Silicon photomultipliers for positron emission tomography detectors with depth of interaction encoding capability

Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are receiving increasing attention in the field of positron emission tomography (PET) detectors. Compared to photomultiplier tubes, they offer novel detector configurations for the extraction of depth of interaction (DOI) information, or enable emerging medical imaging modalities such as simultaneous PET-magnetic resonant imaging (MRI). In this article, we used 2x2x20 mm3 LYSO scintillator crystals coupled to SiPMs on both ends (dual-ended readout configuration) to evaluate the detector performance for DOI-PET applications. We investigated the effect of scintillator crystal surface finishing on sensitivity and resolution of DOI, as well as on energy and timing resolution. Measurements indicate DOI sensitivity and resolution of 7.1% mm-1 and 2.1±0.6 mm for saw-cut, and 1.3% mm-1 and 9.0±1.5 mm, for polished scintillator crystals, respectively. Energy resolution varies from 19% when DOI is in the center, to 15% with DOI at either end of the saw-cut crystal, while it remains constant at ∼14% for polished scintillators. Based on our results we conclude that 2x2x20 mm3 saw-cut (without any special side wall polishing) LYSO crystals coupled to 2x2 mm2 silicon photomultipliers are optimal for isotropic 2 mm resolution DOI-PET applications.