Improving detection efficiency in small animal PET scanners without degrading spatial resolution is one of the main problems of these scanners. Commercial small animal PET scanners use different methods to achieve desirable levels of sensitivity and spatial resolution. GE Healthcare eXplore VISTA PET scanner uses double layer (LYSO-GSO) depth-of-interaction (DOI) capable cuboid detector modules. In this work, the design of GE Healthcare eXplore VISTA PET scanner is improved using tapered detector geometry instead of cuboid geometry. Using tapered detector geometry, the gaps between adjacent modules are filled and the sensitive volume has increased about 11.5%. The new designed PET scanner sensitivity and spatial resolution are studied for different crystal layer configurations (LYSO-GSO and GSO-LYSO with different thicknesses). As expected, average sensitivity over FOV is improved. Spatial resolution is slightly degraded but it is still uniform over FOV.

在不降低空间分辨率的情况下提高小动物 PET 扫描仪的检测效率是这些扫描仪的主要问题之一。商用小动物 PET 扫描仪使用不同的方法来实现所需的灵敏度和空间分辨率水平。GE Healthcare eXplore VISTA PET 扫描仪使用双层 (LYSO-GSO) 深度交互 (DOI) 长方体探测器模块。在这项工作中，GE Healthcare eXplore VISTA PET 扫描仪的设计使用锥形探测器几何而不是长方体几何进行了改进。使用锥形探测器几何结构，相邻模块之间的间隙被填满，敏感体积增加了约 11.5%。新设计的 PET 扫描仪灵敏度和空间分辨率针对不同的晶体层配置（LYSO-GSO 和不同厚度的 GSO-LYSO）进行了研究。正如预期的那样，FOV 的平均灵敏度得到改善。空间分辨率略有下降，但在 FOV 上仍然是均匀的。