 ph/MeV light yield. Unfortunately, LaBr3:Ce suffers size limitations due to the actual growth techniques (maximum 3 in. diameter) and has also elevated cost. For these reasons, great interest is shown on small field of view detectors based on LaBr3:Ce, thought for imaging of specific physiological process or organ. To improve energy resolution, continuous crystals are more appropriate instead than pixelated ones. Since in a continuous crystal a decrease in position linearity, due to the light reflections, is typically obtained at the edges, an absorbent treatment of surfaces is generally utilized for SPECT applications. On the other hand, light absorption causes a relevant degradation of local energy resolution and pulse height uniformity response, affecting local image contrast. In this work an analysis on a new continuous LaBr3:Ce scintillation crystal with size proper to a small field of view gamma imager but with reflective treatment of surfaces is presented. This leads up to outstanding overall and local energy resolution results and excellent pulse height uniformity response on the whole field of view. Furthermore, preliminary imaging results are satisfactory, compared to the ones from a scintillation crystal with absorbent edges