University of Cincinnati

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

John D Valentine

Kenneth C Gross

Ronald C Rohe

Mary Zawadzki

Francis Markum

Charles Dickerman

A method and apparatus are provided to concentrate and detect very low levels of radioactive noble gases from the atmosphere. More specifically the invention provides a method and apparatus to concentrate xenon, krypton and radon in an organic fluid and to detect these gases by the radioactive emissions.

Ultra-high sensitivity radiation detection apparatus and method

A source emitting gamma rays of discrete energy is imaged using a Compton type scattering camera. The source location of emitted gamma rays is determined from primary and secondary interaction positions and the energy deposited (.DELTA.E) when the gamma-ray Compton scatters mainly from a primary detector system. .DELTA.E is mainly determined by measuring the energy of the scattered gamma ray when it interacts in a secondary detector system and subtracting this value from a known energy value of the emitted gamma ray. Gamma rays that undergo only one Compton scatter interaction in the primary detector system are emphasized or preferred in the image reconstruction. The present invention optimizes the materials, geometrics, and electronics of the primary and secondary detector system so as to maximize the occurrence and acquisition of these preferred events while simultaneously maintaining close proximity of primary system to the photon source as well as high energy resolution in the secondary detector system. By collecting interaction data from a large number of emitted gamma rays, the source image can be reconstructed.

Compton camera for in vivo medical imaging of radiopharmaceuticals

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

John D Valentine