A large area, silicon photomultiplier-based PET detector module.

The introduction of silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) has facilitated construction of compact, efficient and magnetic field-hardened positron emission tomography (PET) scanners. To take full advantage of these devices, methods for using them to produce large field-of-view PET scanners are needed. In this investigation, we explored techniques to combine two SiPM arrays to form the building block for a small animal PET scanner. The module consists of a 26 × 58 array of 1.5 × 1.5mm(2) LYSO elements (spanning 41 × 91mm(2)) coupled to two SensL SiPM arrays. The SiPMs were read out with new multiplexing electronics developed for this project. To facilitate calculation of event position with multiple SiPM arrays it was necessary to spread scintillation light amongst a number of elements with a small light guide. This method was successful in permitting identification of all detector elements, even at the seam between two SiPM arrays. Since the performance of SiPMs is enhanced by cooling, the detector module was fitted with a cooling jacket, which allowed the temperature of the device and electronics to be controlled. Testing demonstrated that the peak-to-valley contrast ratio of the light detected from the scintillation array was increased by ∼45% when the temperature was reduced from 28 °C to 16 °C. Energy resolution for 511 keV photons improved slightly from 18.8% at 28 °C to 17.8% at 16 °C. Finally, the coincidence timing resolution of the module was found to be insufficient for time-of-flight applications (∼2100 ps at 14 °C). The first use of these new modules will be in the construction of a small animal PET scanner to be integrated with a 3T clinical magnetic resonance imaging scanner.