University of California

John C Mazziotta

Edward J Hoffman

Farhad Daghighian

An intraoperative radiation probe is devised to detect radiolabelled malignant tissues by being selectively sensitive to beta radiation while insensitive to gamma radiation. The probe is comprised of two plastic scintillators optically coupled to corresponding photomultiplier tubes via corresponding light pipes. One of the plastic scintillators is shielded against beta radiation while the other is left to detect both beta and gamma radiation. The gamma radiation sensitivity of the dual probes is empirically established and used as a weighted factor to subtract the outputs of the two probes to leave a signal indicative of the beta radiation emitted by the radiolabelled tissue. Because of the shorter range of beta radiation within tissue, only near radiolabelled tissue is detected by the probe while strongly radiolabelled, more distant tissues exposing the probe to gamma radiation are ignored. The reliably identified near radiolabelled tissues can then be surgically removed. The probe is usable in any application where local beta radiation is to be differentiated from other types and sources of radiation.

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Beverly Hills, CA, United States of America

John C Mazziotta