A Small Scintillation Camera for Imaging in One Dimension

Following the initial development of the scintillation camera by Anger (1), further improvements and innovations have led to its extensive use in such areas as diagnostic oncology, organ deliniation, and physiological function studies. Indeed, in the last few years, the scintillation camera has evolved to serve a variety of applications in the medical field (2). The development of a one-dimensional imaging device was prompted by the need for an instrument to measure mucociliary transport rates in vivo using radiolabeled particulate pollutants (3). These measurements aid in the assessment of the mucociliary apparatus and its ability to clear particulate matter from the respiratory tract. Included in the design considerations were small detector size, portability, and ease of operation. The detector would be required to monitor in one dimension the distribution of Tc-99m, with the possibility of detecting 1-125 (4) in a dual-labeled experiment.