Measured figures (linearity, avalanche gain, frequency response, and noise) of the avalanche photodiodes (APD) detectors used on the FTU Thomson scattering system (FTU-TS) are reported. This investigation on the APD figures is motivated by the necessity of knowing their values over a wide range of input signals, and also of checking the validity of McIntyre model of APD noise, since using this model the experimental signal-to-noise ratio is calculated. From the noise analysis, a method of optimization of the detection system sensitivity is derived, leading to the optimization of the signal-to-noise ratio over the entire FTU-TS system.