A large area thin NaI(T1) detector for external counting of low-energy emitters in lung

A new type lung monitor was designed for the detection of 239Pu and 235U in the lungs, and a preliminary calibration undertaken thereon. The detector consists of a 9.5 in. dia. by 0.5 in. thick NaI(Tl)-crystal and seven photo-tubes. Besides its use as an ordinary lung monitor, the instrument can be employed as an image detector giving a rough indication of the distribution of the activities in the lungs. This paper describes the structural arrangement of the detector, the preliminary calibration performed thereon and the limits of detection derived as function of the subject's effective tissue thickness. (auth.)