Performance improvement tests of MACACO: A Compton telescope based on continuous crystals and SiPMs

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, 2018-12, Vol.912, p.48-52
• Main Authors: Barrio, J., Etxebeste, A., Granado, L., Muñoz, E., Oliver, J.F., Ros, A., Roser, J., Solaz, C., Llosá, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Compton imaging; Continuous crystals; Hadron therapy; Medical applications; SiPMs; SPECT
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2017.10.033

The IRIS group of IFIC-Valencia is developing a Compton telescope for treatment monitoring in hadron therapy. The system is composed of three detector layers, each of them consisting of a monolithic LaBr3 scintillator crystal coupled to Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) arrays. A first version of the prototype was developed within the European project ENVISION. Tests with point-like sources and in-beam were carried out with successful results, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed technology. The limitations of the system were also identified. A new version of the prototype is under development with the aim of improving the performance of the telescope detector planes. To this end, the initial tests of a detector plane based on a new SiPM array have been carried out. The first characterization, coincidence and imaging tests with this new version of the detector plane are presented. In addition, the suitability of CeBr3 scintillator crystals for this application is being investigated. •An improved version of a Compton telescope for hadron therapy is under development.•First characterization, coincidence and imaging tests have been carried out.•Results show a general improvement of the system performance.