Multiple sensor position locating system

Abstract

A system for locating the position of a source of a detachable emittance is particularly adapted for locating the position of a scintillation event in a scintillation crystal which has arranged adjacent thereto a plurality of photomultiplier tubes arranged in a predetermined configuration for detecting the scintillation event. In a single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) embodiment, a system which utilizes the present invention is initialized by storing weighting factors which are derived from placing a source of radiation in a plurality of known locations. The output values of the photomultiplier tubes are stored in a calibration file and subjected to a mathematical process to produce the weighting factors which are subsequently stored in a memory. During operation of the system, the signal values from the photomultiplier tubes are combined with the weighting factors to produce weighted signals which are then summed together to produce a composite weighted signal. The addresses of the weighting factors are correlated to position information; the correct position information being determined in response to the composite weighted signal assuming a predetermined value.