Monte Carlo calculation of point-spread functions of Compton scatter cameras

Abstract

A technique has been devised for independently determining the energy and spatial resolution components of the point-spread functions of electronically collimated (Compton scatter) imaging devices using a Monte Carlo method. Monte Carlo runs are performed for the device being examined, and detailed records of exact energy loss and spatial coordinates of each interaction for each particle in the simulation are made. Taking resolution parameters from the known performance of the detectors, measured data is simulated by sampling from Gaussian distributions (for both energy and position) about the exact interaction energy and position in both detectors, for each Monte Carlo history. By back-projecting cones on an event-by-event basis and calculating the closest approach of the cone to the known source point using the simulated measurement data for one of the energy and position variables and the exact interaction data for the rest of the variables, the effect of the variable in question on the point spread can be isolated. In this paper the authors present the calculations of the contribution to the point-spread function of the energy and spatial resolution in each detector for various source positions for a representative Compton camera configuration.