Other

Aaron B Brill

Rex C Trammell

Richard Pehl

A method and apparatus for improving the sensitivity of a position sensitive gamma ray detector and gamma camera. To obtain good position resolution, small effective detector elements are required. However, such small detector elements cause nearly all the gamma rays interacting by Compton scattering to be lost, i.e., they will not contribute to forming the image. The method and apparatus of the present invention takes advantage of the fact that when an incoming gamma ray of known energy is completely absorbed in two separate detector elements the sum of the energy depositions identifies this gamma ray as a valid event. Furthermore, for incoming gamma rays having energies less than 511/2 keV the position where the smallest energy is deposited is the first interaction site and therefore this position can also contribute to forming the image. Alternatively, both interaction sites can be used to form the image, thus improving sensitivity but increasing background noise compared with the preferred embodiment.

Method and apparatus for improving the sensitivity of a gamma camera

A method and apparatus for preventing injury to an individual who seeks to transport a snowboard on a chairlift includes providing a detachable loop strap which encircles a portion of the snowboard and goes over the individual's knee and/or thigh such that when the individual has one foot in the snowboard binding at one end, the dangling portion of the board is supported by the loop strap over the individual's knee or thigh. In one embodiment, the strap is neither attached to the board nor to the knee or thigh, but rather is looped around both to support the snowboard. Upon reaching the top of the chairlift, the board is released merely by unbuckling and removing the looped strap. One of the advantages of the loop strap is that it prevents ankle and knee injury due to the dangling of the board from one foot as the person rides the chairlift.

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Franklin, TN, United States of America

Aaron B Brill