Coincidence counting emission tomographic probe: Method and apparatus

An nuclear medicine apparatus is described for analyzing particular characteristics of a body organ into which radiopharmaceuticals have been introduced, the radiopharmaceuticals causing a plurality of internally generated radioactive emissions from the organ, the apparatus comprising: pairs of adjacent radiation detector means. Each pair of detector means is capable of detecting at least two different internally generated radioactive emissions, of respectively different energy levels, from the organ and generating separate electrical signals. Each of the separate signals generates in response to a different detected emission; and electronic means coupled to the detector means, the electronic means responsive to coincident reception of the two separate electric signals, representative of the different detected emissions; means for processing and analyzing the levels of the coincident reception, coupled to the output of the electronic means. The processing and analyzing means is positioned at least every 45 degrees around. The organ monitors throughout along an arc of at least 180 degrees. The maximum and minimum intensity of angular radiation can then be determined