Visualization of radiation distribution using high sensitivity CCD camera

The visualization or imaging of radiation and radioactivity distributions in various media is a big trend of the present times. Various types of imaging apparatus, such as X-ray CT (Computed Tomography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), Gamma Camera, PET (Positron Emission Tomography), are widely used for medical and industrial applications with the aid of computer analysis. With a rapid progress of the CCD camera, especially the one sensitive to the scintillation light in the wavelength region of ultra violet, the direct imaging of the radiation distribution becomes possible using the handy high-sensitive CCD camera. Various applications of CCD camera have been developed for astronomical observation, X-ray imaging and diffraction pattern, neutron radiography, and Cerenkov viewing and so on. In this study, we aimed to visualize the radiation distribution by using a specially-designed high sensitivity CCD camera having two sets of MCP (Multi-Channel Plate) fabricated by Hamamatsu Photonics Co. Ltd. First, we tried to visualize the radiation distribution in a phantom by directly measuring the scintillation light from a scintillator without photomultiplier. This will be applied to the imaging of radioactivity distribution in a human body as a handy-type gamma camera. Secondary, we tried to visualize the radiation distribution imaging through an optical image fiber fabricated by Olympus Optical Co. Ltd., which will be used for the localization of invisibly small or deeply located tumors in a body cavity and also the contamination monitoring in a pipe or small space. (author)